Those nostalgic for the days of vinyl and tape are coming up with some striking new concepts for the creation and collection of digital music. For example, Ryan Raffa’s Tangible Color Music Instrument allows a user to make music by placing colored blocks on an illuminated table.

A return to tangibility in the age of the mp3

The ReacTable facilitates live musical performance with translucent blocks

IDEO’s concept for the c60 redux, which lets you showcase and share a digital music collection.

There are so many designers currently addressing the question of digital music that Professor Martin Kaltenbrunner of the University of Art and Industrial Design in Austria has been tracking the trend. Kaltenbrunner’s website displays hundreds of different digital musical devices that use blocks, LEDs, tokens, toys and controllers to help us feel the music.

Tangible Tuesdays features new finds in tactile interaction design each week.

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