Kassiopeia

Kassiopeia is a 4-channel DC interface that turns movement into sound. It lets you control motors, solenoids, fans, and even LEDs using MIDI or CV/Gate. Each channel can either smoothly adjust power levels (great for controlling motors and movement) or send short, punchy triggers (perfect for percussive hits).

Designed for experimental musicians, sound artists, and tinkerers, Kassiopeia lets you:

– Trigger solenoids to create percussive rhythms on any object.
– Control motors and fans to shake, vibrate, or bow strings.
– Power-starve devices for glitchy, unpredictable results.
– Build kinetic sound sculptures that interact with the physical world.

Simply connect it to a laptop via MIDI (Ableton-ready!) or control it with CV/Gate from your modular system. Build kinetic sound installations, trigger solenoids rhythmically, or even power-starve gear for experimental textures.

During its development, we worked closely with Hildur Guðnadóttir and her band Osmium, incorporating ideas from the modified Halldorophone used in the Joker soundtrack. It’s an instrument of endless possibilities—where will you take it?

Kassiopeia is innovative because it bridges the digital and physical worlds through MIDI in a completely new way. It allows artists to control physical movement—solenoids, motors, fans, LEDs—using MIDI or CV/Gate, effectively turning everyday objects into sound-making instruments. Unlike traditional MIDI gear that stays within the audio or control signal realm, Kassiopeia enables composers and performers to create kinetic, tactile, and visually expressive works with precision timing and full integration into their existing MIDI setups. It expands the creative potential of MIDI beyond notes and knobs into raw, physical motion.

Kassiopeia has become an essential part of the live setup for Osmium—the experimental band of Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sam Slater, James Ginzburg, and Rully Shabara. They use custom string instruments controlled by solenoids, motors, and physical triggers powered by Kassiopeia, which they affectionately call “robots.” These devices rhythmically strike, bow, or vibrate the strings during live performances, creating haunting, otherworldly textures. This integration of MIDI-controlled physical movement into acoustic performance blurs the line between traditional instrumentation and machine-driven expression, opening new sonic and performative dimensions.