Eternal Research Demon Box Turns EMFs Into Music – Now on Kickstarter!
Update! The Eternal Research Demon Box is now on Kickstarter. Convert electromagnetic fields into music and even use it with your Eurorack system.
Eternal Research Demon Box Now on Kickstarter
[September 4, 2024] I love this thing. Or at least the idea of it since I haven’t actually played with one. But ever since this story broke at the beginning of the summer, I’ve been excited to see how the Eternal Research Demon Box, which turns electromagnetic fields into music, works in the context of a studio.
Eternal Research has now launched a Kickstarter for the Demon Box and given us some tantalizing new info. It looks like along with a five-pin and USB-C MIDI out, the Demon Box will also have three CV out ports so you can connect it to a Eurorack system. Love that.
As for what you might use to excite the demons inside the box, Eternal Research recommends a number of EMF-emitting devices, such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi routers, microwave ovens, electric guitars and more. Remember, safety first, even when engaging in demonic play.
The Kickstarter campaign reportedly blew through its goals in a matter of minutes and currently sits at $50k pledged for a $10k goal. There are 30 days left to grab your own Eternal Research Demon Box. The $449 Super Early tier is all sold out, with $549 and $599 models remaining.
- Eternal Research Demon Box Kickstarter page
Eternal Research Demon Box
[June 12, 2024] When a press release like this appears in your inbox you really have no choice but to write about. Demons? Electromagnetic fields? A “synaesthetic triphonic feeling-sound?”
Let’s dive in.
Demon Box is an upcoming experimental sound-making box from new developers Eternal Research. The fruit of a long and wild R&D period, Demon Box is the company’s first device and it turns EMFs – that’s electromagnetic fields – into sound.
Exorcize Is Good For You
Here’s how the press release describes Demon Box:
“Using a proprietary system of inductors to translate EMF into sound, Eternal Research’s first commercial product, the Demon Box, can play anything from a cell phone to a hairdryer, process this signal, and make it musical. It promises to open up a vast new dimension of music making for new creators as well as experienced electronic and experimental musicians.”
Freaky, right?
Eternal Research Demon Box: 33 Inductors
The Demon Box uses a proprietary configuration of 33 inductors in a triangular field that translates the electromagnetic resonances of objects into three channels.
“The three channels allow you to sculpt with panning, phasing and effects layering,” says one of the engineers involved in the device, Bryn Nieboer. “Stereo is limited, but we can expand on stereo with more than two channels, making a more synaesthetic triphonic feeling-sound. Each of the three channels can be modified with one dedicated aux in, with controls that allow the music maker to mix aux in and inductors independently for each channel.”
Eternal Research Demon Box: Ins and Outs
Eternal Research designed Demon Box to be compatible with existing audio setups. It features three mono outs plus – interestingly – a MIDI out. It will also sport a USB-C port for audio output and power. lastly, it will have a stereo output that can be used for headphones.
Chaos is the Music
“Our instruments are for people trying to experience new things,” engineer Alexandra Fierra says. “The Demon Box is an open palette, and I didn’t want my design decisions to limit people’s view. I wanted to keep the complexity and noise in plain view, so that they can experience these phenomena and realize that the noise can be a good thing. The chaos is the music, or the seed of all new music.”
You can hear the chaos in action at Eternal Research’s website. You can also sign up there for more information.
Demon Box is set to come out in fall 2024. Pricing to be announced.
More Information
- Eternal Research’s home page
- All about synthesizers
- All about demons
One response to “Eternal Research Demon Box Turns EMFs Into Music – Now on Kickstarter!”
One of those ideas (of which there are so many in which is innovative and genuinely interesting conceptually, but totally unmusical and even boring as a modulation source. A real shame.
In the words of Dan Wootton – Hard Pass.