Tembo: A New Musical Instrument for Playful Music Making

Tembo is a magnetic step sequencer and sampler that fuses toy-like intuition with instrument-level power: drop magnets on the grid to build loops, add effects, sample your own sounds and record sessions — no setup, no rules, just play. The design is clever: what looks like 8 columns is actually a full 16-step sequencer — stack two magnets in one column to trigger both 16th notes, flip a magnet upside-down to shift it to the off-beat for syncopation. Children build rhythms by instinct and absorb timing, layering and structure through play, while seasoned musicians plug it into a production setup as an idea-sketching tool with a playful edge. The campaign raised $2.17M — 4,330% funded — with 5,347 backers, proving there's a big market for playful music making.