Frankenstrument
June 18, 2010 8:26 PM Subscribe
Sounds good. I'm all for homemade/altered instruments. Love the edgy, hard quality of the sound, and the percussiveness.
My daughter (she's 10) just listened with me, and said "I like it, the sound. And he made it himself! That's cool!"
OK, yeah, I'm proud of my girl...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:50 PM on June 18, 2010 [6 favorites]
My daughter (she's 10) just listened with me, and said "I like it, the sound. And he made it himself! That's cool!"
OK, yeah, I'm proud of my girl...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:50 PM on June 18, 2010 [6 favorites]
Yeah, that's good. Both what he built and what he chose to play on it.
posted by bwanabetty at 8:53 PM on June 18, 2010
posted by bwanabetty at 8:53 PM on June 18, 2010
On Diego Stocco's personal web site, he makes music and sounds with sand, oscillators, a typsosonic machine, a burning piano, conduit, a washing maching, and more. Watch.
posted by netbros at 8:53 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by netbros at 8:53 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wow, that's amazing. Reminds me of Dirty Three's I Remember A Time When Once You Use To Love Me a whole lot.
posted by griphus at 8:55 PM on June 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:55 PM on June 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
Wow, that's fantastic. Thanks for the link.
posted by spiderskull at 8:58 PM on June 18, 2010
posted by spiderskull at 8:58 PM on June 18, 2010
Great re-use of instruments. Song sounds like Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus though.
posted by blaneyphoto at 9:07 PM on June 18, 2010
posted by blaneyphoto at 9:07 PM on June 18, 2010
I think he missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to call his instrumental enjambment the "Bananoforte."
posted by The White Hat at 9:10 PM on June 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by The White Hat at 9:10 PM on June 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
I love the kitchen cabinet handle bridge and the tuners just bolted to flat stock. It's quite utilitarian but he makes it sing.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:23 PM on June 18, 2010
posted by Rhomboid at 9:23 PM on June 18, 2010
Homemade instrument: The Marron Glacé Guitar *
*utterly shameless self link
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:49 PM on June 18, 2010
*utterly shameless self link
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:49 PM on June 18, 2010
That's not once in a lifetime - I call my instrument a bananoforte on a daily basis, but all I get is smacked.
posted by mannequito at 10:21 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mannequito at 10:21 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
If someone asked me yesterday, "Davejay, what would you do if you had more time on your hands?" they would have gotten a different answer than they'd get if they asked me now.
posted by davejay at 10:27 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by davejay at 10:27 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
One man Birthday Party/Nick Cave apparatus. WANT!!
Neat!
(Griphus, I'm sure you know Warren Ellis of the Dirty 3 is one of the Bad Seeds..)
posted by Skygazer at 11:14 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Neat!
(Griphus, I'm sure you know Warren Ellis of the Dirty 3 is one of the Bad Seeds..)
posted by Skygazer at 11:14 PM on June 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wow. So he just uses an old piano keyboard to capo the string on a bass guitar, in a linear though not musically relevant way, and can produce something that sounds sort of like music, mainly because it has a beat.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:48 PM on June 18, 2010
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:48 PM on June 18, 2010
I think maybe you watched the wrong video, MonkeySaltedNuts. The one I just saw kicked ass.
posted by mumkin at 12:00 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mumkin at 12:00 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
MonkeySaltedNuts: "in a linear though not musically relevant way"
Depends on your definition of "musical".
He has, as you stated, linear control of the pitch, despite the fact that it is not in a standard scale.
Control + intention are sufficient conditions for the possibility of music (and it could have been music even if it did not have a beat).
posted by idiopath at 12:02 AM on June 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
Depends on your definition of "musical".
He has, as you stated, linear control of the pitch, despite the fact that it is not in a standard scale.
Control + intention are sufficient conditions for the possibility of music (and it could have been music even if it did not have a beat).
posted by idiopath at 12:02 AM on June 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
"I think maybe you watched the wrong video, MonkeySaltedNuts. The one I just saw kicked ass."
And if he produces any other "music" from this instrument then it will probably sound pretty much the same, except from differences in the beat.
If he is just going to capo the strings then he should have separated the piano keys so that they non-linearly capo the strings at fret positions. At least this way he might have a chance at melody or harmony and reproduce something recognizable.
If I were he I would made some sort of semi-autoharp where the keys are arranged in groups that only capo some of the strings at a given fret position.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
And if he produces any other "music" from this instrument then it will probably sound pretty much the same, except from differences in the beat.
If he is just going to capo the strings then he should have separated the piano keys so that they non-linearly capo the strings at fret positions. At least this way he might have a chance at melody or harmony and reproduce something recognizable.
