For my interactive touch project, I had to choose an unappreciated truth that I wanted to reflect in the art piece. Something that came to my mind was how people take the music they listen to for granted, as some people don’t think about what makes the song. Oftentimes I discuss a piece of music with others, they will tend to look at the song as a whole form of art and not pieces that come together to create such an experience. I want my art to display and appreciate each piece of a song, specifically 4 basic rock instruments (Guitar, Bass, Keyboard/Secondary Guitar, and drums). The goal is to make people understand through experimentation of the piece to see how the instruments play off one another.
To control the 4 instruments, I needed to design an interface with at least 4 options. I decided to sketch out ideas for an interface before I started bringing the materials together. After some brainstorming, I used cardboard and tin foil to see if my idea was feasible. I designed a lever to control an alligator pins connection to grounding. So far it seems to be holding together and the mechanism worked so I move on to the left side of the box. Here I created an interface where you use a tin foil pen like a touchpad on 4 pieces of tin foil.
My plan with the interface is to control which instruments are actively playing in the music. The user decides which instruments are active versus inactive, and they will hear how the instruments relate to one another and how a missing instrument can largely impact a song. I haven’t considered visuals yet, but I am considering splitting the instruments up into separate abstract shapes that are moving/displayed if the instrument is active.
I think that the idea will bring across the idea I want, but I was wondering how I could improve the controlled interface? What other forms of input can I make for the project?
I find the concept very intriguing with how common it is for people to not consider the separate parts to a song. One opinion I have about the layout is that you could possibly make different instruments out of cardboard (only if the instruments aren’t too hard to recreate, such as a trumpet would be difficult). For example, a flute could just be represented by a long cylinder of cardboard, but with aluminum around where the person would usually play the instrument.
I find this concept very unique! Some other options for input can be splitting each control to reflect each instrument. For example, a guitar pick, drumstick, bass chord, etc.
What is the function of the cardboard tube-y thing on the right side?
What will the interface look like aesthetically regarding shape and color?
For the controller, maybe if you made each of the strips into the instruments they represent would show to people that this is immediately a musical piece.
If the interface were decorated with visuals/representations of the instruments, I think it would very clearly communicate its function.
I like the piece very much. I just finds it shocking to look at such a huge carboard installation and the looking of this installation definitely makes me curious about what it can actually do. As a reply to the artist question, I would find it much more straightforward if there is some kind of visual cue next to each piece of tin foil. You could also make thie whole installation look more evenly distributed.
The controller can definitely be aesthetically improved, I think a cool way to do it may be to make it look like a music sheet
I think that conceptually this is a really interesting and exciting piece. Moving forward I think having a strong visual impact for the interactive piece itself will be helpful in creating the playful environment music pairs well with (decorate! :D)
I think your concept is an amazing display of how music is made. Although I am not sure if I can comment since I can’t play an instrument, but I love this idea.
Also, how does a visual aspect contribute to an auditory concept?