Experimental Music Instruments

Pure Analog electronics is getting unique in the new media field. It is classical technique and is somewhat analogous to traditional art. Metal, ceramic, carbon, stone are used in analog electronics component; it is also common material for sculpture. New experimental music instruments link to the sculptures and music. Almost entire musical instruments are played by movement of the vertical axis such as press or hit. These instruments render sound from the existing object with same action. For example, almost everybody has played with Lego block. In an interface design, this experience is very helpful. The experimental music instruments provide non-verbal communication simple fun performance. Users can understand how to use the tools by intuition. Furthermore, the sound of the complex system is constructed by combining simple systems intricately. The devices that are using emotional designs play chaos sounds by uncomplicated movement.

Playing sound using crisp bread instead of vinyl records; pieces of Lego instead of synthesizer keys etc.

It is more building music or finding sound than playing.

In his work, Yoshi Akai has created a number of different experimental music instruments:

Lego Sequencer - a sequencer where you add sounds with lego bricks
Crispbread player - plays Knäckebröd (Swedish crisp bread) like they were vinyl records

White Magic - sensors in the gloves
Knocker - mechanical sequencer, place metal cylinders on tray to activate electromechanical knockers (solenoids)

Wireless Catcher - responds to Wifi networks
Credit Card Scratcher - reads the magnetic strips in credit cards

Velvet - measures galvanic skin response when touched

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