Pictures of Construction machines

Songs Construction Machine

Interactive Sound Installation

2016

The songs Construction Machine is a large, community, generative songs package, which men and women can run via a big hand crank. Turning the crank moves numerous mechanisms within the giant box, creating ever-changing melodies and rhythmic patterns, used an electrical guitar, a keyboard and a drum ready. Once the device is contained in a transparent glass pavillon, individuals can observe and contemplate on its inner functions while cranking.

Once we all have actually various tastes in music, I made a decision to abandon the traditional concept of a music field, which may play a pre-programmed melody over and over. That would satisfy the musical taste of just a small fraction of the crankers and audience. So alternatively, the songs is created by an algorithm, which is implemented totally in mechanical hardware, and which iterates through all kinds of feasible sequences of beats and shades. Thus, the equipment permanently ‘constructs’ new ‘music’ while it is being managed, therefore title “Music Construction Machine”.

Even though the equipment determines which shades tend to be played, the providers have a good impact on the interpretation and phrase of this music, as they can regulate how fast they crank and in which they interrupt the circulation of songs.

Listed below are two recorded instances:

Of course most of the tunes that the device creates don’t noise beautiful by conventional requirements. An individual may question in the event that sound which created by the machine are considered to be songs at all. However once more – where exactly may be the borderline between sound and songs? I’m incapable of answer this concern! However if some body cranks long enough, eventually music structures will be, which could match the operator’s taste completely. it is just a matter of patience and cautious hearing.

In addition wish to point you with this short TV feature concerning the machine. They’ve shown some details quite close and in addition talked because of the market about their particular experience. Regrettably, they got all my super deep conceptual ideas incorrect :)

Listed here are more photos regarding the device. I specially liked the appearance of it at nighttime. Available more hires photographs, all imaginative Commons licensed, inside record. As constantly, go ahead and copy/paste/remix/share!

Lastly, I want to thank most of the sponsors and supporters whom helped us to recognize this project:

A really huge many thanks goes and also to Musikhaus Thomann, whom donated all of the devices, in addition to light and sound gear for me personally to hack – while they knew that my device may possibly perhaps not seem very nice!