If I were he I would made some sort of semi-autoharp where the keys are arranged in groups that only capo some of the strings at a given fret position.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Reminds me of the Anti Tank Guitar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_Tank_Guitar
posted by readyfreddy at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_Tank_Guitar
posted by readyfreddy at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010
I have to say that awesome as that was, I would have worried about the intonation, too. But that would have been my version, and probably wouldn't have been as waycool.
I have an idea for a pianoharp (a nonautoharp?). I guess I may have to build it now.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010
I have an idea for a pianoharp (a nonautoharp?). I guess I may have to build it now.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 12:52 AM on June 19, 2010
Hey MonkeySaltedNuts, go for it and let us all see and hear how great it turns out.
posted by Hello Dad, I'm in Jail at 1:21 AM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Hello Dad, I'm in Jail at 1:21 AM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
The song in the first link made a great soundtrack for the Rolling Stone Tea Party article in the FPP below this one.
posted by joedan at 1:34 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by joedan at 1:34 AM on June 19, 2010
Who among us has not wondered what to do with the dismantled pianos we all keep in our gardens?
posted by HeroZero at 2:39 AM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by HeroZero at 2:39 AM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
If he is just going to capo the strings then he should have separated the piano keys so that they non-linearly capo the strings at fret positions. At least this way he might have a chance at melody or harmony and reproduce something recognizable.
Recognizable to someone who has a really stilted and extremely conservative, narrow notion of what can be defined as "music"? I doubt he's particularly interested in that.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:03 AM on June 19, 2010 [6 favorites]
Recognizable to someone who has a really stilted and extremely conservative, narrow notion of what can be defined as "music"? I doubt he's particularly interested in that.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:03 AM on June 19, 2010 [6 favorites]
I am also in the "This is awesome!" camp. I recognize that the track he created on this thing would only be reproducible by an entire band's worth of these instruments. But, that's part of this home-brew charm!
AND, the rhythm guitar section (I think it was the struck strings at the beginning) reminded me a lot of what Johnny Cash played for his version of "Personal Jesus" on American IV. Which is also an awesome song.
posted by Severian at 5:04 AM on June 19, 2010
AND, the rhythm guitar section (I think it was the struck strings at the beginning) reminded me a lot of what Johnny Cash played for his version of "Personal Jesus" on American IV. Which is also an awesome song.
posted by Severian at 5:04 AM on June 19, 2010
If I were he
and therein lies the rub. He's productive.
Good find, fizzzzy. Inspirational!
posted by archivist at 6:03 AM on June 19, 2010
and therein lies the rub. He's productive.
Good find, fizzzzy. Inspirational!
posted by archivist at 6:03 AM on June 19, 2010
If I weren't busy staring at the internet or whatever, I'd be totally making one of those, too. Awesomeness.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:14 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:14 AM on June 19, 2010
I really enjoyed this, thanks. What's the betting that the instrument shows up on a Tom Waits album some time? It would fit so well.
posted by littleredspiders at 6:49 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by littleredspiders at 6:49 AM on June 19, 2010
The guy is blowing what is left of my very tiny mind. Be sure to visit his music made from trees, and the lightbulb filament piece.
Metafilter wins the internet today. The entire internet.
posted by clvrmnky at 7:23 AM on June 19, 2010
Metafilter wins the internet today. The entire internet.
posted by clvrmnky at 7:23 AM on June 19, 2010
That was horrible.
What you REALLY want to explore is the peculiar and unimaginable talent of Mr. Jay Wasco, who has invented several of his own instruments, including the Egotar, the Swiss Army Bass, and the Fractal Harp.
posted by holterbarbour at 7:57 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
What you REALLY want to explore is the peculiar and unimaginable talent of Mr. Jay Wasco, who has invented several of his own instruments, including the Egotar, the Swiss Army Bass, and the Fractal Harp.
posted by holterbarbour at 7:57 AM on June 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Very cool.
