THE KICKSTARTER ENDS BUT THE PROJECT CONTINUES

PLEASE visit moldover.com/kickstarter first for the latest info!

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Update: $40K Stretch Goal
We made it to our initial funding goal which means the album will be recorded and Voice Crushers will be made!  Remember that the first stretch goal of $40K will mean that we can buy all the tools and hire all the people we need to make this album look, sound, and feel truly AWESOME.  The more pledges we gather the better FOUR TRACK will be in the end. Please keep spreading the word about this project, and thanks for all your support!

Update: New Media Added
Click on the "Updates" link above for all kinds of videos, photos, and more fun stuff related to the project.

Update: Press Links
Sound Design Live - Blog post and audio interview
Livid Instruments - Featured Artist post & interview
Synthtopia - Simple post with a VERY heated comment-debate
Matrix Synth - Video & Photos
The Exhi - Great writeup on a fantastic new website
EE Web - The Voice Crusher wins "Electrical Engineering Site of the Day"
Macro Records - Autumn nostalgia and controllerism
Sonic State - All details of the project
Tech Dirt - "Awesome Stuff"
Breadboard Dreams - Shout out
Twist Image - 6 worthy links
DJ Grandpa's Crib - Kickstarter podcast interview
Ableton Blog - Performance and controllerism interview

What's going on here!?!

Hi!  My name is Moldover and I am ultra excited to announce the recording of my new album "Four Track"!  It's inspired by a tape of songs I made when I was a kid.  Back then, my music was simple and unpolished, but it came straight from the heart onto that tape.  Now I'm bringing that soulful sincerity back into my music, and expanding it with new instruments, new sounds, and a whole new performance style.  If you haven't already, please watch the video above to get the big picture!

What is that cassette-looking thing?

This album is my life's greatest work and I want it to be enjoyed by as many people as possible, but I can't release my new music as just a simple download.   I needed to create something really special.  For my last album I pioneered the idea of "instrument as packaging" with my Light Theremin CDs.  I had a ton of fun making them and I learned so much that I decided to re-invent the idea for Four Track.  The result is a cassette-sized instrument I call The Voice Crusher.  Watch my Kickstarter video for a demonstration of how it works, and check out the rewards to your right if you think you might want one.  Keep reading below for the full details of its design and production.

You're crazy, but I like you. Why are you doing all this?

Four Track is the culmination of many years' hard work.  It's challenging me to learn new skills, push my creative limits, and bring new depth and vulnerability to my music.  This is the most wholehearted and personal project I've ever undertaken, and I'm excited to have the Kickstarter platform to help me gather support for it.

What will you do with the funding?

There is more than one way to complete any creative project.  The more money I can raise, the better it will be!  I set the $20K goal for this campaign between an amount I am very confident I can raise ($10K), and the actual amount of money I want to spend to realize my vision ($40K). 

If we can meet the $20K kickstarter goal, it will be enough to get the recording done on a minimal budget, manufacture The Voice Crusher albums, and fulfill all rewards.

If we raise $40K, I can afford to buy all the tools and hire all the people I need to make this album look, sound, and feel truly AWESOME.  

If we can raise MORE, this album will grow far beyond this campaign, with many more wonderful collaborations like music videos, tours, and the design of all kinds of new instruments.

Can you break that $ down for me?

Mid-Level $40K Budget

Production & Engineering
Pro-studio vocal recording - $1,500
Mixing - $6,000
Mastering - $1,500

Studio and Performance-Rig Upgrades
Studio monitors - $1,500
Vocal mic - $1,000
Audio interface - $1,600
Hardware DSP - $1,200
Touch-screen controller - $500
Production software - $500
Acoustic treatment for home studio - $800
In-ear monitors - $600

New Instruments
Mojo version 1.5 upgrades - $500
Robocaster completion - $4,000
New Microphone-Controller $2,000
Voice Crusher hard prototyping costs - $1,000

Reward Fulfillment
Voice crusher manufacturing & shipping - $10,000
Artwork Printing & shipping - $1500
Travel / producing customized packages ~ $1500

SUB TOTAL: $37,700
Credit Card & Kickstarter fees: ~ $3,400
GRAND TOTAL: ~ $41,000

Can you tell me more about The Voice Crusher?

Building on what I've learned creating the The Light-Theremin and many other instruments, I began the conceptual design of The Voice Crusher about two years ago:

With the mentorship of my friend Mitch Altman I began building prototypes at the beginning of 2013:

All the demonstrations you saw in my Kickstarter video were recorded with the 3rd generation prototype.  The 4th generation was completed during the filming of the kickstarter video and looks very similar.  Changes between the 3rd and 4th generations were mostly to the layout. I made the instrument easier to assemble, more visually attractive, and more ergonomic to play. The actual components are almost identical:

I am currently designing the 5th generation "Production Model" with the help of Mike Zhao from Ettonet. The functionality of the Production Model will be practically identical to the 3rd & 4th generations.  The layout will be virtually identical to the 4th.  The one planned significant change is that that some of the big thru-hole components will be swapped out for smaller surface-mount components.  This means it will look slightly different (and better), because surface-mount components allow for more flexibility in aesthetic placement.  It also means that this new model can be assembled more efficiently (mostly by robots!), ensuring that we can get hundreds or even thousands of them produced quickly and at a reasonable cost. 

Production Timeline:
- Complete Production Model - Dec 2013
- Begin manufacturing - Jan 2014
- Preparation for order fulfillment - Feb 2014
- Album content added to USB drives - April 2014
- Shipping - May 2014.

Sweet! Anything else I should know?

YOU are awesome.  Thanks for reading this.  If you have more questions hit me up.