muscle powered sound synthesis

In this workshop, initialy held in the Slovenian mountains, we converted hand-crank-powered flashlights to off-grid sound machines. What could be the hurdy-gurdy of a post-apocalyptic world, was built from used electric torches and scrapped electronics. The outcomes of this endeavor were situated anywhere between musical instruments and ritualistic artifacts of cacophony.

When playing those instruments, the movement of the hand directly translates to the voltage the synthesizer receives, enabling the musician to explore soundscapes at the fringe of a working circuit.

The project imagines a world without batteries, where hand-held devices only receive power generated in situ. The landscape of Soča Valley, where PIF camp 2021 was held, allowed the participants to create interactive sculptures drawing from imagined circumstances far off from urban life.

Subsequently the workshop was held at Noisemeetup, AMRO ‘22 debug and monocon #5.

Thanks to all the participants for delving into the topic of muscle-powered sound synthesis with me.

The cranking choir performing under a light sculpture by Janez Grošelj.

Photographs at PIF21 by Katja Golgjat

Workshop at NoiseMeetup, Linz (2021). Photo by Mascha Illich

Video recorded by Mascha Illich and Aaron Muszalski