Imaginando

Imaginando Lda is a Portuguese music-technology company founded in 2014 in Braga by Nuno Santos. It develops software for music production, sound design, live performance, MIDI control, and audio-reactive visual creation. The company operates at the intersection of electronic music, mobile and desktop software, synthesis, and new-media art. The business began as an independently funded initiative rather than a venture-backed start-up. Santos sought a development approach that would allow one code base to support multiple target devices, leading Imaginando to adopt the Qt framework. This cross-platform orientation became an important foundation for the company’s product strategy, enabling it to create tools for musicians and producers across different computing and mobile environments. Imaginando’s early work included TKFX, a Native Instruments Traktor DJ controller released in 2014, followed by LK, an Ableton Live and MIDI controller released in 2015. The same year, Santos began working with his longtime friend Rui Antunes, an analog-electronics specialist and synthesizer repairer. Their collaboration produced the basis for DRC, Imaginando’s first synthesizer. Antunes developed an analog-modeled synthesizer in Pure Data, which was then used as the foundation for DRC’s development. The company’s work has also connected commercial software development with experimental digital art. During the development of DRC, Imaginando responded to a new-media-art open call organized by GNRation in Braga. The resulting Harpa Laser installation combined a two-metre iron structure, eight parallel lasers, a Raspberry Pi, and the DRC synthesis engine. It premiered during Braga’s 2015 Noite Branca. In 2017, Imaginando again took part in a GNRation open call, transforming an antique piece of furniture into a large digital music box. From 2016 onward, the company expanded its catalogue from controllers and synthesizers into effects, granular processing, visual synthesis, and groovebox software. DLYM introduced chorus and flanger processing in 2018, while K7D brought a tape-delay effect in 2019. FRMS, released in 2020, combined granular, subtractive, and frequency-modulation synthesis. VS, released in 2021, extended Imaginando’s scope into real-time visual generation, using GLSL shaders, images, video, audio input, and MIDI information to create graphical effects from musical material. The later catalogue continued to broaden the company’s role as a developer of integrated music-making tools. BAM, released in 2023, provided a groovebox-style environment capable of hosting plug-ins. TV3, released in 2024, was an acid synthesizer inspired by the Roland TB-303. GRFX, released in 2025, applied granular-synthesis techniques to audio effects, allowing sounds to be reshaped into textures, rhythmic patterns, and ambient soundscapes. Nuno Santos has served as Imaginando’s chief executive and chief technology officer. The company’s headquarters remain in Braga, a city recognized by UNESCO as a City of Media Arts. Its product history indicates an emphasis on creative software, cross-platform development, synthesis, interactive performance, and the combination of sound with visual media.

Imaginando was established in Braga, Portugal, in 2014 by Nuno Santos. The company began as a self-funded business initiative, with Santos developing software for music production and performance while looking for an efficient way to maintain a shared code base across multiple devices. He selected the Qt framework as the technical basis for this cross-platform approach. The first publicly identified product was TKFX, a Native Instruments Traktor DJ controller released in 2014. In 2015, Imaginando released LK, a controller for Ableton Live and MIDI-based musical performance. That year also brought a significant creative and technical collaboration: Santos joined forces with Rui Antunes, a longtime friend with expertise in analog electronics and synthesizer repair. Antunes developed an analog-modeled synthesizer in Pure Data, which became the starting point for DRC, Imaginando’s first synthesizer. Imaginando’s development work was accompanied by experimental projects in new-media art. While DRC was being developed, the company participated in a GNRation open call and created Harpa Laser. The installation used a two-metre iron structure fitted with eight parallel lasers, a Raspberry Pi, and a DRC-based synthesis engine. It was presented during Braga’s 2015 Noite Branca. In 2017, a second GNRation open-call project involved converting an antique piece of furniture into a large digital music box. These projects demonstrated the company’s interest in combining software, electronics, physical structures, sound, and visual experience. The product portfolio expanded steadily after the early controller and synthesizer releases. DRC arrived in 2016 as a polyphonic software synthesizer. DLYM followed in 2018 with chorus and flanger processing, and K7D added tape-delay effects in 2019. In 2020, FRMS combined granular, subtractive, and FM synthesis, reflecting the company’s increasing interest in hybrid sound-generation techniques. In 2021, Imaginando moved further into visual performance and media production with VS. The visual synthesizer generated graphical effects in real time from musical compositions and could use GLSL shaders, images, video, audio signals, and MIDI data. This continued the relationship between Imaginando’s music tools and its earlier installation-based work. The company’s later releases broadened its focus toward integrated music-making environments and specialized sound tools. BAM, released in 2023, offered a groovebox-style application that could host plug-ins. TV3, released in 2024, was an acid synthesizer drawing inspiration from the sound and workflow associated with the Roland TB-303. GRFX, released in 2025, applied granular processing to effect design, enabling users to create evolving textures, rhythmic transformations, and ambient soundscapes. Santos has remained associated with Imaginando as its founder, chief executive officer, and chief technology officer. The company is headquartered in Braga, a UNESCO City of Media Arts, and its catalogue reflects both a commercial software business and an experimental practice spanning synthesis, MIDI control, audio effects, interactive visuals, and new-media art.

