1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production of I Heart Radios, 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: How Stuff Works. Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: I am your host, executive producer Jonathan Strickland. Yep, I'm 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: with how Stuff Parkson, I Heart Radio and a lot 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: of all things tech is. Time for another classic episode 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: of tech Stuff. This one originally aired on August twenty, 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve, back in the good old days, I guess. Anyway, 8 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: this particular episode is called tech Stuff Hacks into Music, 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: and Chris and I go into some interesting discussions about 10 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: technology and music, and this was one of those cases 11 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: where it was really really handy to have Chris so on. 12 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: Chris is always a joy and I loved having a 13 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: podcast with him. But as you may or may not know, 14 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: he has performed as a professional musician many times, even 15 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: when on tour with big name music groups and stuff. 16 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: So that's pretty cool. Anyway, check out this classic episode. 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about musical hacks today. So again 18 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: we're in our series of episodes about using technology to 19 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: do stuff what it was not meant to do, or 20 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: or to to to manipulate it, change it, to tweak 21 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: it in some way so it behaves in a new 22 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: and exciting way. We want to talk about that sort 23 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: of culture, that and the music culture and how those 24 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: two overlap, because it turns out that a lot of 25 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: people who have liked to hack physical as well as 26 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: virtual types of stuff are also really into the music. 27 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: That's true. Um, yeah, a lot of the we we've 28 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: kind of touched on this in the past, recorded in 29 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: an episode in early two thousand eleven about chip tunes. Yes, 30 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: chip tunes being music that you generate from those old 31 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: eight bit machines and earlier, but things like like the 32 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: cover War sixty four and stuff. You take the the 33 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: chips that were able to generate tones and you repurpose 34 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: them so that you program news sorts of music that 35 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: those devices were never necessarily meant to produce back in 36 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: the day. But it does produce that very, very distinctive 37 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: sound that we associate with the early days of computing 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: and video games. Yep, yep, it wasn't. It wasn't that 39 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: the episode where I embarrassed myself because I had prepped 40 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: by uh, listening to bags of potato chips. You can't 41 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: listen to just one, that's true. I didn't learn that much. 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: But no, a lot of the people. Um, we didn't 43 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: really get into the technology behind that as much, because 44 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: I mean we did talk about how they they use 45 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: UM video games in in that case as electronic instruments, 46 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: but we we didn't really talk as much about building 47 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: about what you need to do to make that happen. UM. 48 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: One of the people that that Jonathan sort of feel 49 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: pardon upon tuned me into UM hacked an at. Yes, 50 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: he made the guitari dred tricks. He's an Australian. Yeah, 51 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: he's a chip tune artist from Australia. And he took 52 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: an Atari twenty d Uh. He took some various electronics 53 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: meant to manipulate the waveform of a sound once it's 54 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: been produced. Uh, and then he creates some customized software 55 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: to be able to create music using the sty And 56 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: it's not it's not creating music completely improvisationally. There's some 57 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: stuff that has to be pre recorded and uh, you know, predetermined, 58 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: because he could not actually just produce any tone he 59 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: wanted at any time he wanted. Right now. He knows 60 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: how the these initial machines. And we've talked about this 61 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: too on a previous episode in which we were talking 62 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: about the gaming her to wear UM. Those those early 63 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: machines like the R had a library of sounds built 64 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: in the machine. It was on a chip, hardwired hardwired 65 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: into the chip. So um ceatrix is familiar with the hardware. 66 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: He knows what sounds are are available to him on 67 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: this machine, the range of tones and volumes, and then 68 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: different waveforms that the square wave UM and the different 69 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: the different sounds that he can make. And so what 70 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: he does is he uses a computer to write a 71 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: background track basically using assembly code UM, which is a 72 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: very low level programming language UM, and he's able to use. 73 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: He knows what their sounds are and he writes the 74 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: software and then he ends up burning a a ROM 75 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: to go into the cartridge slot on the at R. 76 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: So it's just like you were putting a video game. 77 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: So like let's say you want to play Pitfall and 78 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: you put that into the By the way, Pitfall was 79 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: an awesome game, so it was a river rate another 80 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: awesome game. But you put that into your ATR bas 81 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: you turn it on and then it goes well. In 82 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: this case, he was creating the equivalent of a music 83 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: cartridge that you put in there. And what would happen 84 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: is it would play this predetermined track, which he could 85 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: then manipulate with the other electronics that he had built. 