Muse Electronic Instruments’ Keith Baxter has created a unique device named the Zen Flute.

Perhaps best described as a “mouth Theramin” of sorts, the instrument uses changes in the shape of your mouth to control the pitch (and not, as the “flute” part of the name might imply, blowing into the mouthpiece and covering or uncovering holes). A small speaker near the mouthpiece causes the air in your mouth to resonate, which is picked up by a mic, processed by the Teensy, and used to produce sound using the Zen Flute’s Shakuhachi-like synthesizer system. It also outputs MIDI, and can be used with Ableton. A joystick controls volume and expression, as well as enabling selection of various operation modes.

More information, including schematics, KiCad files, and more can be found on the project’s web page. Hear it in action below, or on the 2023 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition web site, where it was awarded first place!