Everglow: A Compact Interface for Real-Time AI Sound Creation

 

Everglow is a compact music interface that integrates generative AI technology with tactile hardware design to facilitate immediate sound creation and composition. Developed by designer Woojin Jang, the project rethinks how musicians capture and develop ideas by merging intuitive performance controls with algorithmic sound generation.

 

The device features a triangular key layout designed to replicate elements of both keyboard and guitar playing. Each key is pressure-sensitive, capable of detecting taps and upward sliding motions to enable expressive techniques such as pitch bends and vibrato. This layout allows for fluid transitions between melodic and rhythmic gestures, accommodating a wide range of musical styles and levels of technical familiarity.

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
all images courtesy of Woojin Jang

 

 

like a music sketchbook, Everglow Reimagines Musical Expression

 

Beyond individual note input, the system interprets multiple soft touches as a strumming motion, producing guitar-like sounds generated by a built-in neural engine. This capability expands the range of interaction between performer and instrument, offering a level of responsiveness typically associated with acoustic playing. Designed for handheld use, Everglow places essential controls, including scale switching and volume adjustment, on the back of the device, allowing performers to access them without interrupting play. This configuration supports mobility and improvisation, removing the constraints of fixed, tabletop-based setups.

 

By combining tactile precision with adaptive digital synthesis, Everglow, developed by designer Woojin Jang, establishes a bridge between analog performance and AI-assisted creativity. It serves as both an expressive tool and a prototyping instrument, enabling musicians to translate spontaneous ideas into sound in real time.

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
Everglow integrates generative AI with tactile hardware for real-time music creation

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
the triangular key layout merges aspects of keyboard and guitar performance

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
pressure-sensitive keys detect both tapping and sliding motions

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
designed by Woojin Jang, the device redefines how musicians capture ideas

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
multiple soft touches are interpreted as a strumming motion by the system

everglow compact music sketchbook uses generative AI for real-time sound compositions
a built-in neural engine generates guitar-like sounds in response to gestures