Georgia Tech Reveals 10 Guthman Instrument Finalists
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- Georgia Tech announced 10 finalists for its 28th annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, which awards $10,000 in prizes.
- Fiddle Henge consists of four green violins mounted to a bass drum, played with a spinning disk.
- The Demon Box by Eternal Research is already a commercial product priced at $999, converting electromagnetic radiation from cellphones or TV remotes into music, MIDI, and control voltage.
- Amphibian Modules is a modular synth that uses a dish of saltwater in place of patch cables.
- The Gajveena merges a double bass with a traditional Indian veena, while the Lethelium is a steel drum/harp hybrid made from a bike wheel.
- The Masterpiece is an RFID-enabled open-source synth designed for players with disabilities.
- The winner will be announced at a competition concert on March 14th; past finalists have included founding members of Teenage Engineering, Artiphon, and Roli, and KOMA Elektronik won last year for the Chromaplane.
Why it matters: Past Guthman finalists founded Teenage Engineering, Artiphon, and Roli — making the 28-year-old competition a proven launchpad for instrument companies. This year's field blends spectacle (Fiddle Henge, a saltwater synth) with commercial and accessibility substance: Eternal Research's Demon Box already sells for $999, and The Masterpiece targets disabled players.
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