Thoughtful Things Launches Engram, an AI-Powered Music Instrument
Music startup Thoughtful Things has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its first instrument, Engram. The device is described as a sampler and groovebox that uses locally-run 'tiny AI' models to manipulate audio inputs or generate new sounds experimentally. Unlike mainstream AI music tools like Suno, Engram focuses on creating unusual and experimental outputs rather than polished commercial tracks. Engram's AI model was custom-trained using open datasets with commercially licensed audio content. The company emphasizes ethical data practices by stating it will never use non-commercial or pirated material for training. It also plans to make the firmware open-source, allowing users to modify or load their own models. In a campaign video, founder Evan King demonstrated Engram's capabilities by generating glitchy piano-like sounds from his voice input. The Kickstarter offers an early-bird price of $675 (a 30% discount), with expected retail prices likely between $850 and $900. The product is inspired in part by circuit bending, encouraging users to creatively 'break' the AI models for unique sound design.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence Hardware Launches Music Technology