Myopia Piano Family Festival: Sound Sculptures

Description

Workshop presentation in the Black Box at the Contemporary Arts Center as part of the Myopia Piano Family Festival. The centerpiece was the Drywall Drums — an instrument built from standard drywall mounted on wooden frames with studs arranged in different geometric patterns on the back. Contact microphones attached to the drywall picked up the vibrations, and striking different spots on the surface produced distinct resonant percussive tones shaped by the stud patterns behind them. The amplified signal was run through a PA system, filling the space with sound. Justin West and Sam Ferris-Morris wrote and performed a short piece of music for the instrument, followed by a demonstration of the Drywall Drums and a discussion of the electronics and construction techniques involved.