Recycling Entertainment System makes music with old NES controllers

Nobody likes throwing out old stuff, and with retro being the new cool nowadays, repurposing old gadgets and devices for new features is pretty common. But not every day we encounter a device as funky as this. A hobbyist named Benjamin Gaulon gathered a bunch of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controllers, hooked them up to a central hub and created a musical device that can be controlled by up to 6 players. He calls it the Recycling Entertainment System (RES).

Each controller emulates a different instrument, allowing multiple players to jam together to create new tunes together. The central hub is connected to the computer which converts the signals from the controllers to MIDI, and the MIDI output is generated with software. Each controller makes use of a different sound bank that ensures players can play together like a band. Instruments include: drums, synthesizer, bass and more. Hit the break to watch a video of the Recycling Entertainment System in action, and find out more about the project at the RES official website.