He's allowed to have not-perfect intonation with a crazy hack like this, but should leave the bowing out of any future performances. In fact, perhaps "sawing" is more like it. (That said, other types of sawing can sometimes be quite musical.)
posted by cleancut at 8:07 AM on June 19, 2010
He's allowed to have not-perfect intonation with a crazy hack like this, but should leave the bowing out of any future performances. In fact, perhaps "sawing" is more like it. (That said, other types of sawing can sometimes be quite musical.)
posted by cleancut at 8:07 AM on June 19, 2010
i'd really like to see this paired up with some variety of improvised squeezebox or reed organ
posted by Hammond Rye at 8:33 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by Hammond Rye at 8:33 AM on June 19, 2010
One of the cool things about medieval and early modern music is how many variations on the guitar there are. Most of them end up as kind of dead ends, but they make cool music anyway. I thought the instrument and the song were cool, if tonally limited, but what I'd be really interested in is both more songs and later, more refined versions of the instrument.
posted by immlass at 9:03 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by immlass at 9:03 AM on June 19, 2010
This was fucking incredible...although the little music geek in my head couldn't help but think:
what if he incorporated some sort of pedal system (a la organs) to adjust the position of the capo on the strings?
posted by FuzzyLumpkins at 9:30 AM on June 19, 2010
what if he incorporated some sort of pedal system (a la organs) to adjust the position of the capo on the strings?
posted by FuzzyLumpkins at 9:30 AM on June 19, 2010
holterbarbour: "What you REALLY want to explore is the peculiar and unimaginable talent of Mr. Jay Wasco"
That was horrible.
posted by idiopath at 11:20 AM on June 19, 2010
That was horrible.
posted by idiopath at 11:20 AM on June 19, 2010
I want to know more about the upright bass–like thing with the cymbal on in the background.
posted by kenko at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2010
posted by kenko at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2010
cleancut: "should leave the bowing out of any future performances"
The bowing was really what made the whole thing work for me (though bowed guitar can be done with quite a bit more subtlety).
posted by idiopath at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2010
The bowing was really what made the whole thing work for me (though bowed guitar can be done with quite a bit more subtlety).
posted by idiopath at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2010
At first I thought he was going to break into Pink Floyd's "Money", but that was mucho better.
posted by rageagainsttherobots at 12:19 PM on June 19, 2010
posted by rageagainsttherobots at 12:19 PM on June 19, 2010
idiopath: ... bowed guitar can be done with quite a bit more subtlety
Or quite a bit less.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:40 PM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
Or quite a bit less.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:40 PM on June 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
Love it, but would also like to hear performance without the sequencer-magic the linked video depended on.
posted by achmorrison at 3:03 PM on June 19, 2010
posted by achmorrison at 3:03 PM on June 19, 2010
i liked it. the results reminded me a bit of the great arnold dreyblatt.
posted by peterkins at 3:27 PM on June 19, 2010
posted by peterkins at 3:27 PM on June 19, 2010
I want to know more about the upright bass–like thing with the cymbal on in the background.
I had to pause the video just to make sure that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.
The Bassoforte is the sort of instrument I always dream about building. The difference here is that Mr. Stocco has actually made music with it whereas I would just enjoy hitting it with hammers.
posted by lekvar at 12:05 AM on June 20, 2010
I had to pause the video just to make sure that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.
The Bassoforte is the sort of instrument I always dream about building. The difference here is that Mr. Stocco has actually made music with it whereas I would just enjoy hitting it with hammers.
posted by lekvar at 12:05 AM on June 20, 2010
Hah! I knew I recognized him! Check out this other, equally excellent bass/thing he made.
posted by lekvar at 12:10 AM on June 20, 2010
posted by lekvar at 12:10 AM on June 20, 2010
The difference here is that Mr. Stocco has actually made music with it whereas I would just enjoy hitting it with hammers.
I don't see where the two are mutually exclusive.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:41 AM on June 20, 2010
I don't see where the two are mutually exclusive.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:41 AM on June 20, 2010
*wanders through Stocco's releases on Bandcamp* This is really awesomely buzzy and broken music! It tickles the same happy places in my brain that Amon Tobin does. *spends some dollars*
posted by egypturnash at 6:43 AM on June 20, 2010
posted by egypturnash at 6:43 AM on June 20, 2010
neat!
in a similar vein, check out the pencilina created by Bradford Reed. He played on a couple King Missile records.
Also incredible - the "mechanical monk" by Paul Rubenstein. It's a two stringed instrument that's played with motors, kinda similar to a hurdy-gurdy, but electric.
posted by dubold at 7:00 AM on June 20, 2010
in a similar vein, check out the pencilina created by Bradford Reed. He played on a couple King Missile records.
Also incredible - the "mechanical monk" by Paul Rubenstein. It's a two stringed instrument that's played with motors, kinda similar to a hurdy-gurdy, but electric.
posted by dubold at 7:00 AM on June 20, 2010
cleancut: "... but should leave the bowing out of any future performances."
Maybe he could use a bottle like Jimmy Page.
posted by bwg at 7:49 PM on June 20, 2010
Maybe he could use a bottle like Jimmy Page.
posted by bwg at 7:49 PM on June 20, 2010
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