About Us
Founded in Istanbul in 2020 by brothers Efe and Tunç Çakır, VAEMI — Volt Age Electronic Musical Instruments is an independent brand that designs and manufactures electronic musical instruments with a focus on synthesizers. Shaped by analog circuit design and handmade production, our work encompasses modular synthesizer systems, standalone sound generators, mixers, and instruments that offer different forms of musical interaction.
At the heart of our approach are sound itself, the character of the circuits that produce it, and the relationship musicians develop with their instruments. In every design, we consider sound quality, user experience, and creative possibilities together. Carefully selected components and our attention to the details of production form the foundation of our boutique manufacturing approach. We develop instruments that encourage in-depth exploration in the studio, hands-on use on stage, and personal explorations of sound.
The accumulated knowledge of electronic music and instrument design is an important resource for our work. As we revisit beloved circuits and sound generation methods, or those that have faded from view over time, we also develop our own designs and new approaches that respond to contemporary musical needs. Throughout this process, technical research, musical experience, and experimentation inform one another.
We are expanding our expertise in analog design through digital technologies and hybrid systems. We draw on different design and production methods according to each instrument’s purpose and intended use, working on compact, portable, accessible products suited to live performance. We see the balance between sonic character, functionality, production quality, and price as an integral part of the design process.
Software instruments and music applications are also an extension of this approach. We continue this work by developing new tools for standalone music applications, software instruments, and VST plug-ins. By bringing the sound generation and control ideas we explore in hardware into software environments, we create new connections between physical instruments and digital music production.
Custom designs, upgrades to existing instruments, and collaborations arising from different needs are also part of our practice. We are open to ideas from musicians and new ways of using our instruments. As we bring our Istanbul-made products to musicians in Turkey and around the world, we value each instrument’s ability to offer a distinctive sonic world and a musical space to explore.