Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker Announces New Instrument

Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker is announcing a nifty new instrument that appears to do a lot without taking up much space. Called “Orchid,” the tool was apparently developed by Parker and friends and originally conceived as a gadget for Parker’s own songwriting more than a decade ago. Meanwhile, its retro-futuristic design is by co-founder Ignacio Germade. It’s priced at $549.

Here’s a bit of product description:

Orchid is FOR CHORDS, meaning it offers a multitude of ways to shape, perform and alter these foundational musical elements while building new compositions. They include Performance modes such as Strum, Slop, Arpeggiator, Pattern and Harp, the latter of which mimics a harp being strummed to the sound of a given chord across a four-octave range. With an animated display that shows chord names as you experiment and a patent-pending voicing system enabling instant re-voicing and re-pitching, this 12-note instrument feels like it actually has 120 at your fingertips. Indeed, while other chord generators deliver a static and rigid outputting platform, Orchid, which boasts a beautiful design by co-founder Ignacio Germade, creates an entirely new landscape.

At first, there will be just 1,000 Orchids available for purchase in December at this link. “Prior to the instrument’s wide release, these owners will have the chance to shape and refine it as part of the Garden — an online community in partnership with Patreon. Further details will be announced soon.”

Finally, co-founder Charl Laubscher says: “Orchid isn’t just about how much you know or don’t know—it’s about shaking up your creative process. It’s a tool for anyone who wants to step outside their musical comfort zone, to experiment and to find what’s on their mind.”

Watch an introductory video to Orchid below.