Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker Creates New Instrument The Orchid

The synthesiser will be available from December for $549.

Is there anything Kevin Parker can’t do? The man behind the wildly successful rock act Tame Impala has unveiled a new instrument he calls The Orchid.

A synthesiser that looks like it’s straight from the 80s, this 12-key, 16-voice instrument is a chord generating tool Parker has been developing for over a decade. The Orchid will be released by Parker’s Telepathic Instruments company next month and retail for $549.

Three synths make up The Orchid – a polyphonic virtual analogue subtractive synth, an FM synth and a “vintage reed piano emulation.” The piece of hardware designed alongside Stefan Stenzel also features five different modes – ‘Strum,’ ‘Slop,’ ‘Arpeggiator,’ ‘Pattern’ and ‘Harp’ – MIDI connectivity and a rechargeable battery.

The great news for music newbies is The Orchid is easy to use and requires no musical theory knowledge – just plug it in and get cracking.

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According to a statement from co-founder Charl Laubscher published by Exclaim, “Orchid isn't just about how much you know or don't know — it's about shaking up your creative process. It's a tool for anyone who wants to step outside their musical comfort zone, to experiment and to find what's on their mind.”

The first release will be limited to just 1,000 synths, with those who splash the cash having the opportunity to give feedback on the instrument over the coming months to help refine The Orchid before it goes into mass production.

The Orchid arrives in December and will retail for $549. For more details about the instrument visit telepathicinstruments.com.