Music nerds rejoice, your prayers have finally been answered. North Melbourne has been bestowed with an interactive museum of vintage electronic instruments. Think of it like Scienceworks, except with synths.

As Broadsheet reports, the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio or MESS is a non-profit initiative set up by sound artists Robin Fox and Byron Scullin, who are hoping the space will be welcoming for all music fans.

“We want it to be like a museum, but one where you can use and touch everything,” Scullin told Broadsheet. “And also like a gym – come down and work out on a synth.”

“If you leave these things locked away, they’re like a vintage car – if you don’t take it for a drive then the whole thing seizes up. That’s why the musicians who the collection is pulled from are very interested in this process.”

“They have more instruments than they can possibly use at one time, so keeping them active will help them stay alive. It also means new music is created on them.”

Don’t expect any stern looks when you attempt to play the synths or a sign next a Theramin warning you not to touch. Scullin, Fox, and the roster of long-time collectors the instruments were borrowed from are encouraging interaction.

At the moment, that interaction will be limited to 500 synth enthusiasts who sign up for memberships. The memberships run for $220 a year and allow you and a guest to book time with an instrument online and use it for a four-hour session for $44.

“You reserve a machine, bring your laptop or portable recording device, make some sounds and walk out the door,” said Scullin. You don’t have to be a professional musician either, amateurs are more than welcome.

“The people who get on board early get access to everything and become the bedrock of the community we want to build. But we also hope it becomes a bit of a drawcard for international musicians to come to Melbourne and work with these amazing machines.”

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“So many people nowadays make electronic music on their laptops at home,” says Scullin. “But the thing about making music that way is there’s often not a lot of cross-pollination that happens organically.’

“Get a bunch of people in a room like this and it’s a bit like bumping into people at the record store. We’re excited to see what collaborations and partnerships might come out of it.”

The collection is so huge the machines on display will change every 22 weeks and Fox and Scullin are hoping to host public workshops and tutorials to teach the ins and outs of the rare equipment.

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