spiderharp

December 12, 2023 2:31 AM

SpiderHarp: Hatton’s SpiderHarp captures the essentials of how spiders use web vibrations to interpret worldly signals and pushes the idea from the realm of science to that of art.
posted by dhruva (5 comments total)

web of the best!
posted by chavenet at 2:50 AM on December 12, 2023 [4 favorites]

Now I'd like to hear it played by a variety of musicians in various settings and musical styles.
posted by evilDoug at 10:44 AM on December 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

Oo, I want to play a SpiderHarp. I hope one of the interactive museums adopts it!
posted by limeonaire at 11:26 AM on December 12, 2023

For comparison, here's Claire de Lune on a harp-harp
posted by macrael at 12:03 PM on December 12, 2023

When stalking web-building spiders, Portia try to make different patterns of vibrations in the web that aggressively mimic the struggle of a trapped insect or the courtship signals of a male spider, repeating any pattern that induces the intended prey to move towards the Portia.[19] ...from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_(spider)

So named, supposedly, because they're crafty, tricky, wily and smart, like the Merchant of Venice heroine. When I first heard about this, I realized that (1) I had erroneously internalized some messaging about a dichotomy between good at science/math and good at words/stories, and (2) there were some delicious puns waiting to be made about Porsche Spyders, but I wasn't the person to make them.
posted by adekllny at 6:53 PM on December 12, 2023