86 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: And he built it on a platform that resembles this huge, 87 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: clunky guitar right now. If you if you're if you're 88 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: familiar with something like Garage Band or some of these 89 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: other UM basic music editing software programs, you're you're probably 90 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 1: familiar with the idea of them saying Okay, well, we've 91 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: included a hundred clips, and it'll be something really simple, 92 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: basic percussion track or maybe a baseline that you can 93 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: use as a baseline to write a piece of music over. 94 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: And so that's what he's including there. He'll write a 95 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: basic uh if you will, something something to build on, 96 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: and he'll turn on the Atari machine and it starts 97 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: playing that bass track on which he can improvise playing 98 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: additional notes UM he uses. There's a UM joystick attached 99 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: to this UM. It looks very much like the third 100 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: party joysticks that you used. Actually may very well be 101 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 1: I don't recognize that particular joystick, but it's got a 102 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: couple of buttons on it, and he can use that 103 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: to switch between tracks on the on the cartridge UM. 104 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: And it's also got some effects pedals. He uh he 105 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: actually used Um, I switched my notes here. Uh. He 106 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: all he has an equalizer pedal built in and these 107 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: are the the stump pedals, the foot pedals that that 108 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: a guitarist would use. Um that you see them switch 109 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: on the floor, right, So instead of stomping on it, 110 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 1: he's actually built these into the neck of the so 111 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: he's using his hand to change the pedals as opposed 112 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: to his foot. Yeah, there are three. There's an equalizer 113 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: pedal or e Q. There's a flanger and a digital 114 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: delay pedal which he uses with his hands. Uh, in 115 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: addition to having the joystick and the atar which is 116 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: at the where you would find the body of the guitar. Right. 117 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: So uh, I say we listen to a short segment 118 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: of of s Tricks playing his guitar. This is him 119 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: playing at a live performance in Japan, and we're just 120 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: gonna give you a short little snippet to kind of 121 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: let you understand what it sounds like. Uh. If your 122 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: ears are sensitive, I recommend lowering the volume of your 123 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: listening device. Now I'm vamping a little bit so that 124 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: you can do this because it is pretty loud. But 125 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: here is an example of his live performance in front 126 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: of a crowd in Japan. Yeah, that it's definitely some 127 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: of the comments on his YouTube page or a little harsh. 128 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: I agree that it's not necessarily everybody's style of music, 129 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: but I do think that it's very, very cool what 130 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: he's done there. It's kind of a mix between electronica 131 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: and industrial, so I mean it's got it's got a 132 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: real crunchy kind of sound to it. There are other 133 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: approaches to this musical hacking that are similar to that. 134 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: There's a great term called circuit bending, which really seems 135 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: to be prevalent in the UK more than in the 136 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: United States. But it's the idea of using low voltage 137 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: musical electronics UH that you would find in things ranging 138 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: from basic video games to even electronics that you would 139 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: find like in a children's toy like speaking spell and 140 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: UH and then you bend. Circuit bending means you you 141 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: are actually short circuiting the device and you're producing new 142 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: sounds that the device was never meant to create. A 143 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: lot of people who do circuit bending will go to 144 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: um uh places that offer like rift stores where you'll 145 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: find a lot of old toys, and they'll go through 146 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: and find and you can get that stuff for cheap 147 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: at the thrift stores um or they'll go to yard 148 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: sales stuff like that, and a lot of cases they 149 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: will be uh, you know, not either either not functioning 150 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: quite right or you know, people will give it to 151 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: you for a couple of bucks and it's easy for 152 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: them to