Build-A-Tune

Commissioned by, and now on exhibit at the Dupage Children's Museum, in Naperville, IL, this machine was developed from a simple, conceptual sketch. It offers a nearly infinite combination of rhythmic sequences, often resembling that of African music.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cam-operated
• thumb
• piano
• mechanical
• kalimba
• music
• machine
• kinetic
• art
• sculpture
• Bradley
• Litwin
• Dupage
• children

[Blacklemon67]

please don't say "almost infinite," how many possible positions does the first rotor click into?

[BLitwin]

Oh, pardon my hyperbole, then! Howzabout "seemingly infinite?" There are certainly many thousands of possibilities, given that there are 8 cam positions, 15 different pin configurations, 8 notes, and 12 possible angular orientations of each cam, not to mention the null cams!

[Blacklemon67]

yeah, but you still get a finite number, all of the symmetries of a rubrick's cube come out to be just a twenty five digit number. It's a lot but not infinite.

[BLitwin]

As the progeny of a mathematician, I certainly appreciate your point. However, as an artist and writer, I shall retain my prerogative to employ language, as I see fit. If there is a twenty-five digit number of configurations of this device, and it takes an average of 10 seconds to set and audition each, it would take billions of lifespans to demonstrate each one; an infinite span of time, in human terms.

[OnlyVideoGuyOnEarth]

The build a tune toys?

[BLitwin]

Oh. I designed and fabricated "Build-A-Tune" in my kinetic sculpture studio, here in Philadelphia, PA. It was commissioned by the Dupage Children's Museum, in Naperville, Illinois.

[purity4all]

Isn't this what's inside a wind up music box? (well sort of anyway?)

[Woodythehobo]

justin beiber uses this in all his songs

[spyroonline175]

This sounds pretty sweet! I like it, man. Keep up the good work!

[mspeir]

@BLitwin It is funny how scientists are willing to toss out the word "infinite" every time they don't know something exactly, but one artists uses it and dear God! The world is coming to an end!

[hiker64]

Very very cool!

[xxxphunky]

:facepalm:

[fronkenpoop]

This is a very interesting and innovative build. It makes me appreciate my midi sequencer. You must have plenty of time and patience.

[jamesdebois1]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

init?

[Blacklemon67]

I see your point.