Rockefeller New Media Foundation Proposal

Abstract

A Small Migration consists of many piano wires strung roughly 8 or 9 feet above the ground across an open gallery or public space. The wires are attached directly to the gallery walls with tuning blocks, so that the walls of the gallery then act as a "sounding board" for the piece. Each motor is sent a series of short electrical pulses by the microcontroller, causing it to strike the wire, which creates a disturbance that generates sound and also visibly shaking the wire. The rhythmic patterns used are those found in nature, and are constantly accelerating and decelerating.