At the 2015 NAMM Show, inventor Paul Vo (Moog Guitar) introduced the Wond String Exciter, a new device, designed to let you explore new ways of playing string instruments.
Vo’s instruments explore the idea of ‘acoustic synthesis’ – using electronics to control the vibration of physical objects and to shape the harmonics of the resulting sounds.
And, while the Wond is being targeted to guitarists, Vo says that it is the most powerful handheld exciter, sustainer and controller ever made – so it has other interesting applications.
In the following video demo – Experimental Synth’s Chris Stack explores using the Wond for sound design:
In the video, Stack uses the Wond to magnetically excite the tines of an electric kalimba to make them vibrate. The tine sound is then processed with an Eventide H9 multi-effects pedal.
The result is a sound that’s definitely kalimba, but unlike kalimba sounds that you’ve heard before.
The Paul Vo Wond was originally produced via a Kickstarter project, but is now available directly from Vo’s site for US $209.
now i need a bionic hand with one of these for each finger.
can’t wait to hear the great sounds people will make with this
This thing is amazing.
I’d love to hear what it does on the springs of a reverb like an Ekdahl Moisturizer.
What are the main differences between this and an ebow?
From the FAQ on Paul’s site…
How does the Wond differ from other sustainers?
The Wond is based on a completely different technology than the EBow, using Paul Vo’s patented collocated vibration control system.
• Traditional sustainers generate an incoherent magnetic field. The Wond establishes coherent two-way communication with the string. This translates into heightened musical expressivity, with deeper, more wide-ranging control over timbre, individual harmonics, intensity, and all aspects of how the string vibrates.
• The Wond is fast. Strings vibrate the instant you pinch it, giving you dramatically better control of notes, arpeggios, and gestures. As fast as a bow on a string. Fast enough to play staccato!
• The Wond is versatile. It works on virtually any instrument with steel strings, whether amplified or acoustic.
• The Wond delivers tactile feedback – you can feel the string as you hover over it. This makes playing more natural and intuitive, eliminating the need to visually position the sustainer precisely over the string.
• The Wond’s unique design enables it to perform in ways traditional sustainers can’t. The Wond can act as a slide, creating infinitely sustained glissandos.
The idea is interesting but its a little hard to tell how much. You could have pumped in almost any sound into that kind of multi-effect patch and had similar results.