The Magnetic Cello – Demo & Overview

Designer David Levi is officially introducing the Magnetovore Magnetic Cello.

“After four years of development, the instrument is finally finished and something I’d be proud to sell,” he says. “There are currently only three full version Magnetic Cellos, and a few lucky musicians will be able to buy the instruments soon.”

“This is an instrument an adventurous musician could pick up and play,” he adds. “And I’m confident that he could play both old classical pieces (in a somewhat different way) and wacky new sounds not possible on other instruments.”

More information on the Magnetic Cello is available at the Magnetovore site.

4 thoughts on “The Magnetic Cello – Demo & Overview

  1. This instrument uses most of the full body of a musician to create 2 or 2½ control currents.
    1. The coil induction control is unique, that’s interesting.
    2. The string action looks like a regular ribbon controller. Useful, but shouldn’t be the only thing you can do with one hand.
    Then there’s the push button, which seems like an afterthought. You could clearly put more buttons under the musician’s hand, eg like eigenharp. Though, that’s what eigenharp does.

    Perhaps he could make a series of coil induction gadgets with various layouts?

    Glad to see someone thinking up new stuff though, oughtn’t pee on that.
    Nope, definitely keep it up!

  2. It sounds exactly like a Medieval viol. If I close my eyes I can imagine I’m listening to an album of Pro Musica Antigua. Or maybe it’s just a low fidelity recording. Is there feedback through the “bow”, say, by magnetic induction and resistance? If not, a lot of what gives a cellist the ability to sculpt the sound is missing. This is more like playing a Theramin. I think female cellists may shy away from this instrument in its current design. It doesn’t lend itself to being on stage in a fancy dress. Finally, you can’t spin it, which is de rigeur for the rocking cellist. At least, you could not spin this without a lot of derring do in the face of risking great personal injury. Unless, of course, your plan is to accompany with voce castrato.

  3. I remember seeing similar instruments in the Leon Theremin documentary. I think its great that people are making such kind of instruments which seemed to have been forgotten.

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