2000s-Present
Musical toy instruments of the 21st century saw the production of electronic and digital instruments. This difference called for new designs, developments and dissemination which leads us to the important steps of further understanding the meanings and function of musical toy instruments. Media technology including hardware and software to use for composing, creating, and producing audio information along with virtual reality connection has augmented our new environment of sounds. Nevertheless, while their appearance, technical functionality, playing techniques, and sounds differed, they still seemed to connect to known musical toys from centuries past, i.e., the keyboard, guitar, drum sets, musical horns and notes, and even stuffed animals.
SMART DEVICE TECHNOLOGY
The Artiphon ‘Instrument 1’ and Artiphon ‘Orba,’ were multi-faceted, combining hardware, software, and sharable content that anyone could play. These lap and handheld synthesizers, loopers, and MIDI controllers, allowed you to play with simple gestures, like tapping, sliding, and waving with an onboard synthesizer, built-in speaker, and four playing modes. Using the MIDI also allowed you to connect to all of your favorite music-making apps and hardware synths.
‘Instrument 1’
MIDI Controller
Artiphon
Nashville, Tenn
Plastic, metal
2015
‘Orba’
Synthesizer, Looper, MIDI Controller
Artiphon
Nashville, Tennessee
Plastic, metal
2019
‘Stylophone’ S-1 Synthesizer – Electronic Pocket Organ
Dubreq
United Kingdom
2003
From Japan came the Silicone ‘Otamatone,’ a touch-sensitive electronic synthesizer with music links connected to a smartphone (iPhone & iPad iOS/Android Terminal). To play you press the slide bar and slide your finger up and down to change pitches. With your other hand you can open and close the mouth of the note head, changing the sound from ‘woo’ to ‘wah’ while pressing the slide bar.
‘Otamatone’
Silicone Electronic Synthesizer
Maywa Denki
Japan
Silicone
2018-2021
Guitar Hero, manufactured by RedOctane is a PlayStation series of musical rhythm video games first released in 2005. The controller looks and feels like a real guitar, making it a fun way to jam on the Xbox 360 in the Guitar Hero II series. Using your guitar-shaped game controller you can simulate playing lead, bass guitar, and rhythm across numerous songs. To play, you simply press the fret buttons in sync with scrolling “notes” on the screen that indicates the rhythm of the song. These “notes” are activated by flicking the strum bar on the Guitar Hero II Controller. For the Xbox version, you simply plug the USB end of the controller cable into an available use port on your computer. Then with a second controller, Guitar Hero turns into the ultimate party game.
‘Aerosmith Wii’
Les Paul Style Guitar
Guitar Hero
RedOctane
Mountain View, Calif.
Plastic, metal
2005
‘Wired Xplorer Xbox 360’
Guitar Hero II
RedOctane
Mountain View, Calif.
Plastic, metal
2005
‘Aerosmith Wii Guitar’
Guitar Hero
RedOctane
Mountain View, Calif.
Plastic, metal
2005
‘HoneyTone’ Mini Amp
John H Skewes & Co., Ltd.
United Kingdom
Plastic, metal
2014
SOFTWARE & MEDIA TECHNOLOGY
Data storage is a recording medium that holds information and can be stored in four medias; print, film, magnet (hard drives), and optical (disc/record). Thomas Edison’s cylinder phonograph is considered one of our earliest (optical) storage devices of sound and music. The battery operated ‘Sing A Ma Jigs’ of the 21st century are multifunctional plush toys that have come a long way over the past 100 years as an optical data storage machine. Young children have three modes of play including chatter, song, and harmonizing that is operated by squeezing their hands and bellies as their mouth opens wide for each note. Simply add a child’s ukulele and the fun is never ending.
‘Sing A Ma Jig’
Mattel “Clementine”
Fisher Price
East Aurora, New York
Fiber, plastic, metal
2010
‘Sing A Ma Jig’
Mattel “This Little Light of Mine”
Fisher Price
East Aurora, New York
Fiber, plastic, metal
2010
‘Sing A Ma Jig’
Mattel “Yankee Doodle”
Fisher Price
East Aurora, New York
Fiber, plastic, metal
2010
‘Dolphin Soprano Ukulele’
Kala Brand Music Co.
Petaluma, California
Wood, plastic, nylon strings
2021
Electronic multifunctional music toys that focus on promoting Preschool age color recognition, hand-eye coordination and increase in play, included toy keyboard pianos with a mic, a rollup ‘Rainbow Electric Keyboard’ that plays, records, and has an echo function, and the silicone touch sensitive ‘Musical Scale Cat’ piano by Dilwe.
‘Electronic Keyboard Piano’ – 37 Keys
Costzon
China
Plastic
2020
‘Musical Scale Cat’
Dilwe Co.
China
Silicone
2021
‘Rainbow Electric Keyboard’ – 49 Keys
Konesky
China
Silicone
2015