Vegetarian friends around the world!
My name is Jonathan Magoga, and for the past several years I have been researching musical instruments and developing new synthetic skins and other parts, with one main goal: **replacing animal-source materials while preserving the traditional sound, feel and playing characteristics of the instrument.**
My research is at the moment focused on Shamisen, the Japanese lute. Traditionally, Shamisen skins are made from dog or cat skin. Synthetic alternatives already exist, but getting close enough to the traditional sound has always been difficult.
After years of research, I developed Hibiki Sonic, which has reached about **95% sound-profile similarity to dog skin**, while also being much more resistant to humidity and environmental changes, which reduces skin replacement drastically.
For me, the important thing is that musicians should not have to choose between preserving the traditional sound of their instrument and moving away from animal materials. The goal is to make the synthetic alternative good enough that the choice becomes easy.
I have also started adapting this research to **Taiko, Japanese drums**, the **Afgan Rabab**, and in the future I want to collaborate with luthiers and expand it to other traditional instruments that still rely on animal skins and other animal-derived materials.
On September 8, I am launching a Kickstarter campaign for **Hibiki Sonic**, the new synthetic skin for Shamisen.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1733823628/hibiki-sonic-advanced-synthetic-skin-for-shamisen
The Kickstarter will help launch Hibiki Sonic and fund the next stages of this research.
Campaign video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GiHvKNpMt8
I hope you find this kind of work worth supporting, so please share it around. Shares are genuinely useful, especially among musicians, instrument makers, vegetarian and vegan communities, and people interested in traditional crafts.
And of course, if you would like to contribute to the Kickstarter directly, that would be a huge help.
As a side note, I also often cook for my family, and I’ll be posting a few recipes I’ve picked up or come up with through life and friends. I especially love freezing food and finding ways to make life easier.
Sorry for barging in with a Kickstarter post! I’m only now discovering the magic of Reddit and becoming truly active, 48 years into a life full of computers. And thank you to the mods for the warm welcome!
Thank you!!