Miselu neiro: new Android-based music making device

Miselu is a Silicon Valley startup that's committed to "designing innovative musical solutions", and it's just taken the wraps of its neiro device, which will be shown at this year's SXSW in Austin Texas.

It's certainly a pretty thing, and is billed as "a net-enabled social music device with a musical keyboard and a wide multi-touch display". It's designed to run "a variety of musical apps and cloud services."

We also know that neiro has an Android-based OS, and that Yamaha has agreed to supply its AudioEngine (TM) Series Sound Chip NSX-1 for it. This promises to deliver a synth engine of a quality "that almost matches the sound of real musical instruments" and will also power the device's effects.

What's more, developers will be able to create their own custom apps; Retronyms, which developed Tabletop for the iPad and the iOS version of Reason, is already onboard and some of its apps will be included with the neiro at launch.

What we don't know is when neiro will be released or how much it's going to cost, but rest assured that we'll endeavour to find out.

Miselu neiropress release

Miselu, a Silicon Valley startup designing innovative musical solutions, announced today that early samples of the upcoming Miselu "neiro" device will be shown at this year's SXSW in Austin, Texas and that it features technology from Yamaha.

The Miselu "neiro" is a portable, net-enabled social music device with a musical keyboard and a wide multi-touch display, and a variety of musical apps and cloud services. This Android-based mobile companion invites users to perform, create, learn, discover and share — from anyplace they go. Social is integral to the Miselu "neiro" and permeates through all applications. The open platform environment will also enable developers and users to build their own custom apps and solutions.

Yamaha is providing the upcoming "neiro" with the Yamaha AudioEngine (TM) Series Sound Chip NSX-1. This powerful synthesizer engine delivers a quality that almost matches the sound of real musical instruments. The DSP chip offers a larger variety of sound effects such as reverb, chorus and EQs that create a rich sound experience.

"The capabilities of the NSX-1 will make our device even more exceptional and give its users endless possibilities in music performance and creation," said Miselu CEO Yoshinari Yoshikawa. "Overall, we are extremely excited to be part of SXSW this year. It is the perfect event to show the prototype of 'neiro' for the first time."

Miselu will be showcasing its upcoming product and related software solutions at SXSW 2012. From March 9th to 13th the team can be met at the SoundCloud Open House one block away from the Convention Center at 501 E 6th Street and from March 14th to 17th at Music Gear Expo (booth #304) in the Austin Convention Center.

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.