Drum Buddy is a drum machine and synthesizer that runs on light!

The Drum Buddy is a “4 oscillator, light activated, mechanically rotating drum machine” invented by New Orleans musician, Quintron.

The colored tubes around the Drum Buddy contain Cadmium Sulfide light sensors hidden inside. When the rotating black can spins, the light emitted from the holes in the can trigger the sensors in the colored tubes and create music of all different sorts!

At the top of the unit are various knobs and switches with which a user can alter the sounds with. It works very much like an analog mixer in that by turning the knobs you change the sound wave that is produced.

Only 10 Drum Buddy machines were ever produced. One was auctioned off on eBay for $5100 (the item is here) and the rest were sold to various individuals and musicians.

Check out the demonstration video below. It’s quite an amazing musical device! [via]

And here’s a video of the creator with his creation.