The Eigenharp has created a bit of a buzz... in fact it has created the ability to generate and play expressively a whole host of buzzes, clicks, beats, soaring lead notes and tones of every persuasion, [cliche]limited only by your imagination[/cliche]... and the latest sound-generating software.

Well that's a bit of an opener, innit!
But see, I've just got back from the official launch, and it feels a bit like my brain was taken out, scrambled slightly, and put back just not quite in the same place it was before.
Seems like a bit of a biggie, this EigenBeast - history will judge it way better than I'm able to right now, but I certainly came away from The BBC Studios in London's Maida Vale where the launch took place, aware that we may regard this, in musical instrument terms anyway, as the end of the 'pre-Eigen-era'.
[Of course, history may regard this as a quaint, beautifully-designed and extremely fully-featured lemon... but I suspect, and sincerely hope, not].

One of my personal bugbears is that many incredible creative talents simply never see the light of day because the means, and maybe even the media by which those talents can be expressed do not yet exist. To express something so beautifully it can touch another's soul can be a tricky thing - the most direct way is to sing, which is one reason why great singers are so highly regarded; we can relate to it directly. To have the same effect playing an instrument usually takes years of practice, and even then, the methodology of using a keyboard or strings can be limiting.
So for me, any new way of enabling creative expression is worthy of attention... and the Eigenharp really does seem to allow whole new means and layers of expression - using the latest machine sound generating software in a instrument designed expressly for human performance.
(just no-one mention the bar band scene from Star Wars, OK ;-)

Anyway, enough of my ramblings... I took my camera to the launch and tried to capture it for you. It was dark, and I ended filming a blurry 'tennis-cam' as I tried to keep up with the presenters, so forgive the crummy camerawork, but I hope it'll give you a flavour.

I also grabbed an interview with company founder John Henry Lambert so look out for more later.

Enjoy.
Andy McCreeth

• www.eigenlabs.com

• MIDI Jitter Might Be Ruining Your Live Performance 05-Dec-12
• MESSE12: Eigenharp Software Updates 26-Mar-12
• MESSE10: Eigenlabs Add a Little Something 01-Apr-10
• WNAMM10: Eigenlabs Eigenharp 18-Jan-10
• Win An Eigenharp Alpha 04-Dec-09