These Musical Instruments of the Future Sound Weird, Wacky—and Are Easy for Anyone to Play

The 28th annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech showcased ten finalists with inventive new instruments, from an electromagnetic synth called the Demon Box to a bicycle-wheel-shaped stringed instrument. The $10,000 grand prize went to the Masterpiece, an open-source touch-based synth designed for accessibility and inspired by fidget toys, created by Brian Culligan of Daniel's Music Foundation. The competition highlights trends in music-making, particularly the growing focus on making instruments playable by people with disabilities.