microphonic concréte instruments

[vurt]

anyone know of any others like this?
i like this, and have found them in stock in the uk, but rather than pull the trigger and have someone point to something better later....

so hit me!

[muki]

gaz williams reviewed it couple of years ago



maybe another one might be the KOMA fieldkit series
https://koma-elektronik.com/?product=field-kit

[whyterabbyt]

I think the Leaf Audio one is on the more complex end of the various commercial spring /kalimba-eque boxes and the like out there. Onboard electronics are probably a wee bit rarer than just inbuilt contact mics (or no mic at all).

Without electronics, they're fairly easy to DIY though, so that's where Ive kinda leant. Ive got one wooden one built, got plenty of bits to make more, in wood and metal boxes. Bolts/nuts, washers, eyelets, springs, rubber bands, cheap acoustic guitar strings etc are easy enough to pick up (usually in mixed-size sets) from Amazon or ebay, but you can also find all sorts of instrument parts that are useful like kalimba tines/bridges, harp pegs, etc

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0951B7WMC/
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403730049555 ... SwQWxisTC1

etc

There's also an electrical part similar to a kalimba bridge thats called an 'earth block'. Can be used to hold steel rods, like bicycle spokes, something I saw Tom mention on the original Music Thing website years and years ago.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007IUN7EG

Ive got a box full of bits for building these sorts of things, and keep anything that might be useful, like a broken steel 'fish turner' spatula, wooden rulers, washers etc. Even got a 'spare' spring tank I intend to wedge inside one of them as a resonator. Plus plenty of piezo elements for contact mics.

At least one Im probably also going to try and fit in a cheap PT2399 'karaoke' delay board...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254999495831 ... 3b5f278497

Course it takes me ages to getting around to doing any of this stuff, but I do have at least one built...

edit : definitely pick up a violin or cello bow and rosin too....

[whyterabbyt]

Also, search the Pootubes for
'Apprehension Engine'
'Nightmare Engine'
'Little John Noise Box'
'Horror Box'

etc

[whyterabbyt]

Also, also, for commercial things in similar territory (and other weird stuff) check errorinstruments.com if you havent already...

[whyterabbyt]

Just looking at the Leaf Audio page, they seem to have a passive cutdown version for bolting your own bits onto, as well as a range of things to bolt on that overlaps with a lot of the stuff Ive mentioned. At least one new to me; I will now be buying one of those wire eggslicers from somewhere...

[vurt]

Also, also, for commercial things in similar territory (and other weird stuff) check errorinstruments.com if you havent already...

i haven't, but will have a look.

re diy, im too lazy id buy all the bits and never finish it

although, i could easily do some of it, it's things like those uprights im not too sure of how they would attach? or what would be best? pipe or rod?

as it stands, i use my dining table in the studio, with contacts for scrapes and rolls of dice/pebbles. various other.
if i knew how and had the means, id happily attach the uprights on the table.

and i do still have an old bow but do need some rosin as ive lost mine

thanks

[vurt]

Just looking at the Leaf Audio page, they seem to have a passive cutdown version for bolting your own bits onto, as well as a range of things to bolt on that overlaps with a lot of the stuff Ive mentioned. At least one new to me; I will now be buying one of those wire eggslicers from somewhere...

morrisons do a nice egg slicer, i was asked what i was doing while strumming one, up against a metal tray, by security.
no creativity!

[vurt]

metal combs are nice too, scraped along the teeth on the table edge.
plastic is ok, but be careful of flying comb teeth

[whyterabbyt]

i haven't, but will have a look.

re diy, im too lazy id buy all the bits and never finish it

yeah, well im obviously regularly guilty of that, but I do occasionally get round to it...

although, i could easily do some of it, it's things like those uprights im not too sure of how they would attach? or what would be best? pipe or rod?

The metal earth bars would maybe work for that, you could mount them on the side of something with the holes facing upwards.

Though the Leaf Audio soundbox seems to have them mounted on what seems to be a solid block of wood, maybe its just drilled through with holes to the correct size of the rods, and they're glued or clamped in.

[vurt]

hmm wonder if bar plus gclamp would work? doesn't have to be upright i guess!

now to find a piece of rebar from somewhere

[Constructed Identity]

This all comes from the work of bands like Test Department and Savage Aural Hotbed who took the ideal of electrifying handmade instruments from scrap and stuff.
Was a fan of Savage Aural Hotbed in the 1990s (they sound a lot better in open places then they do in smaller bars/venues)

[vurt]

i think even longer tbh, a lot of early electronic composers used various techniques like bowing metal for early horror scores.
not to mention the singing saw

i know test dept. but didn't know the others, cheers

[vurt]

anyway, ive ordered an 11mil diameter steel rod

[Constructed Identity]

anyway, ive ordered an 11mil diameter steel rod

Steel rods are great, so are thin steel plates!
last year I banged on a steel sculpture in a park with my field recorder