Instrument/Found Sound and LINKS!

Links for flash mob/public interventions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo

look at the "more from" section on the side of this youtube page, Improv Everywhere does some amazing work.

Links for homemade music:

http://www.oddmusic.com/

http://www.instructables.com/tag/category:music/?sort=none&q=instrument&limit:type:id=on

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=homemade+instruments&search_type=&aq=f

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Z-zEXEb6o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hBqgp9JGOo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2_VwcGyeMU

Assignment #2: Instrument/Found Sound Continued…

Objective:

For this project you will be creating a home-made musical instrument/sound making device/sculpture. Using found materials of your choice, manufacture a piece that creatively emits sound as a result of being struck, strummed, dropped, blown through, thrown, or somehow otherwise manipulated by a user. The final piece must also incorporate a functional microphone - which will be used for recording and amplification purposes. A simple computer microphone with a mini-plug or suction cup input will suffice. These are available cheap at Radio Shack, Bestbuy, etc..

Consider the notion of sculptural assemblage - the combination of disparate elements into a visual object with the addition of musical/aural functionality. I also want you to think about your instrument as a continuation of your self-portrait sound loop - not literally but in the sense that the sound serves as a type of audio metaphor. The materials used should be meaningful - consider the objects in your everyday life and conceptualize your piece accordingly.

Examples:

You can approach this project from many different angles. Think about the many thousands of musical instruments that exist and create your own version from simple materials. Or, bring together a group of "stuff" from your life and just start experimenting with different combinations. The sound need not be pleasant as in the strum from a well tuned guitar - think about the sound as representative of some aspect of you.

This piece can be constructed using any materials at your disposal, books, bike parts, paper, cardboard box, motors, glass, plastic, duct tape, wire, screws, string, bottles, etc… Be creative, don’t be lazy…

Wednesday, September 9th Project due, bring to class and be prepared to play!