they'll they'll get several of them. In fact, 153 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: I've seen the speaking spell is one of the most 154 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: popular I think, or at least the ones I've seen 155 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: most frequently mentioned. And they will either you know, they'll 156 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 1: short circuits something or will short circuit a couple of 157 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: boards together. They rewire some stuff, so it actually involves 158 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 1: physically rewiring electronics. So there's often like a soldering iron 159 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,599 Speaker 1: is one of the basic tools in the toolkit for 160 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: someone who wants to do this. It was kind of 161 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: a trend that was uh at least the whole circuit 162 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: binder trend is is attributed to a fellow named Paul 163 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: Norris who who found he actually used us speaking and spelling. 164 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: Apparently according to the information I read from circuit benders 165 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: dot co dot uk, uh, it was it was quote 166 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: a chance accident with an old speaking spell machine and 167 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,719 Speaker 1: a soldering iron. Hey you've got a soldering iron on 168 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 1: my speaking spell? Hey you got speaking spell on my solder? 169 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: Say and uh, but yeah, there's there's this interesting music 170 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 1: that can be created from these electronics. And and in fact, 171 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: the Circuit Benders website has a few different tracks that 172 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:37,199 Speaker 1: you can listen to. Um. So, again, these two different approaches. 173 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: It's trying to achieve that similar outcome using these electronics 174 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: that were uh they had sound incorporated in them from 175 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: the beginning. But in order to make music, you are 176 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 1: you're actually making it do something it wasn't intended to do. 177 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: And in fact, They Might Be Giants did a re 178 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: recording of their incredible cover uh Istanbul, which is in 179 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: to cover Uh. They Might Be Giants made that famous 180 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: back in their Flood album. That was a fantastic cover, 181 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: one of the most popular songs when they play live. 182 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: I've seen Thing Might Be Giants play live many many times. 183 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 1: I'm a huge fan. Well, they did a h they 184 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: covered it again. They did a new version of it 185 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: where it was more of an electronica version yea, and 186 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: they use a speaking spell in that in that version. 187 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: If you listen to it, you can hear the different noises, 188 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: um and uh, it's really creative, a fantastic version, and 189 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: I'm sure I'll linked to that. I've already linked to 190 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: the video once on the tech stuff Facebook page, but 191 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: I won't hesitate to do it again because I love 192 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: the band that much. Well, they're they're kind of funny 193 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: too in a way because if you know anything about 194 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,599 Speaker 1: the band, they started out, as you know, just the 195 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: two of them, John and John, John and John, and 196 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: then they added some dance. Yes, they did a band 197 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: of dance, and then eventually one of the dance left 198 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: and Marty came on. But yeah, when they when they 199 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: first started, they were they used a lot of electron 200 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: instruments and loops and things, um, and then they, if 201 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: you will, sort of went unplugged. They started using more 202 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: guitars and and live drums rather than or acoustic drums 203 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: rather than digital electronic drums, right, you know stuff. And 204 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: that was sort of a shock for those of us 205 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: were you know, fans before they used to it when 206 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: it was just the two guys up on stage and 207 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: then suddenly there were three other guys up there. But 208 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: if you if you follow them, you've known uh for 209 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: the last few years they've started experimenting with little gadgets 210 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: and gizmos and stuff and throwing things in. It's a 211 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: lot of fun too. They did a cover of Chumbawemba's 212 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: tub Thumping they for the A V Club and that 213 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: that is phenomenal, what a wonderful, wonderful video. But they 214 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: used they used devices like that as well. You know, 215 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: they create some electronic music live in a in a 216 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: big group of people who were all shouting the lyrics 217 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: along and uh a joyous video. Absolutely love it. Um 218 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: we're where we uh moving on? UM actually sort of 219 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: a hybrid instrument sort of came to me UM when 220 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: I was looking at the guitar before, even when when 221 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 1: Jonathan showed me that, he actually showed me before we 222 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: had this idea for the podcast, just like, look at 223 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: this thing, and I was and I was sort of 224 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: fooling around with it, and I ran into UM. An 225 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: instrument created by a very well reasonably famous hacker, Jerry Ellsworth. UM. 226 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: