Like a mosquito buzzing in your ear, the latest addition to Moffenzeef Modular‘s stable of quirky audio products is tiny, erratic and unpredictable.
The SHTICK noise synthesizer plugs into a USB port for power and outputs sound from a 1/8″ line level jack. No larger than a USB thumb drive, its form factor affords a single control: a button that randomizes the parameters for its noise generating algorithm every time it’s pressed.
Each push of the button is like a roll of the dice and no two noise patterns will be quite alike. As the Moffenzeef site cautions, “Yøu cannøt cøntrøl ør tame the øutput øf SHTICK.” The random nature of the SHTICK lends itself to sampling, adding a bit of chaos to the creative process. Using it live as an instrument opens up more possibilities.
Mock infomercials are an unusual way to advertise a synthesizer, but the SHTICK’s “PRØMØ” video is perhaps reflective of the thought process that led to its creation:
At $25 it’s the least expensive of Moffenzeef’s devices, priced for impulse buys in keeping with its chaotic nature. For more information on the SHTICK see its store page.
