About The Glide
What would it be like to play an accelerometer? But first . . . what's an accelerometer? An accelerometer is a tiny electronic device that measures acceleration. Acceleration is the feeling of being pushed back in your seat when you start driving or pushed to the side when you whip around a curve. It's not quite the same as "motion"; it's the change that happens when you go from one speed to another. An accelerometer measures this, and The Glide is built around this device.
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There are two controllers, one for each hand, and each controller has three accelerometers (for the X, Y, and Z axes.) Each of these accelerometers controls a different facet of musical expression. The Glide is a musical instrument, not a computer interface. There is no software algorithm reading your motions and interpreting those motions into various subroutines. Notes are immediate and responsive down to the millisecond. When you play it you are literally playing the accelerometer, just like a violinist plays a string or a trombonist plays a column of air.
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To choose tones and choose the octave, there are two buttons on one controller, three buttons on the other controller, and a small joystick. This adds up to 48 different notes instantly accessible at any time, and with the built-in instant transposition, you can play all of the notes the human ear can hear (and a bunch more.)
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With just these two controllers, you have complete control over pitch, volume, rhythm, tone, glide, and more. The amount of musical expression available is enormous.
Frequently Asked
Does this make sound by itself?
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It has a very basic built-in synth that you can hear via a headphone jack on the bottom. It is primarily designed to be a MIDI controller broadcasting over bluetooth or USB, which means that you pair it with a phone, tablet, or computer and then play through a synthesizer app..
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How fast can I get one?
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The Glide is proudly micromanufactured, and each one is hand-assembled and tested in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Check the order page for the most up-to-date info regarding lead times.
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How do you play this thing?
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First set of video tutorials are here.
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Who designed The Glide?
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The Glide was conceived, designed, and coded by Keith Groover, a musician, music educator, and inventor living in South Carolina.
The circuit board designer and electronic engineer is Darius Mostowfi, who also designed the hardware for Mission Engineering's Expressionator and Roger Linn's Linnstrument.
