The Sonica Archive (2020-

It’s 1979. Punk is dead and disco is dying. In Los Angeles, inventor Franklin Eventoff dreams up the Sonica, a self-contained synthesizer designed to be easy to play. 650 are made, but the instrument is a commercial failure. Decades later, Sonicas are sprinkled throughout the world, in museums and collections, cherished by synth wizards and amateur musicians alike. They’ve sold on eBay for thousands of dollars and have been owned by the likes of Eric Clapton and Donna Summer. 

The Sonica Archive is an ongoing web-based project tracing the history and significance of this instrument while tracking down as many as possible. Website visitors can play an on-screen version of the instrument and uncover the stories of newly rediscovered Sonicas, hearing them in action and watching video interviews with their owners. A living, collaborative work, the archive is continually updated as more instruments are located and new stories emerge.

Embedded within are questions of monetary, historical, and sentimental value. This one instrument’s legacy taps into larger tales about the music industry, the world of inventions, and audio culture as a whole. A hand-carved, hand-held curiosity, the Sonica serves as an artifact of its time and a vector for reflection.