A key inspiration for making my own instruments came from Hal Rammel, who began teaching instrument invention workshops at the Experimental Sound Studio (ESS) in 1990. I had also seen and heard Nicolas Collins and Elliott Sharp perform on invented instruments of varying complexity, in concerts co-sponsored by ESS and Randolph Street Gallery in the late-80s. And prior to that I attended percussion recitals as an art student at Northern Illinois University, where it wasn’t unusual to see musicians playing hubcaps, bowls, and other everyday non-musical items.
The Springboard
The Springboard is an experimental instrument I built in 1994 to explore the sonic potential of coil springs and other readily available materials. The inaudible vibrations of these materials are amplified by one very affordable piezo disc contact microphone. When played with cello bows and homemade friction mallets, I am able to produce extraordinary sounds over a wide frequency range that belie the humble origin of these selected materials. READ MORE
Flying Monks
The Flying Monks are a set of battery-powered oscillators I designed in 2017 for choreographer Rika Lin — tethered on string and swung or spun through the air by dancers, turning the room into part of the instrument. READ MORE
Janky Fondler
The Janky Fondler, also called the “3x Oscillator,” is a handheld, photocell-controlled oscillator I built around 2016 and play through the strings of a grand piano via a transducer. READ MORE
Holzstäbchen-Klangplatte
Holzstäbchen-Klangplatte is an array of bowed and plucked bamboo rods set into a drilled board, built in Augsburg, Germany in 2018 and inspired by Hal Rammel’s Sound Palette. READ MORE