Dirty Electronics 2015/10/18-25 HongLou102
Dirty Electronics – Bed of Nails x Hard Drives
WORKSHOP with John Richards
Take part in building Dirty Electronics’ Bed of Nails x Hard Drives. The instrument exploits traditional breadboard techniques, wire-wrapping and nails banged into a board, and a single supply op-amp to provide the basis for a noise generating feedback circuit. The instrument is played by touching different combinations of nails to create a range of sounds. A low sine tone, produced by a brushless motor of a computer hard drive, is used as a low frequency oscillator and modulator for the Bed of Nails feedback circuit. The open circuitry, nails, and wire of the instrument present sculptural possibilities, as well as providing a pedagogical model for building circuits from schematics; whilst the ‘spinning’ hard drive highlights gesture, and affordance in the playing the instrument.
In Dirty Electronics process and performance are inseparably bound. The 'performance' begins on the workbench devising instruments and is extended onto the stage through playing and exploring these instruments.
Light & Feathers II
For vibrating objects and feathers, and automated incandescent light bulbs
A sequence of light events control sound objects with large feathers that rattle, shake and move. The space is demarcated by sound and light and shadows cast by the vibrating feathers. The ‘audience’ is also asked to be part of the work by walking freely amongst the objects.
Previous version of piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SViftGYwwiI
Hidden Sine
John Richards discusses his recent work as Dirty Electronics and new piece Hidden Sine that explores self-made instruments and large group performance, and ‘sound curious’ that are concerned with the way of the hand, touch and affordance (action possibilities). Hidden Sine draws loosely on object orientated philosophy and theory of affordances. The premise is that an object may have artistic/sound potential, often hidden, that can be revealed through investigation and praxis. This investigation operates on a number of levels covering sound, plastic arts and actions/theatre. The building of circuits and sound devices is also seen as a method for creating a tabula rasa, and how the idea of delegated performance, where instruments are played by ‘non-experts’, serves to establish a naive approach and authenticity in performance.
Fish Face (2010) John Richards
Inspired by Christian Morgenstern and Byunjun Kwon
Fish Face is a hands-off face and mouth expression only controlled instrument/composition. A small loudspeaker is placed in the mouth. By opening and closing and shaping the mouth, both pitch and the timbre of the instrument can be changed.
The composition consists of a number of cues and material types. The mouth shape U is ‘sung’ in unison (see Morgenstern’s Fisches Nachtgesang). Other directions included vowel shapes/sounds, as well as directions for ‘scary face’ and ‘funny face’, the musical sound being a result of the facial expression. The performers also make vocal sounds, which, when combined with the electronic sounds, produce multiphonics. Mouthing, but not sounded, words are also included.
