these instruments are made from broken bicycles which are found in abundance in the city. The tubular frames are cut to different length to get the pitches of the traditional Gamelan. The handlebars are also recycled and form the base of the instrument. Clear tones are produced when the tubes are struck with a wooden hammer. The instruments are surprisingly intuitive to play, and children playing the instruments portray an amazing sense of musicianship.
currently, some of the bike Gamelan instruments are installed with robotic hammers and an electric brain. This will result in a installation where the symbiosis between man and machine in respect to music will be tested.
The Tea Party Piano is unlike any instrument, combining the sounds of rattling teacups with the interface of a standard piano. When a piano key is pressed, a corresponding teacup will sound. Inspired by children’s imaginative games, playing with teacups and pretending to have a tea-party, this instrument captures the sounds and lets the audience play and orchestrate them.
this unusual instrument is the first experiment to built a Gamelan instrument from recycled materials. An old shopping kart holds the two tuned sets of nine bells and eight bars, as well as a gong made from a steel serving tray. When a tall wind vane is added, it is ringing a bell periodically while the wind blows.
This bright-red instrument is made from a discarded expansion vessel. It is mounted on the frame from a stroller. It features nine tones, very unlike the western piano tuning. The different pitches are produced by vibrating tongues, cut out of the surface. It sounds like music from a culture not know to us
the Heliophone is an experimental instrument based on the forgotten technique of optically produced sounds. The instrument is made from a broken cd player and features altered cd's with different patterns on them. spinning these in front of an optical sensor, the patterns are translated to sound.
the chess pianola is an automated piano operated by a chessboard. When the first move is made, the piano begins to make sound, unlike a regular piano. The sounds stack, as the game progresses. The strings of the piano are excited by rubber wheels attached to salvaged dc motors. The instrument was made to accompany an improvisation pieces.
gongs, metal bars, resonating tubes, everything can be made from junk. These instruments are played with softer mallets and produce tones that have a longer sustain. They form the body of the gamelan orchestra.
These afrikan inspired instruments are made from various materials such as bicycle spokes, rake tines and other reused materials.
