Modern music-making tools such as synthesizers give musicians many options to create any sound they want. However, because of their complex features, these tools can be hard to understand for people without prior musical experience. Through this research project, I wanted to find out if and how tangible user interfaces can address the steep learning curve for beginners by making the interactions more intuitive. The research question was: How can tangible user interfaces influence the user experience and intuitiveness of interaction of digital sound creation in comparison to traditional synthesizer interfaces?

Two synthesizer prototypes were created, one is controlled using a traditional interface that uses knobs and switches, and the other features a tangible user interface where each function is controlled using a specific physical interaction. The two prototypes were compared to each other in a user experiment where participants were asked to recreate sounds they heard with both interfaces.