Tembo

Tembo is the work of Musical Beings, a team whose members, according to the maker, previously built and ran hardware, software and audio products at companies including Google, Waves Audio, Simply and Wix. The maker says the project grew out of long friendship, a shared love of music and a wish to share the joy of music with children. The campaign states that Tembo went through multiple prototypes and real-world testing, and that it has been featured at Abbey Road Studios and received praise from well-known musicians.

Rhythm you place by hand

Tembo looks like an eight-column grid, but the maker says it operates as a full 16-step sequencer. Stacking two magnets in one column triggers the first and second sixteenth notes of that beat; flipping a magnet upside down shifts it to the offbeat, adding syncopation. The idea is that children arranging magnets absorb sixteenth-note rhythm and syncopation without any formal theory, while the same physical gestures give experienced players a fast way to lay down a groove.

Beyond sequencing, the maker describes a built-in microphone for real-time sampling and loop creation, backing-track loops, sound effects and modulation, and a simplified recording function for capturing sessions. The campaign also notes an improved speaker in the final production model.

Connectivity and content

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for downloading new samples, loops and effects, and for cloud storage of recordings
• Over-the-air firmware updates
• USB MIDI out for connecting directly to a DAW
• Line In for guitars, microphones, pianos and other instruments
• A growing library of sample packs built around the stories of instruments, cultures and musical movements, plus exclusive artist packs
• User-created sample packs that can be uploaded and shared with the Tembo community
• Musical Beings Academy, a learning section in the companion app with interactive lessons, jam sessions and creative games

The maker frames Tembo around a few stated values: "Crafted To Last", referring to tactile controls and durability for both family and studio use; "Tune In To Family Joy", pitching it as a centerpiece for parent-and-child jam sessions; and "A Natural Fit for the Studio", where the interface is meant to capture rhythmic ideas without interrupting creative flow.

Tembo is presented as a Kickstarter project. Its broader promise, a single device that grows with the player from first beats to full productions, rests on the maker's description of its hardware and an expanding content ecosystem.