Synth And Visualizer Combo Has Retrocomputing Vibe

Artist operating artistic visualizer with MIDI keyboard

[Love Hultén]’s latest piece of interactive art is the SYNTH#BOI, a super-clean build with something of the semi-cyberdeck, semi-vintage computing vibe to it. The device is a combination synthesizer and visualizer, with a 15-inch display, MIDI keyboard, and based on an Intel NUC i5 small form factor PC.

There are not many details about the internal workings of the device, but the high quality of the build is very evident. Photos show a fantastic-looking enclosure with clean lines and sharp finish; it’s a reminder that careful measuring and attention to detail can be the difference between something that looks like a hack job, and something that looks like a finished product.

Watch the SYNTH#BOI in action in the video, embedded below. And if the name [Love Hultén] seems familiar, it’s probably because we featured his VOC-25 “Pink Denture Synth”, a concept instrument with a decidedly memorable design of its own.

7 thoughts on “Synth And Visualizer Combo Has Retrocomputing Vibe

  1. I really like the way they released this. I would love to have a synth that has an interactive visualization part. It would be great to make music using both the visualizer and synth at the same time in real-time, with all of my settings being able to be adjusted on screen while playing out those sounds live.

  2. I try not to be critical of stuff posted here but I have to ask, where is the hack? It’s a keyboard, computer, and screen in a custom made case with audio visualization software. It is being sold along with an nft for 16 eth (about $50k). The nuc inside of it is probably beyond overkill.

    1. I feel the same way. The case is the interesting part here. The rest can (and has probably been done by myself and many others in 1998) just be done with VST, some audio vis, and a midi controller taped to a laptop. I would not even say anything except as you pointed out the price of it all. I mean we all gotta eat but dang… Still it does look very very nice and as with any project, the fact that it is completed beats out about 40% of my dabbling these days haha so kudos for those parts.

Leave a Reply to TerryMatthewsCancel reply

Please be kind and respectful to help make the comments section excellent. (Comment Policy)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.