Every couple of months or so, I get a note from sound designer Diego Stocco letting me know about his latest video. And it’s always a treat, because his sound experiments are consistently so creative.

His latest video is no exception. I’ll let Stocco explain:

Almost everyday, on my way to a local bakery, I walk in front of a dry cleaners. When they have the front door open, I hear a lot of interesting sounds coming from their work equipment.

Eventually, the different mechanical and steam sounds sparked something in my mind, so one day I asked the owners if I could record a piece of music by using their machines as musical instruments.

I used a puff iron, press and dry cleaning machines, a washer, clothes hangers, and a bucket full of soap. The bass and lead sounds were created from the buzzing tones coming from the conduits and engines.

There are no additional sounds from any traditional or electronic instruments. Enjoy!

Stocco’s videos are a reminder to stop and listen. Are you walking by something every day that could be a cool sound to work with?

Spending more time being playful, experimenting and doing some things that look crazy might lead to more creative results than you’d get from working with a new piece of gear.

“I know it’s funny,” notes Stocco in the video, “but that’s the whole idea – that you can really make music with everything.”