The Scoppiatori Exploder/Burster finished for now.

 I've spent too long on this machine and need to call it finished for now so I can move on to other projects. It is now a mechanical drum, rather than the multi faceted sound making machine it was.

 

There are two drum sticks activated by sudden drop snail cams and two spinning striking mechanisms.

 

 

 Here are the controls. In the middle is a overall speed control, while on the left are the speed controls for the four motors. To amplify the machine there is a piezo disc contact mic on the drum skin and a electret microphone in the box. I'm putting these through a pre-amp using an IC4049 circuit. The green knobs on the right are the volume control while the red and blue knobs are further gain for distortion :)

 

This is the lever which changes the pitch of the drum by pressing against the string running from the top through the centre of the drum skin.

 

You can see the pitch changing lever resting on the string in this photo. Also visible is the piezo contact mic on the drum skin and the 'altoids' tin with the electret mic.

 

I will probably return to this machine when it is next called on to perform. I have a number of options. There is a useful space below the drum which is directing the sound through the horn. The 45 ' of this direction reminds me of a spinning Leslie speaker which could be added here or the return of the ' Sonic Hamster wheel'.

 

I'm also leaving the option for two levers on the right of the machine to lower effects into play with the various mechanisms. Two levers can be seen on a machine in the photograph of Russolo with Piatti.

 Anyhow here's some music in a different kitchen or should that be the sound of distant drums.

I think these sounds match the description of the scoppiatori Russolo gives in his book the Art of Noises. It also achieves the glissando that many intonarumori perform.

 

 

 

Wilko the last days 

The pop art centre in a Leighton Buzzard empty retail store finally came to a close. Despite the efforts to create a much needed community resource for a range of creative and social activities. The space is to return to being a shop. However it had a fantastic send off for the positive impact it had on the local community. Some of it's past events can be seen here https://culturecolb.uk/events/ 

 

For the finale the space held a number of Sound and Vision events. On Friday 21st it was the turn of Tony Gee the resident sound artist who had spent his time scouring the vast retail site for scrap materials which could be transformed into musical instruments for a site specific concert. Which was performed by the aptly named 'Found Sound Collective'. There were also poetry readings, artworks on display and an impromptu audience participating choir.

 

 

 

Here's a clip of the Found Sound Collective playing. 

 

 

Further clips of the Collective playing can be found on Tony's Facebook and Instagram pages.

 

https://www.facebook.com/1182753231/videos/pcb.10237832917340440/1946053152678737 

 

 https://www.instagram.com/redfishsounds/

 

I was invited to perform and briefly explain the musikinstrument I was using. 

 

My short improvised piece of music was based on the idea of mechanical/ analogue verses digital. The piece starts off with the mechanical rhythms of the musikinstrument which is then modified digitally. Here I was using a loop pedal and the Gristleizer*. My performance ends with the Arduino Theremin. Here are the closing moments.

 

* The Gristleizer is a legendary sound effects pedal used by Throbbing Gristle. I made mine using a kit from Fuzzdog pedals.