34. Sonic laboratory

I like to work with kids. I found it very challenging , especially keeping their attention focused when I want to explain them something they never heard and see before. One should use a lot of imagination and theatrical skills to hold their interest, otherwise they won't give a damn to your efforts.

This time I was invited to prepare an educational performance for elementary school in Laško with some additional students from other schools in our community. About 1000 pupils between 7 and 14 years filled up the main hall of local cultural center for 4 times.

I asked my nephew Franko to help me with performance and add some of his jokes into the scenario. We also prepared a rap song with his lyrics to make things more exciting.

I took a role of mad professor and Franko was himself, accidentally lost in my 'Sonic laboratory'. I've explained him my method of work and showed him what sound does with powder and liquid.

I also told him about neanderthal flute from Divje babe cave, the oldest instrument found so far, dating more than 40.000 years back. As an instrument builder using mostly discarded materials, I feel closely related to our ancestors which used to make music out of anything appropriate they could find.

After final song we invited most curious pupils to join us on stage and take a look on my sound devices like efektor, theremin and cymatic machines for sound visualization. Their enthusiasm exceeded my expectations and gave me a great reward for all the efforts.

29. Sonograph

After many years of experimenting with cymatics (see older posts) I came across another way of visualizing sound with vibrating membrane. This time I stretched a rubber membrane across the speaker and then attached a small piece of mirror in the middle where movement of the membrane is the most intensive. As a medium I used a laser beam focused directly on the mirror and reflected further on the screen. When speaker starts to move the membrane and the mirror, laser beam, following the sound with mathematical precision, draws dynamic lissajous figures on the screen.
And here's where's physics ends and creative process starts....

28. Chladni Plates

I was asked if I could make a sound sculpture with chladni plates for visitors of Museum of Senses in Split, Croatia. While playing with violin bow on different plates and trying to get interesting patterns I was amazed again and again with this simple contraption which principles were complete mystery two centuries ago.

After finishing the sculpture I spend some more time with plates to see what another configuration is capable. This time I used electric driver and theremin as a sound source and the results were quite exciting.

26. Kymatikon in Museum of Senses in Prague

Few months ago I was invited to design two sound installations for Museum of Senses in Prague. So I got the chance for further development of my recent Kymatikon prototypes. I built two devices: Chladni plate with frequency generator and three cymatic loudspeakers connected to the electronic drum pads and a theremin. While kids and their parents are turning knobs and hitting the drums to make some music, they can also observe exciting, non-linear dance of quartz sand under two plexi glass domes.

Beside Kymatikon there are other interesting things like vortex tunnel, bed of nails and different illusions regarding our sight and perception of space. So if you are visiting Prague I recommend you to take a look of the Museum as well.

6. Musical therapies on University Rehabilitation Institute

About a year ago I've managed to get  in contact with dr. Hermina Damjan, the Head of University Rehabilitation Institute Soča in Ljubljana. I wrote her about my idea to construct some simple electro mechanical instruments and percussions, adapted to their patients and my wish to collaborate with their institution and patients.

After inceptive meeting with dr. Damjan and her colleagues, they became interested in my proposal so I prepared a presentation for their patients to see if they were interested to join my programme. I decided to use theremin and efektor for the presentation because my experience shows they seem to be the most interesting instruments on presentations like this, when I usually have to break the ice of astonishment and suspicion.

 As you can see they became really enthusiastic about trying them out, so I've got the permission for two workshops per week, one for the children and one for adaults.
In next step I've managed to get some funds from Municipality of Ljubljana to built the instruments. I've built a small replica of efektor, amplified typewriter, simple string instrument in addition with theremin and a drum. I've also used some effects and a looper which allows anyone, no matter how weak his music abilities are, to create exciting soundscapes and improvised compositions where nothing can go wrong because it always happen for the first time. Therapists from the institute agreed that  performing properties of those instruments should have a positive effect on motoric abilities of their patients suffering stroke, traumatic brain injuries and neuromuscular diseases.

And so it all began...

 
I must admit I was a bit nervous before my first session with patients. During preparation of gear I remembered Jack Nicholson from One Flew Over The Cockoo's Nest which gave me a quick releif: I should just be a clever clown, showing them some fun with sound and invite them to participate and form a unique band. Interaction, awareness, response, feeling of power, getting the tune, falling in rhythm, tuning in and creating limitless world of sound in spite of limited abilities, that's all about...and it's all Rock'n'Roll!-)