Go hands-free or hands-on with the Jamboxx breath-driven synth

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Jamboxx is a harmonica-like breath-driven digital instrument that can be played and controlled hands-free

Jamboxx is a USB-powered breath-controlled device modeled after a harmonica, that's designed to be played completely hands-free

Jamboxx can also be used as an alternate hands-free mouse, digital paint brush or PC game controller

The current version of Jamboxx comes with a proprietary software suite for playing digital music

The Jamboxx team says that using the instrument is easy and there's no requirement to read music, as the melodies are displayed on the computer screen with a numeric tab system

For the professional musician, the system allows the creation of custom presets including custom scales and features, and is reported to be compatible with most VST, AU or MIDI devices

The goal is to build an affordable and powerful device for a growing community of both able-bodied and disabled individuals

Users can access and play hundreds of digital musical instruments ranging from saxophone to percussion, and violin to French horn

Jamboxx development team members Dave Whalen, Doug Hamlin and Mike DiCesare

Dave Whalen using a Jamboxx to jam with Mike DiCesare

Article Summary

Digital wind controllers like the Morrison Digital Trumpet give players the power to go beyond mere instrument clones and make virtually any instrument or sound available to the musician. More recently, Ashanti's Beatjazz Hands combined breath, pressure and motion sensors to bring gestures into the equation and free him from the confines of a computer screen. The problem in using such systems for folks with limited cognitive abilities or physical disability is that they can't effectively be used hands-free. A skiing accident in the 1980s left Dave Whalen a quadriplegic, and his burning desire to continue making music has led to the development of Jamboxx, a harmonica-like digital instrument that can be played and controlled using just the head.

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