Wearable music-making tech is a somewhat niche category that’s given rise to some innovative products over the years, perhaps the most famous example being Imogen Heap’s MiMU gloves, a pair of sensor-equipped gloves that translate the flex and orientation of your hands into expressive MIDI control.
The latest entry into the canon is a one-off DIY effort from content creator, maker and 3D printing enthusiast 3DSage, who has designed what we’re fairly certain is the world’s first wrist-worn sequencer. (It’s also a rudimentary synth, but you might be surprised to learn that Audioweld beat 3DSage to the punch on that front with the unveiling of the Synthwatch back in 2018.)
Clad in a 3D-printed transparent plastic enclosure inspired by Y2K-era aesthetics, the Sage Sequencer gives you a clear view of its insides, and snaps on to the wrist via a slap bracelet (another retro touch) custom-made by encasing measuring tape in Gorilla tape.
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Running on a custom PCB built around an ESP32-S3 microcontroller with an integrated 240x240 display, the sequencer features both a speaker and headphone jack and is powered by a USB-C rechargeable battery. You can play it, too: there’s a set of eight pins that run along the side which can be tapped with the attached stylus to play the notes of a single octave, producing a Stylophone-esque square wave that matches its old-school vibe.
The interface is controlled via a rotary knob and a single button: the button plays and pauses the sequence, while the knob navigates the sequencer’s 16 steps and edits the note values, which are arranged in a 4x4 grid. Its step count can vary from 4 to 16, and up to 10 patterns can be stored on the device.
Both tempo and overall pitch can be adjusted, and there’s a pattern generator on board that produces randomized sequences too. There’s even a secret playable game hidden behind the start screen, just in case you get a little bored. (The only thing it doesn’t do is tell the time.)
The Sage Sequencer might well be a little basic in its functionality – and likely to prompt a few raised eyebrows if you wear it out in public – but it’s pretty impressive for a DIY build and passion project, and as far as we can tell it holds the title of being the only wrist-based sequencer in existence. Bravo, 3DSage.
If you’ve ever been overcome by the desire to knock up a chiptune masterpiece on the go, then we have some bad news: you can’t currently buy a Sage Sequencer, but the creator says that he’s considering building a few more to sell, so hit 3DSage up in the YouTube comments if you’re interested.
