The Spring SoundBoxes are small, portable and battery-powered electro-acoustic instruments. They can create a variety of drone and reverb-type sounds through feedback between a small speaker and a resonant piezo-electric microphone, as seen in this video. Or they can bring out the hidden sounds within found objects as seen in this video.

These SoundBoxes are unique, handmade works of sonic art, made from German cigar boxes dating from the 1930′s to the 1960′s, and feature transparent and backlit 77mm black speakers, a resonant-spring contact mic, a line-out for recording and “circuit-bending” body contacts. They can also simply be used as cigar-box amplifiers for whatever other electronic instruments you might have.

Each of these SoundBoxes can be purchased for EUR 95 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 80 (non-EU) plus postage costs. Please include the number in the edition which interests you.

This is the second ten of an edition of thirty this season. The first ten, featuring a larger, black speaker, may be seen here.

Contact “macumbista” AT_THE_DOMAIN “gmail.com”. And thanks for your kind attention.

All boxes pictured have been SOLD. Please contact me for custom-order possibilities, I often find new cigar boxes which can be used for these instruments.

SOUNDBOXES WORKSHOP with DEREK HOLZER @ NK PROJEKT (BERLIN)

Saturday May 11 2013, 14:00-18:00
Sunday May 12 2013, 14:00-18:00

Discover the hidden sonic qualities of objects from our everyday world in this one day workshop, combining the arts of electronics, noise, sculpture and collage. The basic elements of this workshop are a wooden box, a speaker, a small audio amplifier, and a contact microphone. To this, brave box-builders will add their own found objects, graphics, images, memories and ideas to create a unique electroacoustic cabinet of curiosities.

No previous electronics experience is necessary for this workshop. Each participant is required to bring several items to the workshop, please see below.

WHAT TO BRING:

I will provide most of the tools and materials necessary for constructing the box, however there are a few things you should bring yourself:

1) A BOX: This should be made of thin wood or very strong cardboard. Plastic can be also used, but it doesn’t sound very good. And please, no metal! It is too difficult to cut and drill with the tools we will have. This box should be a minimum of 10x10x4cm, or bigger if you want to use a larger speaker or have more room to decorate and add objects. Cigar boxes, small suitcases, instrument cases or jewelry/silverware boxes are all good things to look for. At least one side of the box should be no more than 5mm thick, to allow the hardware to be mounted.

2) A SPEAKER (OPTIONAL): I will have a selection of speakers for participants to use. However, if you have something special please bring it along, but please make sure it fits in the box you have chosen!

3) FOUND OBJECTS: Please bring as many found objects as you can to decorate your soundbox or use as a sound source via the contact microphone. Bones, shells, small sticks, bells, strings, wires, springs (especially!) or anything else made out of solid yet resonant material make great sound sources. Photographs, cloth, leather, paper or any other kind of material can be useful for covering the box and making collages. Paint, markers and pens may also be useful.

FURTHER INFO:

You can see videos and photos from previous SoundBoxes workshops here:

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=1897

You can see all posts related to SoundBoxes, including ones I have made for sale recently, here:

http://macumbista.net/?tag=soundboxes

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Derek Holzer (1972) is an American sound artist based in Berlin, whose current interests include DIY analog electronics, sound art, field recording and the meeting points of electroacoustic, noise, improv and extreme music. He has played live experimental sound, as well as taught workshops in noise art technology, across Europe, North America, Brazil and New Zealand.

http://macumbista.net/

BASIC INFO:

Fee: EUR 30 (participation) + EUR 10 (materials)

Registration is required and can be done by sending an email to info@nkprojekt.de with the subject line “SoundBoxes”. This is a one day workshop, please indicate which day (SAT or SUN) you would like to attend when making your reservation.

Number of Participants: Minimum 6/Maximum 12

LOCATION:

NK Projekt
Elsenstr. 52 2HH 2Etage
12059 Berlin
+49(0)17620626386

The Spring SoundBoxes are small, portable and battery-powered electro-acoustic instruments. They can create a variety of drone and reverb-type sounds through feedback between a small speaker and a resonant piezo-electric microphone, as seen in this video. Or they can bring out the hidden sounds within found objects as seen in this video.

These SoundBoxes are unique, handmade works of sonic art, made from German cigar boxes dating from the 1930’s to the 1960’s, and feature 92mm black speakers, a resonant-spring contact mic, a line-out for recording and “circuit-bending” body contacts. They can also simply be used as cigar-box amplifiers for whatever other electronic instruments you might have.

Each of these SoundBoxes can be purchased for EUR 83 (EU) / EUR 69.75 (non-EU) plus postage costs. Please include the number in the edition which interests you.

This is the first ten of an edition of thirty this season. The second ten SoundBoxes in this edition feature a smaller, backlit 77mm transparent speaker with artwork inside the boxes, and can be seen here.

Contact “macumbista” AT_THE_DOMAIN “gmail.com”. Thank you for your kind attention.

All boxes pictured have been SOLD. Please contact me for custom-order possibilities, I often find new cigar boxes which can be used for these instruments.

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a pair of band-pass filters and a circuit Hordijk calls a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. This hand-made Benjolin has been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers, or to setup further feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, as well as LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler. It includes a European power supply (other power supplies available on request). This Benjolin is for sale for EUR 400 (EU)/ EUR 336,13 (non-EU), plus shipping, and is produced under license from Rob Hordijk. Contact “macumbista” AT THE DOMAIN “gmail.com”.

This Benjolin is SOLD! Will be working on a few more in the coming weeks. Get in touch if interested.