AMK makes music technology child’s play

Back in the day, children who wanted to make electronic music had to make do with products such as the Major Morgan, but German company PKNTS has come up with a 21st Century alternative that looks much more entertaining.

The AMK is billed as a 'modular sound toy for preschool children'. Sounds can be loaded into its blocks via a computer, and these can then be played and combined by plugging the blocks together.

The voiceover on the promotional video is in German, so we don't know exactly what's going on, but it seems that it's possible to load-up the blocks with a variety of instrument and farmyard animal sounds - just imagine the creative possibilities - and possibly even to record your own.

What's more, the AMK looks like it could be ripe for circuit-bending, so it may yet end up becoming a more grown-up kind of music-making tool.

To be honest, though, it looks pretty cool as it is, and MusicRadar is certainly keen to give it a try. Expect to see the AMK being used ironically by a variety of achingly hip electronica artists, too.

(via Synthtopia)

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.