She's very hacked uh popular in the hacking community, and 227 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: she's also part of Valve Software, which gaming community knows 228 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: very well. Um Uh Catrix has done stuff with other machines, 229 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: not just the Atari he's used UH, an Amiga and 230 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 1: game Boy, but he's also used the Commodore sixty four 231 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: and UH as an interesting tie in. UM Jerry Ellsworth 232 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: used a Commodore sixty four to make a a bass guitar, 233 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: but unline what Citrix did. She actually used the neck 234 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: and strings from the bass and uses the Commodore sixty 235 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: four to um interpret. The strings basically used as the 236 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: pickup for the bass. As most of you know, Chris 237 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: and I do our research separately, so this is all 238 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: new to me and my mind has just been blown. Yeah. Now, 239 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: now if you if you don't know anything about how 240 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: an electric guitar works and a bassis a you know, 241 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: electric bass is a bass guitar. Um. They they use 242 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: the strings of a guitar. But you know, if you've 243 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: ever been around one that's not plugged in, the sounds 244 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: it makes are pretty quiet. Um. You know, the the 245 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: mechanics of the strings are pretty much the same as 246 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: you'd see in an acoustic guitar. But what an electric 247 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: guitar uses along the body are those those little uh 248 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: sometimes they're silver, sometimes they're darker. You'll see those little 249 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: things that run exactly or not always exactly, but perpendicular 250 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: to the way the strings. Um. So they they are 251 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: on the body of the guitar. Sometimes they'll be one, 252 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: sometimes they'll be two or three. Um. Sometimes I've seen 253 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: I have friends who are musicians who hacked their own 254 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: guitars and will change out. These are called pickups, and 255 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: what these do is they basically interpret the sounds of 256 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: They turned the acoustic vibrations into electron electric symbols, signals, signals, 257 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: differently different symbols. Um, a little percussive memory there, right, So, yeah, 258 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: they turned them into electric signals which travel along the 259 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: cable and into really now, they could be plugged directly 260 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,239 Speaker 1: into a computer, but traditionally they're plugged into an amplifier 261 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: and that's how you can manipulate the signals. Well. Jerry 262 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: Ellsworth has employed the use of a Commodore sixty four, 263 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: has done some hacking on the device itself to allow 264 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: her to to use the Commodo or sixty four as 265 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: a effectively as the pickup for this electric bass and um, 266 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: she that means she can use this to play you know. Basically, 267 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: any bass guitarist could pick this device up and play 268 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: a song on it. You know, in the traditional fashion 269 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: and have it turned out as uh an eight bit sound. 270 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: She can use um uh the device to play eight 271 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: bit sounds or or something a little bit closer to 272 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: the traditional electric bass sound. UM. Some of the keys 273 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: function um as a key tar. Um. You know which 274 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: is that uh, depending on how you look at it, 275 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: really cool or really cheesy, really cool, That's how I 276 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: see it. Uh. Where where was the body of the 277 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: device was a keyboard, but there is a neck where 278 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: you can manipulate the sounds. And this is what we're 279 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: talking about. There is a professionally engineered, manufactured device where 280 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: it is supposed to do all those things. Um. She 281 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: sort of made her own uh bass guitar um hacked 282 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: keytar device and it's just very very cool. There are 283 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: videos online you actually, uh it's probably too much to 284 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: do a clip of, but I would certainly encourage you 285 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: to check out the videos of her playing this instrument, because, UM, 286 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: there's really a lot that that she did to make 287 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: this work. Of course, then again, she's known for building 288 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: race car chassis when she was in her teens and twenties, 289 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: so you figure she's probably pretty good at this. So 290 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: I kind of hate her actually, it's more envy than hate. Yes, 291 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: I envy her her ingenuity and skill astely. Hey there, 292 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: it's Jonathan from two thousand nineteen here to tell you. 293 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: We're gonna get into some more discussion about music in 294 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: just a second, but first let's take a quick break. 