The Segulharpa is new and unique among electro-acoustic instruments. This large circular walnut instrument holds 25 steel strings, which are "bowed" by powerful magnetic fields. Touch sensors are embedded into the grain of the wood, and as the player touches the surface, wonderfully complex interactions are created inside. Unlike traditional wooden stringed instruments, the strings oscillate from intentionally played notes as well as from frequencies of nearby vibrating strings. Inventor Ulfur Hansson said it took him seven years to finish this instrument.

The Synescope is an instrument that converts visual art -- colors, images, lightness, and darkness -- into sounds. It looks like a record player that plays record-shaped works of art. Inventor Brian Alexander experiences synesthesia, which inspired him to build the Synescope. Crossing perceptions, like those of sight and sound, is the key to new discoveries, he said. 

This is an attachment to an acoustic piano that uses magnets to resonate piano strings. It allows a musician to sustain notes indefinitely as well as trigger notes by using interfaces other than the keyboard. Because it is a modular attachment, the Electromagnetic Piano can be applied to all the strings on a piano, just a few strings on a piano, or even to multiple pianos. This allows traditional acoustic piano sounds to play simultaneously with the magnetically generated sounds, and is a novel feature in electro-acoustic instruments.

At the Georgia Tech School of Music, our students combine technical skill with exceptional music talent to truly change the way the world experiences music. Learn more about our bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in music technology, our pre-college summer studio, and our innovative research labs.