StudioConnect HD

 

Making the iPad a true machine for music

Challenge – guide Griffin into MI with the iPad’s musical counterpart

  • Create a new design language for Griffin that expands beyond their roots in consumer electronics
  • Develop a new design language that resonates with an audience of music makers
  • Design an interface that seamlessly integrates software and applications
  • Design an intuitive interface with minimal set-up to optimize usability

Insights – the inevitable marriage of music apps and hardware

Technology and apps have empowered people to explore their creativity through music software.  However, apps alone can only take the user so far.  Without supporting hardware, and more importantly, knowledge of how to set-up and use it, excess time (and energy) is spent on set-up vs. creativity. Griffin came to us to help them enter the music industry by bridging the gap between the physical and digital sides of music creation, without adding an additional technical barrier to the process.

We found that amateur and seasoned musicians alike struggle to set-up, troubleshoot, and get into the flow with new devices. They told us that to make the most of an inspired moment, they need an interface that can record multiple instruments at once as they intuit between chords and sounds.  Our goal was to design an interface that communed creative process instead of breaking it. Knowing that the look and feel of music gear is just as important, we focused on creating an aesthetic that would make Griffin’s introductory MI product look the part and take them far beyond their CE roots.

Process – learning from the past, and listening to musicians

In close collaboration with Griffin’s team, including a variety of professional musicians and producers, we conducted studies with lead users to understand the strong suits and shortcomings of current market offerings. Insights from these interviews and immersive music-making sessions led to informed recommendations on feature-sets for the StudioConnect.

Results – setting the tone for Griffin’s future line

  • StudioConnect informed the design DNA of future Griffin audio devices
  • CES iLounge Best of Show Finalist 2014