295 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 1: There's actually a contest that or a competition that I 296 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: did not even know about until we started recording this. 297 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: And my ignorance is something I'm kicking myself over because 298 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: ignorance not so much bliss. In two thousand nine, uh, 299 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: there was the first government musical instrument competition. All right, 300 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: So this was a competition for designers to create musical 301 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: instruments using technology and interesting ways, and they would, uh, 302 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: they would submit them to this competition, and the winner 303 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: of the competition would win a certain amount of money. 304 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,719 Speaker 1: That first year, it was a ten thousand dollar uh, 305 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars for all of the different prizes. In 306 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: first place would take five thousand of that, so ten 307 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 1: thousand dollars. So two thousand nine was when they first 308 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: had it. And you know where it's located down the street, 309 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 1: down the freaking street over and Georgia Tech. So Georgia Tech, Atlanta, 310 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: we're in Atlanta. We we are in Buckhead in Atlanta, 311 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: which is so when we say down the street, it's 312 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: actually a little further than just down the Street's not 313 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: like a block or two away, but it's easily Yeah, 314 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 1: it's like it's like two train stops and we are 315 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: next to a train station. So anyway, it's really really 316 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: accessible from where we are, and we have never been. 317 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: We didn't even know it existed until today. And uh, 318 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: the fact that this exists is now something that tells 319 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: me I have to attend next year if I can, uh, 320 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: if I if I've got that that day free. So 321 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to talk a little bit about some of 322 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: the devices that were submitted that first year. Yeah, absolutely, 323 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: And the nice thing is is that we can actually 324 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: play a little bit of the music that these devices generated. 325 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: Will have some clips as well. So the first one, 326 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: the one that actually won the prize in two thousand nine, 327 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: was the Silent Drum, which was from a an inventor 328 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: named Jamie Oliver, but not the Naked Chef, not that 329 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: Jamie Oliver. Jamie Oliver. I have to say though that 330 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: the name of the instrument sort of reminds me of 331 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: a title of a mystery science theater or three thousand video. 332 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, silent drum. Silent It makes me think of 333 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: what all people who live with a drummer wishes the 334 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: drummer would own as a drummer. Yes, okay, so silent 335 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: drum is. Well. They in the on the side they 336 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: actually talk about it being a kind of like using 337 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: shadow puppetry to create music. This really cool thing. All right, 338 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: So you've got this this device where you've got uh 339 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: uh light that is projected from the bottom of the 340 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: device up to the top of the top has a 341 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: membrane across it that acts as that what would be 342 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 1: the drumhead, but you're not striking it like a drum. Instead, 343 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: you're pressing down on the membrane. You're creating a shadow. 344 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,679 Speaker 1: There's also a camera that detects where that shadow is. 345 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 1: The cameraston signals to this processor that has specialized software 346 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: on it built by Oliver that interprets the shadow as 347 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: a command to create a certain kind of sound. So 348 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: depending on where in the membrane you touch, that's going 349 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: to determine the sound that comes out, and how deep 350 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: you go changes the quality of the sound, whether or 351 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: not it's going to be allowed one versus a quiet one, 352 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: and you can create this weird, weird soundscape this way, 353 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: and we can actually play a little bit of that. 354 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: So here is a short clip of Oliver demonstrating the 355 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: silent drum, and if you get a chance to look 356 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 1: at the YouTube video, I highly recommend it because he 357 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: adds a lot of theatricality to his performance. So here 358 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: we go. Now, that was what took home first prize 359 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: that year, and there were many other uh uh submissions 360 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,959 Speaker 1: that you can look at, and I picked out a 361 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: couple of others to talk about some that we can 362 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 1: listen to, not all of them. We don't have video 363 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: or audio clips of all of them, but I can 364 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: play some of the stuff. One of them is called 365 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: the Guitar Bot, which took second place that year. I 366 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: was developed by Eric Singer and uh it forms guitar 367 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: parts for the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots. It's 368 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: a robotic guitarist and uh he actually used four separate 369 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: robots that each had a single string. Alright, so imagine 370 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: think about like the four guitar necks side by side, 371 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: but there's no there's only one string on each one. 372 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: And then instead of there being frets all the way 373 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: down the neck of the guitar, there's only