Pocket Scion is a synth you play with plants

A few years ago, the biology of the modern artist became a viral sensation when he published videos of himself controlling a modular synth with mushrooms on Tiktok. Pocket Scion gives any similar person capacity, but without having to spend thousands of dollars on a Eurorack platform – and in a much more portable package.

An essential part of the configuration of modern biology is a module called instrument scion, based in Glasgow. Scion transforms biofeedback, whether indoor plants or your own skin, in CV (control voltage) to control other synth modules in a larger configuration. Touching two sensors in your hand or a fungus completes a circuit, then electrical fluctuations in this circuit can be used to trigger different notes, or modify the blow on a filter, for example.

A little over a year ago, he approached instruo on the construction of something new. The fruit of this collaboration is The Pocket Scion, an affordable autonomous instrument which can transform small electrical changes from living organizations into MIDI data and create sound landscapes using one of the four integrated sound engines.

The Pocket Scion also has a number of advanced capacities, including Midi Out to control external instruments. There is also a companion application for Windows, MacOS and Linux which exhibits sound design tools to create your own synthage fixes, and can send data on an open sound control (CSO), which gives it control over a ton of audio and video programs such as MAX / MSP, purs data and an unreal engine to create a visualization or reactive complex installations. It is more powerful than you expect given its $ 149 price.

The initial series of pocket scions sold almost immediately. But you can place a pre -order when the next lot sends “at the beginning of next week”, depending on the control tension of the retailers.