A new batch of impressive brains and circuits has come together to enhance the music in our lives, thanks to the creativity of Yuri Suzuki, Mark McKeague and Naomi Elliot. A sound designer and unorthodox thinker whom we’ve featured in the past, Suzuki is responsible for a number of creations such as the SoundTaxi, a collaboration with McKeague, and the Androp music video project.
The dawn of 2014 brings the world ever-closer to the official launch of another wildly intriguing idea by Suzuki and his colleagues. Pronounced, “OH-toh-toh,” and meaning “younger brother” in Japanese, Ototo first emerged in a press announcement last October.
What is Ototo exactly, and how will it enhance our musical experiences in 2014?
Ototo is an “experimental synthesizer that allows you to turn anything into a musical instrument,” as succinctly explained by Dentaku, a creative design and invention company newly formed by Suzuki and McKeague last year. Ototo was also created with the collaborative help of Near Now, a commissioning and artist development program affiliated with Nottingham, England-based Broadway.
Recalling similar ideas like the BeetBox and Disney’s Botanicus Interacticus, which we covered in 2012, it might seem like Dentaku has only served to follow an existing concept. But in reality, Ototo’s capabilities run on a method different from either of the former. What the three do have in common is their use of small-sized pieces of complex circuitry and integrative physical interaction to create sound. However, Ototo encourages its application to an assortment of conductive surfaces and objects, not just to plant-based matter or singular electrode implantation.
Ototo’s primary component is a printed circuit board (PCB) synthesizer that works in conjunction with crocodile-style clips, which are attached to a conductive material. Even without external clips, the PCB functions as a musical keyboard and users can further customize and manipulate sounds using four sensor input channels built on the board that work with electronic modules. Dentaku explains the simplicity in creating a light theremin by connecting a light sensor to control the pitch.
Ototo’s technical specifications are as follows:
● 12 key capacitive touch keyboard (one octave), which you can connect to conductive objects via crocodile clips
● 4 sensor inputs that allow you to change different aspects of the sound
● No coding required
● Onboard speaker
● 3.5mm audio output
● Powered by 2 x AA batteries or micro USB
● Arduino compatible if you want to hack
Aside from Ototo’s electronic potential, Naomi Elliot’s role in this PCB’s advancement adds a special touch for an extra dimension of aesthetic enjoyment to practical function. A London-based illustrator by trade, Elliot contributes her drafting skills to provide Ototo with a group of various little figures that highlight Ototo’s many elements. Dentaku plan to have these characters featured in a story that will help users understand how to use and interact with Ototo. Such a method might sound juvenile at first, but could be a perfect way to gently bridge the starting gap for those more wary or less knowledgeable of customizable technology. This objective is of particular interest to Suzuki:
“We wanted to create a kit that makes physical computng and interactive projects accessible for everyone. Getting into coding and understanding electronics can be a barrier for creativity, Ototo allows anyone to build amazing electronic sound projects with minimal knowledge.”
Ototo is still getting tuned up and ready for release, but now that we’re into the new year, it will hopefully not be long before more details of the specific launch date and public availability are announced.
In the meantime, you can check out Ototo’s promotional video below, and sign up for Dentaku’s newsletter on Ototo’s main page to stay informed!
Dentaku – Ototo from Broadway on Vimeo.
You can follow Dentaku on Twitter @dentakuldn.
Kira is an old school music nerd with a love for all things creative; always searching for music’s common ground. She graduated with an M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. Drop her a tweet @shadowmelody1
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