The Chowndolo is an Interactive Sonic Sculpture based on a magnetic pendulum whose trajectories are altered by magnets placed underneath the device. This creates unstable patterns of oscillation which are translated into sound. The magnetic fields and their interactions are revealed through nuanced tones, acting as counterpoint to the pendulum’s motion. The sounds generated are entirely based on FM synthesis whose sound parameters are controlled by sensing the variations in the magnetic field. The magnets below the pendulum can be arranged to compose new shapes: different configurations will modify the pendulum oscillations and the generated sonorities. Music evolves based on the pendulum’s dance. The Chowndolo is based on the Bela platform, an open-source embedded computing platform developed for high quality, ultra-low latency interactive audio. While introducing the critical and aesthetically implication of the artwork, a brief overview of the Bela platform (and the research group behind this technology) will be provided.

Giacomo is specialised in not being specialised. His work often involves the development of interactive musical systems and instruments. His research is at the intersection of music composition / improvisation, instrument crafting and HCI. He considers the practice of sonic interaction design as an opportunity to play with sounds, illusions and magic. He studied at the Conservatory of Genoa N. Paganini (electroacoustic music composition and performance - BMsu) and at Sonology and STEIM (Instruments & Interfaces master program - MMus). He was visiting student at the University of Edinburgh (Composition and Music Technology programmes). He worked as sound designer and researcher at the international centre of research InfoMus - Casa Paganini - EECS - University of Genoa. Giacomo is currently undertaking a PhD at the Augmented Instruments Lab - Centre for Digital Music, under the Media & Arts Technology programme - Queen Mary University of London.

Chowndolo: design for re-mediation as an approach to music interactions

The Chowndolo is an Interactive Sonic Sculpture based on a magnetic pendulum whose trajectories are altered by magnets placed underneath the device. This creates unstable patterns of oscillation which are translated into sound. The magnetic fields and their interactions are revealed through nuanced tones, acting as counterpoint to the pendulum’s motion. The sounds generated are entirely based on FM synthesis whose sound parameters are controlled by sensing the variations in the magnetic field. The magnets below the pendulum can be arranged to compose new shapes: different configurations will modify the pendulum oscillations and the generated sonorities. Music evolves based on the pendulum’s dance. The Chowndolo is based on the Bela platform, an open-source embedded computing platform developed for high quality, ultra-low latency interactive audio. While introducing the critical and aesthetically implication of the artwork, a brief overview of the Bela platform (and the research group behind this technology) will be provided.