Custom Electronic Instruments

December 20, 2010 1:18 AM

folktek do beautiful things with sound and sculpture that are so unique as to defy description
posted by mhjb (10 comments total)

I would describe what they do as "build instruments".

Neat stuff, the boxes and layout look quite nice. I do wish there was a page of samples and videos all in one spot, rather than scattered around the site - if there is one, i haven't found it.
posted by dubold at 3:05 AM on December 20, 2010

Beautiful machines making beautiful plaintive bleats, all of which seem to protest "Where are the melodies? Why does so much of the energy and ingenuity of mathematical people who love sound go into the mere creation of vibratory tones and textures? Why does Genius no longer care to arrange these sound into coherent compositions whose arrangement and variations can fascinate the imagination, satisfy complicated emotional and intellectual longings, unleash joy, reflect complex social relations, express our deepest longings, honor the Creator, suspend time, transfix the soul and allow all of humanity to share the pains and exaltations of the solitary composer, and feel those joys and pangs as their own?" The modern world can create any sound a composer can imagine, but has pretty much pooped out when comes to writing a nice tune. No more instruments, please. We have enough servants. Where are the masters?
posted by Faze at 4:03 AM on December 20, 2010 [3 favorites]

Where are the masters?

at least one is building beautiful instruments/sound sculptures.

thanks for sharing mhjb.
posted by archivist at 6:41 AM on December 20, 2010

Well, as someone who loves abstract soundscapes and feel that they can convey "complicated emotional and intellectual longings/suspend time/share joys and pangs/etc" perfectly well to folks who have a bit of patience and imagination, I have to say I disagree pretty strongly with the general thrust of Faze's little rant, which might actually have had a point in the early days of computerized music during the 50s and 60s but is really, *really* off-base now.

These instruments are beautiful, though. Nice find, mhjb.
posted by mediareport at 6:45 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hey Faze; there is an awesome section of this very site where people have posted all kinds of great stuff. Maybe you can post some of your
"coherent compositions whose arrangement and variations can fascinate the imagination, satisfy complicated emotional and intellectual longings, unleash joy, reflect complex social relations, express our deepest longings, honor the Creator, suspend time, transfix the soul and allow all of humanity to share the pains and exaltations of the solitary composer, and feel those joys and pangs as their own?"
posted by dubold at 6:50 AM on December 20, 2010

The modern world can create any sound a composer can imagine, but has pretty much pooped out when comes to writing a nice tune. No more instruments, please. We have enough servants. Where are the masters?

A palette must endure the discern of artists, just as the art produced must enure for discerning palates.
posted by Smart Dalek at 7:10 AM on December 20, 2010

Reminds me of spunkytoofers.
posted by mkb at 7:59 AM on December 20, 2010

I apologize if this was posted earlier, but it seemed like a good fit.
posted by I love you more when I eat paint chips at 8:11 AM on December 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Excellent post, mhjb.
posted by conrad53 at 5:43 PM on December 20, 2010

A palette must endure the discern of artists, just as the art produced must enure for discerning palates.

Smart Dalek, what does this even mean? It parses as wise-sounding nonsense to me. "[T]he discern" - discern is not a noun in the dictionary I have at hand. And - art must "enure" ... ? (A typo for "endure"?)
posted by IAmBroom at 3:33 AM on December 21, 2010