one fret, 374 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: but the fret can move up and down the length 375 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,199 Speaker 1: of the string, so it changes the pitch of the 376 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: note that that string produces because the fret self relocates 377 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: to make the string the right length to create the 378 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: pitch you want. And then at the base of each string, 379 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: there's a little circular drum that has on it four 380 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,120 Speaker 1: picks mounted to the drum, so when the drum turns, 381 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: the pick picks the the string, and you can turn 382 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: the wheel a very specific number of times to to 383 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: do the the equivalent of finger picking really or you 384 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: could turn it really quickly so that it's just playing 385 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: faster than any human being with the possible exception of 386 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: certain members of Van Halen, could ever accomplish. And so uh, 387 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: it's it's really interesting to watch this work as well, 388 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: because you actually see the frets going up and down 389 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: those strings to generate the tunes that that you hear 390 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: from it. And here is a short sample of the 391 00:23:52,040 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: guitar bot that actually sort of reminds me if you've 392 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: looked at it. Um Uh. The video company named Anna Music. 393 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,120 Speaker 1: Have you ever seen those UM They used to be 394 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: advertised on on TV a lot. Basically, they do UM 395 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: three D videos of music and it's it's all MIDI type, 396 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: you know, it's all C G I. But the UM 397 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: the music is when you look at the video, it's 398 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: created by these fantastic instruments, things that are are essentially 399 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: robotic in character, and uh, you know they're playing these 400 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 1: all sorts of otherworldly you know, they're playing themselves basically, 401 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: and watching that just reminded me of one of the instruments. Uh. 402 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: And there are actually probably several of the instruments, so 403 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: which is kind of cool. Yeah. There there are so 404 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: many that were submitted that year that I thought were 405 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: really interesting to the submitted to the competition. Another one 406 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 1: was well. Third place went to David Wessel, who was 407 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: a Berkeley University professor, so a guy who knows what 408 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: he's doing. And he had an instrument that he introduced 409 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:29,199 Speaker 1: called the slabs. So you know a lot of laptops 410 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: have those have touch pads. He did what he did 411 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: was he took a bunch of those touchpads more than 412 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: thirties I recall, and made an array of touch pads 413 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: and each touch pad was capable of producing certain tones 414 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,639 Speaker 1: based upon where your finger was on that on that 415 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: touch pad and how much pressure you were putting on 416 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: the touch pad, and all of the information was fed 417 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: through a device that was running the max slash MSP 418 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:04,959 Speaker 1: audio program, and he would be able to create music 419 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 1: by moving his fingers along these different touchpads and could 420 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: create a pretty sophisticated range of sounds. I mean, they 421 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: were essentially ninety six channels for this device, so lots 422 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: of lots of options. And uh and here's a little 423 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: sample of the professor playing along on slabs. M m 424 00:26:43,840 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: m m m m m hm. Now that's pretty cool. 425 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: Chris is gonna keep the beat, keep it strong in 426 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: just a moment. But first let's take another quick break. 427 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 1: If you want something that sounds a little more primitive, 428 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: here's another. This this will be our final little sound clip. 429 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: But here's one that I wanted to talk about. A 430 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: guy named Neil Feathers created an instrument called vibra wheels. Yeah, 431 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: so he he creates the sound by rotating these discs 432 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: that have within it some vibrating pellets. So the vibrating 433 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: pellets are making this certain noise, and then by rotating it, 434 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: you're creating this kind of Doppler effect, and by rotating 435 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: a different speeds you can actually alter the pitch. Uh. 436 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 1: And then there are batteries that are supplying the power 437 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: and to create the music, you run it at different speeds. 438 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: Uh and it Uh they're going past guitar pickups, like 439 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,919 Speaker 1: you were saying, that's what that's what's ended up interpreting 440 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: these vibrations and turning it into electric signals, which then 441 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: can go to an amplifier, which then can send an 442 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 1: amplified signal to speakers and then they get to hear them. 443 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: And I can talk all about the physical abilities of sound, 444 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: but we've done that in previous podcasts. We're not gonna 445 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: cover it. But anyway, so moving this around and around, 446 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: you can make them go in and out of phase. 