• 2025

  GRFX launches

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  GRFX introduced granular audio effects for texture, rhythm, and ambient sound design.

• 2024

  TV3 launches

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  TV3 added an acid-oriented synthesizer inspired by the Roland TB-303.

• 2023

  BAM groovebox launches

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  BAM brought groovebox-style music creation and plug-in hosting to the portfolio.

• 2021

  VS expands into visual synthesis

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  VS introduced real-time visual generation driven by audio and MIDI information.

• 2020

  FRMS launches

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  FRMS combined granular, subtractive, and FM synthesis.

• 2016

  DRC synthesizer launches

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  Imaginando released DRC, a polyphonic synthesizer based on an analog-modeled Pure Data instrument.

• 2015

  LK and Harpa Laser

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  Imaginando released LK for Ableton Live and MIDI control, while its Harpa Laser installation debuted at Braga’s Noite Branca.

• 2014

  Imaginando is founded

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  Nuno Santos founded Imaginando in Braga as an independently funded music-technology business.

• 2014

  TKFX is released

  [1]Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org

  The company released TKFX, a controller for Native Instruments Traktor.

An independent Portuguese music-technology developer focused on accessible and experimental tools for electronic music production, live performance, sound design, synthesis, and audio-reactive visual creation.

• DJ controller · 2014

  TKFX

  A controller product for Native Instruments Traktor and one of Imaginando’s earliest releases.

• Ableton Live and MIDI controller · 2015

  LK

  A performance-control tool designed for Ableton Live and MIDI workflows, extending Imaginando’s early focus on software-linked music control.

• Polyphonic synthesizer · 2016

  DRC

  A polyphonic software synthesizer developed from an analog-modeled instrument created in Pure Data by Rui Antunes. It became the basis for Imaginando’s later synthesis and sound-design work.

• Audio effect · 2018

  DLYM

  A chorus and flanger effect that expanded Imaginando’s range beyond instruments into modulation-based audio processing.

• Tape-delay audio effect · 2019

  K7D

  A tape-delay effect focused on the sonic character and processing possibilities associated with tape-based delay.

• Granular synthesizer · 2020

  FRMS

  A hybrid synthesizer combining granular, subtractive, and FM synthesis for detailed electronic sound design.

• Visual synthesizer · 2021

  VS

  A real-time visual-generation application that transforms musical material into graphical effects using GLSL shaders, images, video, audio input, and MIDI information.

• Groovebox and music-making application · 2023

  BAM

  A groovebox-style application for beat and music creation that can also host plug-ins, combining pattern-based production with broader software-instrument workflows.

• Acid synthesizer · 2024

  TV3

  An acid-oriented synthesizer inspired by the Roland TB-303 and its influential bass-synthesis tradition.

• Granular audio effect · 2025

  GRFX

  A granular effects application that reshapes audio into textures, rhythmic patterns, and ambient soundscapes.

• 2017Digital music box installation

  Braga, Portugal · New-media art

  Imaginando answered another GNRation open call by converting an antique piece of furniture into a large digital music box.

  Outcome. The project extended Imaginando’s combination of physical objects, electronics, software, and musical interaction.

  Source
• 2015Harpa Laser

  Braga, Portugal · New-media art

  Created through a GNRation new-media-art open call, Harpa Laser combined a two-metre iron structure, eight parallel lasers, a Raspberry Pi, and the DRC synthesis engine.

  Outcome. The installation debuted in the streets of Braga during the 2015 Noite Branca.

  Source

• 2015

  Development of DRC beginsProduct launch

  Background

  Imaginando sought to create its first synthesizer after Santos began working with Rui Antunes.

  Action taken

  Antunes developed an analog-modeled Pure Data synthesizer that became the foundation for DRC.

  Aftermath

  DRC was released as a polyphonic synthesizer in 2016.

  Source

• 2014

  Adoption of the Qt frameworkStrategy

  Background

  As a solo entrepreneur, Nuno Santos wanted to maintain a common code base for multiple target devices.

  Action taken

  Imaginando adopted the Qt framework as the technical foundation for cross-platform development.

  Aftermath

  The approach supported a catalogue spanning music-production software, performance tools, and visual applications.

  Source

1. 1Imaginandoen.wikipedia.org