Blake Charles

Industrial Design, 2021

Olympics is a product line of musical interfaces meant to provide unique and fresh opportunities for musicians to leverage their writing and recording experiences using MIDI. This concept was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it has had on musicians’ access to recording methods. Mostly, this affects musicians who have some experience playing an instrument but may not have any training or access to production means.

Olympics was designed to level some of the barriers to entry with learning production concepts for these musicians by simplifying elements of songwriting into four specialized musical interfaces. Olympics employs elements of sound modeling and manipulation through guided exercises with each devices’ companion screen. The idea is that these devices can range in use from helping the new producer become acclimated to studio technique, and for the experienced producer when they want something more unorthodox to traditional studio means.

Blake Charles is an Industrial Designer from Reynoldsburg, OH. His interests within Design are primarily within brand, form design, and presentation design. He is passionate about fun, and products that unite people around something enjoyable. After graduation, Blake is eager to find a professional opportunity to design with others that share these values in hopes of fostering more joy in his surroundings.