447 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: These different rotating disks that have these vibrating pellets and 448 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: batteries on them. Um, that's what creates the sound. And 449 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: UH they say that the the the inspiration for this 450 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: instrument came from a motorcycle engine. And I think you're 451 00:28:43,640 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: gonna understand what they meant. When you hear and on 452 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 1: lead motorcycle, it's could you imagine, Um, yeah. So. Actually, 453 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: so I was a finalist for that first competition over 454 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: at Georgia Tech, which has gone on every year since 455 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: including there was one in as well, So hopefully in 456 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: because we're recording this in twelve, hopefully I'll be able 457 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: to attend that one and see these things in person, 458 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: because I'm finding it really fascinating. There was another one 459 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: that I don't have a sound clip for, but the 460 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: idea was just so wild to me. Uh Katherine stone Rich. 461 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 1: She created this device that used lasers, so you know 462 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: I was gonna love it anyway, right, But they used 463 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: lasers that would detect the texture of various fabrics, So 464 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: we're talking about the thread count or the thickness of 465 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: that fabric or even wherever the seams are in that fabric, 466 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: and through the various changes in that detect it would 467 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: send signals that would create music. So you would actually 468 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 1: feed fabric through this machine and the output would be music. 469 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: You could compose a symphony, essentially an electronic symphony, by 470 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:39,719 Speaker 1: weaving fabric and changing the pattern of the weave. That's unbelievable. Okay, 471 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: So I think we're gonna end this podcast right here. 472 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: One good pun just destroys the whole thing. Yeah, it 473 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: just comes apart at the seams. I'm hurting and I 474 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: need to seek medical attention. So oh man, all right, 475 00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna sew this up right now and we're going 476 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: to finish this by podcast. I think Jonathan's going to 477 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: spindle me. There's that didn't even make sense. I'm gonna, 478 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: you know, like the kind that goes on a never 479 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: mind you know what after this, I'm gonna tell you 480 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: a yarn that has been in the back of my 481 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: mind for ages. Sorry I didn't that's a totally different thread. 482 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: Sorry guys. Um, I don't mean to needle Chris in 483 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: this way. See two can play at that game, Mr Palette. Okay, 484 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: so we're wrapping this out honestly, Um, the realm of 485 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: music and hacking is a rich one. There. There are 486 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: incredible examples of ingenuity and musicality out there, some of 487 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: which are higher on the ingenuity part and less on 488 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: the musicality, but there's some. There's some incredible examples of 489 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: people really putting their minds to new ways to create music, 490 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: and it's it blows my mind. Uh, as someone who 491 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: appreciates music but is still very much a novice As 492 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: far as making music, I find it amazing. Well, it's 493 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: one thing to uh to have something like pro tools 494 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: to record uh analog instruments or something like Sabelius to 495 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: write scores on your on your computer, but UM, it's 496 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: kind of interesting to see how people are taking other 497 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: things and making music out of it. I'm you know, 498 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: I'm thinking along the lines of people like uh Ben 499 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: burt Over at introduct industrial light and magic making sound 500 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: effects out of found objects and things like that. It's 501 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: just UH need to see people making things make music 502 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 1: you wouldn't ordinarily see. And there you haven't folks, another 503 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: classic episode of tech Stuff. Hope you enjoyed that episode. 504 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: If you have any suggestions for future topics or you 505 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: want to hear more about the intersection between music and technology, 506 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: send me a message. You can reach out on email 507 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: the addresses text stuff at how stuff works dot com, 508 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: or pop onto our social media sites and let us know. There. 509 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: You can actually find links to those at our website 510 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: tech stuff Podcast dot com. You can let me know 511 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: if there's any particular topics you would like me to 512 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: look into. I look forward to hearing from you. Also 513 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: on that website, you will find a link to our 514 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: online store, where every purchase you make goes to help 515 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: the show, and we greatly appreciate it, and I will 516 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:31,760 Speaker 1: talk to you again really soon. Ye hext Stuff is 517 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio's How Stuff Works. For 518 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart 519 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 520 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: favorite shows.