Memory is a popular game in Switzerland where players match pairs of hidden images on turned-over cards. The version I grew up playing featured themes like historic trains, Swiss landscapes, chocolate, and the distinctive holes of Emmentaler cheese. I loved the game, and I’m pretty sure my family intentionally made me feel like I was exceptionally good at it 🙂 Thanks!

The connection I felt to the game stayed with me over the years. Then, about two years ago, an idea struck me: Why not match sounds instead of images? That simple thought led to the creation of Sound Memory.

I started by recording a variety of percussive sounds—everything from plant pots and cardboard boxes to tennis balls and, of course, saws. I wanted sounds that were rich and unpredictable, ones that couldn’t easily be pinpointed. In the end, I gathered about 600 unique samples and created 30 short percussion tracks. These became the foundation of my Sound Memory game.

In the summer of 2023, I joined my girlfriend in New York City during her residency. One month of our four-month stay we enrolled in the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) Camp at New York University. It was an immersive, hands-on program where participants worked on personal projects, and I chose to develop Sound Memory as mine. The camp counselors were incredibly supportive, telling me I could finish the project in just two weeks. Their enthusiasm made something that initially seemed impossible feel within reach, so I dove in—learning basic coding, soldering, and other new skills. By the end of the camp, my “prototype” was a basic button that turned on a light, but I felt energized and determined to continue.

After the camp, with the help of my girlfriend and one of the counselors, I kept working on the electronics and coding. I also reached out to hacker spaces in Brooklyn and electronics labs in Zurich for advice. But progress was slow, and eventually, I hit a wall. That’s when I contacted a friend with deep expertise in electronics and coding. He agreed to help, on the condition that I learn every step of the process. Working together in his well-equipped studio was a thrilling experience, and we finally got the buttons to trigger sounds as intended.

It was through this process that I realized something important: I couldn’t do everything myself. If I wanted the project to succeed, I needed to build a team. And for the first time, I needed to hire someone.

With financial support from the city of Zurich, I was able to bring together a small team. Over the next six months, we will meet for seven focused sessions to work on developing a working prototype. The journey of Sound Memory is still unfolding, driven by creativity, collaboration, and a shared passion to bring the project to life.