Guido Hermans, Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå University

Denver 2015: Design and Planning

This project explores a design space between music as a skillful activity and music as a commodity.

The object is a box with several rotary knobs that allow one to alter the sonic character and tempo of the four stems of a song, i.e. drums, bass, rhythm, and lead. By manipulating the individual stems one is able to create a unique experience of a song rather than pushing the play button of a play list.

The aim of this project is to establish a focal practice where one is more engaged in playing and listening to music. The tabletop form of the music player allows a group of people to interact with it simultaneously and thereby creating a conversation between the participants.

The prototype is made with Arduino and Ableton Live.