Make Music With Nature: Tarun Nayar (Modern Biology) and Instruō Launch Pocket Scion

A $150 handheld device that turns plants, fungi, and even human touch into sound

Vancouver-based artist and former biologist Tarun Nayar (aka Modern Biology) has partnered with acclaimed Glasgow synthesiser company Instruō to create Pocket Scion — a pocket-sized, battery-powered interface that transforms the bioelectrical signals of living organisms into music.

Compact, affordable, and designed for all skill levels, Pocket Scion allows anyone, from musicians and educators to curious explorers, to sonify plants, mushrooms, or even human skin. Users simply attach the included sensors to an organism and start creating sound. Priced at just $150, Pocket Scion is ready to use straight out of the box.

Watch the Pocket Scion introduction video on YouTube

Nayar’s “environmental music” experiments, using modular synths to transform biodata into sound, have made him a viral sensation, with over 1.5M followers and features in The Guardian, VICE, Los Angeles Times, and more. He has performed everywhere from the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, as well as festivals and botanical gardens worldwide.

The Instruō Connection

At Berlin’s 2024 Superbooth festival, Nayar met Instruō founders Jason H. J. Lim and Kian McEvoy and posed the question he hears constantly: “How can I do this myself?”

For Instruō, celebrated for Eurorack modules like the original Scion and Cš-L, the collaboration was a natural fit. Together, they merged boutique synthesiser engineering with Nayar’s field-tested practice, resulting in a plug-and-play gateway to biodata sonification.

Pocket Scion builds on previous biodata devices with new unique advantages:

·       • Accessible price and immediate setup. No phone or app required.

·       • Four built-in instruments for instant music-making.

·       • Integration with Ableton Live, TouchDesigner, and Jupyter Lab for creative coding, visuals, and advanced projects.

·       • Access to raw data for citizen science, DIY tools, and community collaboration.

About Pocket Scion

Pocket Scion is more than a music gadget, it’s a new way to connect with nature. Whether jamming with a houseplant, adding organic rhythms to electronic music, or exploring biofeedback in the classroom, Pocket Scion invites users to discover the hidden sounds of the living world.

Pocket Scion is available now for $150.

Learn more and order at www.pocketscion.com (Going live on 28th)

About Tarun Nayar / Modern Biology

Tarun Nayar is a musician, producer, and former biologist whose “environmental music” using living organisms to generate sound, has inspired millions online. His work has been featured in The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, VICE, and more, and he has performed internationally at museums, gardens, and festivals. More at www.modernbiology.xyz

About Instruō

Founded in Glasgow, Scotland by Jason H. J. Lim with long running collaboration with Kian McEvoy, Instruō is one of the world’s most respected boutique synthesiser makers. Known for their elegant and innovative Eurorack modules, Instruō creates tools that merge analogue tradition with forward-thinking design, used by creators in studios, on stages, and in galleries worldwide. More at www.instruomodular.com

Press contact:

David Pollock
dpollock@instruomodular.com