Audio Gadgets: Calvin Harris’ Humanthesizer

I can’t decide whether this is weird or incredible. In either case, I want one! With the help of the Royal College of Art’s Industrial Design Engineering program, Calvin Harris built a “human synthesizer” by combining bikini clad models with 34 conductive pads painted on the floor, and patching the whole thing into a sequencer. Call it the ultimate MIDI controller.

Calvin used this “humanthesizer” to perform his single Ready For The Weekend. Large round trigger pads were placed on the floor and wired together with some elaborate circuitry. So they could trigger the pads, the model’s feet and hands were painted with Bare Conductive, a special “skin safe” ink developed at the Royal College or Arts that conducts electricity.

The models (15 of them) stand on the pads and touch hands to complete a circuit and trigger a sound. Different combinations of pads trigger the different sounds needed to play the track. Their movements were carefully choreographed. What was Calvin’s sequencer of choice? Ableton Live.

In this first Youtube video, Calvin describes the invention, and you get to see him playing with it.

This second video describes how the humanthesizer works and was built.

What are your thoughts? Would you like one? Are you handy enough to make your own? Would you replace your Axiom with one?