The History of the Léode
Definition
The Léode: feminine noun, derived from a contraction of Leonetti and Claude; Léo-de.
A unique instrument with a fully modulable sound.
Inventor & musician: Claude Leonetti
Origin: France
Design
In 1992, Claude Leonetti met Vincent Maury from the Innov’art department at Lâg Guitars, marking the beginning of the Léode project.
In 1995, the first Léode was born.
Genesis
The Léode was born from a dream—both literally and figuratively.
Deprived of the use of his left arm following a motorcycle accident, Claude Leonetti, a 17-year-old guitarist refusing to accept fate, altered the course of his destiny after a fertile night of dreaming. He imagined a tactile instrument: a kind of electronic lap steel guitar.
As Claude likes to say with humor:
“My instrument is the improbable coupling of a guitar, a synthesizer, a musical saw, an Ondes Martenot, and a piece of wood.”
And he adds:
“I am the best Léode player in the world… I know, I’m also the only one!”
From 1996 to the present day, the Léode has followed its path with Lazuli, performing on some of the greatest stages in Europe and beyond.
The Construction of the Léode
The Léode’s lutherie is made of flamed maple.
Four channels are embedded in the neck, reacting to finger movement and pressure.
The heart of the Léode, located at the lower part of the instrument, manages the MIDI operating system, tuning, velocity, aftertouch, and more.
To this day, the Léode remains a unique instrument.
The Sounds of the Léode
The Léode controls a sampler and a multi-effects unit via a MIDI system.
Its sound bank is composed of synthesized sounds and samples.
One can find sounds inspired by the guitar, sarangi, duduk, string ensembles, as well as more unexpected sources such as a dog howling at the moon or the voice of Lazuli’s singer…
All kinds of waveforms that Claude reshapes by working on envelopes, timbres, ranges, filters, and LFOs.
An alchemist’s work that allows him to create a highly personal sonic universe.
Playing Style and Technique
Sounds are triggered by pressure applied to the neck.
The tuning can be changed freely, as well as the possibility of assigning different sounds to each of the four playing zones.
Claude Leonetti:
“When the Léode was created, I never wondered how to play it—I already knew. The Léode is an extension of myself and my music.”
Claude Leonetti also states:
“From the early 1990s, I became passionate about technology and recording techniques. As a family, we built our own recording studio, L’Abeille Rôde, where we recorded and mastered all of Lazuli’s albums, as well as many albums by other bands.”
Following Claude Leonetti and His Léode
What exactly is this strange instrument?
How do you play it?
What is the technique?
Who invented it—and why?
These are questions that arise at every Lazuli concert.
Claude answers all these questions—and much more—on his YouTube channel, on Instagram, and even more directly during Lazuli’s live performances.
🔗 Official website:
https://lazuli-music.com/
🎥 YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWFmPwMX1pSN-DiQixO07A
📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/la_leode_by_leonetti/?hl=fr
The little story of the Léode
(1995)