I am currently experimenting with instrument design and ways of producing drones with acoustic construction and resonance. The final instrument I will begin to construct in January/February will be constructed to score an experimental film. The instrument is an attempt to explore abstraction as an image, simplifying the structure of a Hurdy Gurdy instrument, and then recording audio that will distort, modulate, shift pitch, and arrange the audio of the device in a complex colorful way. The current design includes a main chamber, similar to a fretted or bowed instrument for acoustic resonance, as well as a zither harp style string arrangement and bridge, which will be able to be tuned to different chords (I’m currently aiming to be able to fit around 7 strings on the top section). Right now I am experimenting with the most important component of the final design, the wheel. Which is meant to be cranked on a spoke, allowing for rosined edges to glide on a string surrounded by a layer of cotton, creating a continuous buzzing drone tuned to the note of the string itself.

While I am pulling inspiration from traditional instrument design, such as the hardy curdy illustrated below (VIELLE A ROUE), I want to approach the creation of my own iteration through the lens of reduction and an almost childlike approach.

Before beginning the construction of the sculptural instrument that I will use for the film I am building a series of small models out of 6mm birch plywood to develop my personal relationship and understanding of the interaction of the wheel with steel strings, and how to project a sound that resonate with me sonically and aesthetically. I began the process of this first prototype by designing a cavity in adobe illustrator that I was able to cut with a laser cutter on 6mm birch plywood, as well as circle cut with the machine to make a prototype wheel.

Once the pieces were cut I found the center of two of the 70mm circles, drilled a 5/16 inch hole in it, and put a 6mm dowel rod through. The back and front pieces were also drilled through, allowing me to position the wheel and rod through the center. I think glued the structure together using wood glue in a very primitive manner, and waited for the adhesive to set.

However, in this first attempt I estimated the necessary height needed for the wheel to be able to spin freely within the cavity, and I underestimated by about a millimeter. Improvising a solution, I drilled a secondary hole on the ‘back’ side of the structure, allowing me to position the rod inside at approximately a 25 degree angle, allowing me to reposition the wheel at different heights, to figure out the ideal situation for it to make contact with the strings. Below is a video of the rod through the structure without the wheel positioned.

The next steps will involve positioning strings above the wheel and experimenting with different techniques to produce drones using this early prototype. The instrument is also pulling inspiration from the design and approach led by Mark Korven’s apprehension engine instrument (shown below). He incorporates percussive qualities to the cavity design he used, and I am curious in incorporating various metal stripes, rods, and boards to produce different percussion instruments in my final design.

I am changing the course of this portfolio project, and am completely combining it with the concept of abstraction in film. The overall project will include an 8mm film strip that is footage I will collect from a natural landscape then distorted and abstracted through scratching the surface of the leader, as well as an experimental score composed from the sculptural instrument I will begin constructing in February. Separate from this exploration in abstraction relating to film I am also beginning to work on an album currently titled ‘BRÜN’ which is my attempt and effort to create a minimal album that only features instrumental pieces that are in context minimal and stripped back, relying on varispeed experimentation and melody to form the resonance of all of the pieces. I want the final project to be very substantial in length, accumulating the majority of my personal recordings from throughout the term. I am currently inspired by the music of artist such as Sam Gendel, Pino Paladino and Blake Mills, John Coltrane, and the loft film scores of Vincent Gallo.