World’s First Human Synthesizer Makes Beautiful Music

The human body is one of the most glorious instruments in the world, but most people don’t treat it as a literal instrument. Alleged musician Calvin Harris used the bodies of 15 lovely ladies in itty-bitty bikinis as parts of a large-scaled human synthesizer – a “Humanthesizer,” if you will.

The instrument was created with the use of Bare Conductive, a skin-safe and conductive ink. When the ink is applied to human skin, an electrical current can pass through the body without causing painful electric shock. Sony music executives had wanted to try out the large-scale human synth for quite a while, but they could never find the right project. Apparently they got tired of waiting and decided to use Harris’ single “Ready for the Weekend.”

Along with the painted ladies and Harris’ painted hands, the synth uses 34 floor pads of the conductive ink. When the performers stand on the pads and touch each other with the painted parts of their bodies a sound is created. Harris moves along the row of eight “keyboard” girls playing sounds while the “rhythm” section performs a choreographed routine to play the other parts of the song. Questionable music aside, the technology is truly impressive – we just wish someone would give those poor girls some bathrobes.

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See more in Art of Tech or under Technology. June, 2011.