I wrote about Joue back in January, right before the company participated in (and won) our CES pitch-off. The company was one of a handful of crowdfunded musical instrument startups at the show that were really worth getting excited about.
This week, the French startup is launch the campaign for Play, a more user-friendly version of the company’s self-titled modular MIDI controller. As I noted in the earlier piece, the system operates similarly to Sensel’s Morph system, with silicone pads that slip on top of a touch interface to mimic a variety of different instruments, including a drum pad, piano, guitar and an electronic musical interface.
The new version of the instrument aims to lower the bar with a connected mobile app that works as follows:
- The instruments are gathered in a circle in the middle
- The timeline shows successive musical events simply and clearly
- The mixer lets you adjust the volume of each instrument
- Recording is accessible directly from the Pads, for maximum reactivity
In addition to the companion iOS/Mac/Windows app, the Play is also more than $100 cheaper than its predecessor (at least it is currently on Joue’s Kickstarter page). That price includes the board and five different silicone pads. It’s a clever product and one designed for a broader audience than the original — which went over fairly well in its own right.
Unfortunately, the device won’t be available while we’re all still cooped up inside. It’s currently projected to launch in October.