Gamechanger Audio has developed the world’s first electro-mechanical desktop synth. They’re calling it the Motor Synth and they’re launching an indiegogo campaign to fund its production.

Is it a car? Is it a train? No, it’s a…synth? The Motor Synth is the world’s first electro-mechanical synth. An idea so crazy, it might just work.

Gamechanger Audio sum up the basic principles in the following:

“Motor Synth produces sounds by accelerating and decelerating eight electromotors to precise rpm (revolutions per minute) that correspond with specific musical notes. The instrument’s eight-electromotor configuration makes it a four-note true polyphonic synth with two voices per key played.”

The two main components to the sound production involve pickups that are on each of its eight electromotors. This lends it the unmistakable sound of revving engines – but in harmony.

Reflective optical disks are also attached to the shafts of each electromotor. The disks contain the graphical representation of three audio wave shapes, which are read by infrared sensors and converted into audio signal.

Convoluted maybe, but capable of conjuring some unique tone.

The Motor Synth campaign will launch on May 28 via indiegogo.