Lo-Fi SES: Hackable 8-bit Chiptune Instrument with Open Source Carts

Some details via Kickstarter:

"A lo-fi 8-bit instrument that looks as good as it sounds. As fun at home as it is on stage. Open source and fully hackable.

Know how to play video games? Like music? You’ll love the Lo-Fi SES (Sound Entertainment System). It's an instrument that makes it easy to rock out as a chiptune artist.

The Lo-Fi SES is all fun with no practice. It may look like a game controller, but it's actually a music controller. You might've never learned to play piano or guitar, but I’ll bet you rocked at more than a few video games. Lo-Fi SES lets you turn those hard fought skills into musical magic.

And, like any good guitar, the Lo-Fi SES has to look as good as it sounds. That's why the Lo-Fi SES itself is a work of art. The fantastic Doctor Octoroc divined the graphics for this instrument and produced the animation in the video...

The controller is the heart of the Lo-Fi SES experience. Just like you are given a few items when you begin any game, the Lo-Fi SES starts you off with a default set of sounds on board. The default sounds are a lo-fi drum set. They're similar to the attack sounds from the video games of your childhood. Like any good portable system, sound output from the Lo-Fi SES comes from a standard audio jack that works with headphones or your stereo.

Just like the SNES, the Lo-Fi SES has all the buttons you could ever need! Use the ones on the right to trigger the sounds, and the ones on the left to control which track is being played or recored. You can even record multiple tracks and swap them out!

The Lo-Fi SES blinks at you more than F-Zero to let you know what is happening. But, every LED aids you along your musical adventure. The ROYB LEDs let you know what sounds you're playing or which ones are on the looped track. The record LED lets you know when you're recording or playing on top of a track. Best of all, there are tempo LEDs that keep you from ever missing a beat.

Finally, there's the badass battery life. Use 6 AAAs and get all day battery life. 24 hours of continuous play, so you can keep rocking long after your parents have gone to bed.

Cartridges

Upgrade your Lo-Fi SES experience with cartridges to mod your musical journey. And, these cartridges don't need you to ever blow on them to make them work!

If you like to tinker or you're into Arduinos, this is a must-have cartridge. This cartridge connects your Lo-Fi SES to your Mac, Linux, or Windows computer (standard mini USB cable not included). There are infinite possibilities once connected: swap out the sounds with some wavs you designed, tweak the timing of things to match your style, upgrade the software, or make it control your favorite sequencer..."