oanne Cannon and Stuart Favilla.Their research focuses on live-performance, design and construction of new experimental musical instruments as:
The Light Harp
Originally designed to play Indian music through computers and synthesisers sounds, the Light Harp is the second space controlled instrument I ever saw (after Theremin).
32 virtual strings are generated by spotlights and lasers projected on light sensors (resistors) all along its smooth figure.
This instrument provide an incredible amount of possibilities: the strings are transposable over eight octaves and flexibly tunable;
the ancillary controls panel consists of 24 simultaneous channels of scanning analogue to
touch strips, foot-control pedals, two large dial controllers that operate concentric to each other and an active electromagnetic proximity controller wand. Moreover the connection with control a mixer based MIDIBox allows for sixteen dials to control up to 760 parameters during performance!
The Serpentine Bassoon and the Contra Monster
These are double-reed instruments inspired on bassoon. Interestingly, the fact that leather is less resonant in comparison to other acoustic materials, facilitates amplification and avoids screeching feedback tones.
Other than their own proper sound, they both presents microphones [pickups], touch sensitive thumb-plates, pressure and movement sensors, which the musician can use to control synthesisers, samplers and effects machines.
Joanne uses the instrument to produce an incredible wide range of sounds; including wild animal cries, soft-detailed plucking sounds, bassoon, horn and oboe timbres, cycling rampaging flangers, distortion tones, melodic shifting delays and echoes and all manner of bizarre oscillations, sirens, mutterings and warbling.
**I am fascinated. They sound and look great!
Performance is enriched with gesture and interplay. Analogue and synthetic grave together expanding in a new space...
I really would like to build my own instrument as well! Maybe for the performance in November... I definitely like the idea of space control. I imagine a number of photo resistors implanted on scene's walls. Performer is behind the public and appear on stage only in his shadow, triggering the sounds controls through its movements on the light-sensors.
The public could interact as well as the projected light come from behind.
And the sounds I imagine originate from the resonance of the room with water drops played live on a stable sonoric platform...mmm...let's see how.
**
Related links:
The Bent Leather Bend
Trossen Robotics
The photosonic Disk of Jaques Dudon
Some sounds from the Basquets Instruments in fiberglass
