A documentary about a unique synthesizer called a Resynator made a splash at last year's SXSW Film and TV Festival, winning the festival's Documentary Feature Audience Award. It chronicles the creation of the long-lost instrument, once used by Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson of Yes and others, that was created by an Indiana University alumnus and former instructor, Don Tavel.
Nearly 50 years after its invention, the instrument is being revitalized thanks to a research collaboration between Tavel's daughter, Alison Tavel, and music technology experts at IU Indianapolis.
An innovative approach to music
Don Tavel developed the Resynator in the 1970s. The instrument offered a new technique for pitch detection by taking in electric audio signals of any instrument, such as a trumpet. It uses that output to create a synth tone, which is an electronic sound that mirrors the instrument's pitch.
One of the Resynator's standout features was the ability to blend the original sound with the synthesized sound. This gives musicians full control, letting them decide whether to keep their instrument's natural tone, add electronic effects like filters or mix the two. At the Resynator's core was the Timbral Image Modulator, which offers eight sound-shaping options, enabling users to craft a wide range of tones from traditional to experimental sounds.
Roughly six Resynators were manufactured - three going directly to Gabriel's synthesizer distribution company.
After Don Tavel's death in 1988, the music synthesizer had lain dormant. But a decade ago, Alison Tavel found the original prototype after rummaging through her grandmother's attic and has been on a quest to revitalize the Resynator ever since.
Resurrecting the Resynator's past
Professor Scott Deal, left, and Ph.D. student Harry Chaubey have worked on reengineering the Resynator for the past seven years. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
Deal, a composer, performer and producer, and professor of music technology, has worked in nearly every intersection of music technology. Most recently, he created "Lexia: An AI Opera," which combines machine learning and live music.
"Resurrecting the Resynator will positively impact the future of music technology and education and will inspire future innovators," Deal said. "Chaubey's extensive work provides a baseline for modernizing vintage electronic musical instruments while still maintaining the originality of the device."
By integrating modern components and microprocessors, the updated Resynator retains its powerful capabilities while improving accuracy and usability. It provides musicians with unmatched creative freedom, honoring Tavel's vision of pushing the boundaries of sound without compromising artistic expression.
"Compared to the previous design, the revamped Resynator revitalizes a classic musical instrument," Chaubey said. "We reverse-engineered and reworked the hardware components, converting the original Intel 8048 microcontroller's output to the modern Cortex M0 architecture, which enhances the synthesizer's versatility and accessibility."
The new design consolidates two original circuit boards into more efficient ones, while upgrading components like switches and connectors to modern standards. The team also added new features, including a flexible patch bay and tuning controls for both sound generators, giving musicians greater creative freedom to connect instruments, create unique sounds and experiment. Additionally, it includes micro-USB functionality, allowing users to easily flash the latest software version anytime.
Garrick Hargrove, an assistant professor at the Herron School, also transformed the Chaubey's semi-modular design from cardboard prototype to final faceplate, meticulously preserving the synthesizer's original design elements.
Music technology students gained the opportunity to understand the evolution of sound engineering - from analog circuits to digital innovation - by actively engaging with both the historical and modernized versions of the Resynator. By bringing life into the vintage synthesizer, it provides musicians, engineers and students with a framework for reimagining and reinventing audio instruments.
"It is amazing having this project come to fruition after being dormant for so long," Alison Tavel said. "I couldn't have done this without the help of Scott and Harry. Scott really understood what I wanted to do from the start, and Harry carried out the vision remarkably well. They both honored and appreciated what my dad did, and I'm so grateful to them both."
Deal and Chaubey have partnered with the IU Innovation and Commercialization Office to license the modernized design to Alison Tavel's Resynator LLC. They are currently creating five prototypes based off the original Resynator unit, which are in the testing phase.
Sharing the Resynator with the world
Alison Tavel demonstrates the Resynator with music producer Money Mark in this scene from her documentary. Photo courtesy of Select A Shape Pictures
"When I started this project in 2014, I was just hoping to resurrect my dad's prototype synth and document the progress via a short film," Alison Tavel said. "Ten years later, it has completely changed my life. The short film turned into a feature-length documentary not just about the synth, but about connecting with my dad who I never knew, and I've also learned so much working to get new Resynator versions out so that people can continue to understand and be inspired by my dad's vision for music tech.
"It's been a long, rocky, beautiful road of exploration, and I'm so happy that both the film and the synth are finally being released into the world."
