Tembo: A New Musical Instrument for Playful Music Making
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Tembo is a playful intuitive instrument for your creative and musical home. Start by creating and learn through play.
Making music is often seen as a daunting task requiring years of lessons and complex software. But what if anyone, from a curious child to a seasoned producer, could start building beats and melodies simply by playing with magnetic blocks? Tembo is a new type of musical instrument that replaces screens and complicated menus with a tactile, intuitive interface. By combining a physical sixteen step sequencer with a powerful sampler, it turns the process of composing music into a playful, hands on experience that the whole family can enjoy together.
Project Overview
Name and Creator: Tembo A New Musical Instrument for Playful Music Making by Musical Beings.
What It Is: Tembo is a standalone magnetic step sequencer and sampler. It uses physical magnetic pucks placed on a grid to trigger sounds, create loops, and build rhythms. It operates without the need for a screen or complicated setups, making it accessible for absolute beginners while still offering deep connectivity and sampling features for professional musicians.
Key Features
Tactile Magnetic Sequencer: The device features eight physical columns that act as a full sixteen step sequencer. You can stack two magnets in one column to trigger consecutive sixteenth notes or flip a magnet upside down to shift the beat and add syncopation.
Real Time Sampling: It includes a built in microphone, allowing users to sample their own sounds or record live instruments directly into the device to create instant backing loops.
Deep Connectivity: Tembo supports USB MIDI out, Line In for external instruments, and features integrated Wi Fi and Bluetooth. This allows it to connect to a digital audio workstation or download new sample packs directly from the cloud.
Companion App and Academy: For those who want to dive deeper, the device pairs with an app that includes interactive lessons, creative games, and an expanding content library of curated sample packs from around the world.
Studio Ready: Despite its playful appearance, it is a serious production tool. It has even been featured in Abbey Road Studios and is built to integrate seamlessly into a professional music making workflow.
Rewards
Kickstarter Pricing: Backers can secure their own Tembo unit through various pledge tiers, with the campaign currently having raised over five hundred thousand dollars.
Options: Users can choose the core Tembo unit and add on various expansions like extra magnetic pucks or protective cases.
Delivery: Shipping and taxes will be calculated closer to the delivery date through a pledge manager, with the project aiming to lock in the best logistical rates for international backers.
Concept
The core concept is Learning Through Play. Musical Beings believes that formal music education can often stifle creativity. By designing an instrument that sounds good from the very first touch, they aim to help people discover rhythm and structure naturally. The goal is to encourage musical exploration without didactic instruction or steep learning curves.
Inspiration
The project was created by a group of lifelong friends, music lovers, and parents who wanted to share their passion for music with their children. After leaving successful careers at major tech and audio companies, they spent years prototyping a device that could bridge the gap between a toy and a professional synthesizer. They were inspired to build a tool that brings people together, turning living rooms into collaborative jam sessions and making music creation an unforgettable shared experience.