While the world waits in agony for Kanye’s latest album, the rapper is giving fans the opportunity to create their own musical masterpiece with his new product: the DONDA Stem Player. Made in partnership with Kano – a start-up company out of London – the device allows users to customise the vocals and beats of any song.
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Before you quit your job and ink a multi-million dollar record deal, let’s figure out how this gadget actually works. According to the product description on Ye’s website, the Stem Player allows users to chop up vocals, drum beats, basslines and melodies to create unique sample loops. They refer to this as splitting the song into ‘stems’, with the machine providing the bonus of mixing in added effects over the top.
The innovative instrument is circular in shape and comes manufactured with soft silicone skin. Four directional arrows that light up surround the middle button, with the upper right side featuring volume controls while the left side boasts a 97DB speaker and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Stem Player comes packaged in a carrying case also includes a USB-C cable.
A similar-looking device was first spotted during Kanye’s infamous Sunday Service performances and was also discussed briefly in a past interview with Zane Lowe. The DONDA Stem Player is now available on his website for USD$200.00 (AU$275.00) and will be shipped with the highly anticipated album (so don’t hold your breath).