Forget everything you think you know about DJ equipment. Those massive decks, the fortress of knobs and sliders, the setup that practically requires its own zip code? Designer Chaewon Lee just shrunk it all down to something you can hold in your hands, and honestly, it’s kind of brilliant.
Meet Tuno, a concept device that reimagines what it means to DJ in 2025. This isn’t about replacing the club setup or taking over professional stages. It’s about bringing that same creative energy into your everyday life. Imagine mixing tracks on your commute, blending beats while hanging out at the park, or creating spontaneous sets wherever inspiration strikes. That’s the world Tuno is designed for.
Designer:
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At first glance, Tuno looks nothing like traditional DJ equipment. It’s a ring-shaped controller, roughly the size of a CD, designed to be held with both hands like a steering wheel. The donut form isn’t just aesthetic; it’s functional, expanding the control surface while keeping every button, dial, and slider within natural thumb and finger reach. Two symmetrical sides mirror the traditional two-deck DJ setup, letting you blend tracks by simply moving your hands across the circular interface. Controls are embedded along the ring’s surface, with a spring-loaded spinning button on top that mimics the feel of a classic jog wheel. It’s compact enough to toss in a bag, yet substantial enough to feel like a real instrument in your hands.
The concept itself is fascinating. Lee, who happens to be both an industrial designer and a DJ, approached this from a deeply personal place. As someone who experiences music through the lens of performance, she noticed a gap between listening and creating. Music is everywhere, constantly accessible through our phones and streaming apps, but actually mixing it? That still requires lugging around equipment or being tethered to a laptop. Tuno asks a simple question: what if it didn’t have to be that way?
What makes this concept particularly smart is how it builds on existing DJ knowledge rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. If you’ve ever used CDJ equipment (the industry standard turntables), Tuno will feel instantly familiar. But Lee took those interactions and condensed them into something radically more portable and intuitive. The result looks less like traditional DJ gear and more like a sculptural donut you can hold in both hands.
The functionality packed into this compact form is genuinely impressive. Tuno handles everything essential for mixing: EQ controls, effects processing, and beat matching. But here’s where it gets clever. Instead of six separate knobs like traditional CDJs use, Tuno simplifies everything through a click wheel and scroll button. Click to select your frequency range (high, mid, or low), then scroll to adjust levels. It’s the kind of interface refinement that makes you wonder why it wasn’t always this way.
Then there are the delightful details that show Lee really thought about the user experience. Built-in wireless earbuds connect to your music app and activate the device the moment you put them in. Want to monitor one deck like DJs do with their headphones? Just tilt your head to one side, and the motion sensor handles the rest. Need to switch tracks? Flip the device. Want a song recommendation with similar BPM? Give it a shake. These gesture controls feel playful and intuitive, turning technical tasks into natural movements. The visual feedback is equally thoughtful. Lighting UI shows real-time beat flow, giving you the information you need at a glance. And that spring-loaded button on top? It spins to help you beat-match tracks, delivering the tactile satisfaction of a traditional jog wheel in a completely new form factor.
Of course, Tuno is still a concept at this stage. It exists in that exciting space between vision and reality, where anything feels possible. But that’s part of what makes it compelling. This project isn’t just about creating another gadget. It’s about questioning how we interact with music creation and asking whether the tools we’ve been using are really the best solutions or just the ones we’re used to. Whether it ever makes it to production or remains a beautifully executed concept, it’s already succeeded in making us imagine a different future for music creation. And sometimes, that’s exactly what great design is supposed to do.
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