From FLO•Flumies:

FLO•Flumies are handmade, double-ended, piezophotonic friction instruments that bring touch, vibration, sound, and light into the playing experience. Created by the founder Farid, a designer, musician and sound practitioner, they invite players to explore sustained resonance, layered harmonics, and evolving tonal textures.

FLO grew from Farid’s combined work in design, music, and sound practice. His approach brings close attention to materials, natural forms and the relationship between a player’s touch and an instrument’s response. Every head is handmade and individually tested by Farid in Chicago using proprietary materials and formulations developed for responsive contact, easy activation and a broad range of tonal expression.

The latex-free heads engage readily with gongs, plate bells, chimes, handpans, singing bowls, and other resonant instruments. Small changes in grip, pressure, angle, and movement reveal different possibilities, giving beginners an approachable entry into friction playing and experienced musicians room for continued exploration.

The geometries draw on Farid’s study of natural organisms and forms. Selected head sizes follow the Fibonacci sequence of 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 and 89 millimeters, connecting the collection to patterns of growth found in nature. Four geometries offer distinct acoustic characters: Halo lifts, Dome expands, Horizon stabilizes and Orb deepens. Geometry, head size and playing technique work together to create a varied palette of warmth, shimmer, spaciousness and sustained resonance.

Every FLO•Flumie is double-ended, placing another voice immediately within reach. With two FLO•Flumies, players have four heads available between their hands, making it easy to change voices, layer sounds and move between sustained drags, rolls, pulses and overlapping textures. Their luminous presence adds a visual dimension to attentive, expressive playing.

The shafts use aerospace-grade carbon fiber, selected for its balance of rigidity and flexibility. They transmit the player’s movement while allowing a responsive interaction with the resonating surface. The material resists dimensional changes caused by temperature and humidity. Each head-to-shaft connection is precisely dimensioned and calculated to ensure a perfect fit and a secure hold during play. Both heads and shafts are waterproof and can be submerged for cleaning.

The curated Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth sets organize different head sizes into collections that invite exploration across a wider sonic range. Each material, geometry and pairing serves the same purpose: to create an instrument that feels approachable from the first contact and continues to reveal possibilities through attentive playing.