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Music from a Bonsai

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Created: 03/16/10
Last Edited: 03/16/10
Views: 18425
Appreciations: 606
Comments: 75
Description
Diego Stocco created another experimental musical piece by using nature as a starting point, this time his instrument is a Bonsai tree.
"I always liked bonsai trees, and I was curious to try the approach I used for "Music from a Tree" on a smaller scale, so I bought a bonsai and recorded this little experimental piece".
To determine the key Diego used the lowest note he could play and recorded the rest around it. Besides playing the leaves, he used bows of different sizes, a piano hammer and a paint brush. As far as microphones he used Røde NT6, a customized stethoscope and tiny MEAS piezo transducers.
Diego played all the sounds and rhythms only with the bonsai, he didn't use any synthesizer or samplers to create or modify the sounds.
  • I always liked bonsai trees, and I was curious to try the approach I used for "Music from a Tree" on a smaller scale, so I bought a bonsai and recorded this little experimental piece.

    To determine the key I used the lowest note I could play and recorded the rest around it.
    Besides playing the leaves, I used bows of different sizes, a piano hammer and a paint brush.
    As far as microphones I used my Røde NT6, a customized stethoscope and tiny MEAS piezo transducers.


    I played all the sounds and rhythms only with the bonsai, I didn't use any synthesizer or samplers to create or modify the sounds.
    I hope you'll like it.

    Below you can see the video and some pictures with more detailed descriptions.
  • Video
  • Pictures
  • By placing the customized stethoscope in contact with the trunk I was able to record a deep sound that I used as the kick drum.
  • I used this leaf to create different notes.
  • Here I was practicing the two notes I was playing on the leaf, the tricky part is that the pitch was determined not just from the position of my finger but also by the pressure I was applying.
  • Coffee break :  )
  • This is the MEAS piezo transducer attached to one of the twigs.
  • One of the bows I used, I got this one along with a cello miniature, I modified it a little bit to actually make it work.
  • Here you can see my other work "Music from a Tree".
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