Noah Vahter, a chief instigator in the electronic exertion instrument movement, sent us an update on his activities this year.
Vahter’s “electronic exertion instruments” are electronic instruments with built-in generators. Instead of using wall power or batteries, they are powered by players’ movements.
Or as Vahter explains, “The volume and duration of every note played is bound to player energy. In order to play loud, one may have to sacrifice instrument or self.”
We featured example of his instruments in action on this post from last year.
“Since then,” notes Vahter, “I have been working hard, improving the instruments acoustically, electronically, and in the synthesizer algorithm department.”
Vahter has been teaching workshops on building electronic exertion instruments and is documenting the evolution of his designs at his Electronic Exertion Music Instrument Design page.
Vahter adds “I want an OP-1 for Christmas!” Don’t we all. And how about a DIY Electronic Eel kit in 2011?
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Just wanted to say that I'm the lucky and proud owner of my own exertion instrument and it's a brilliant idea in conception and execution. It's such an interesting bridge between an electric and acoustic instrument, and quite a trip to realize that you're powering all the electronics with your own actions. Taken to an extreme (say by adding in timbral changes based on how the user exerts themself) I can certainly imagine a wide range of expressive electronic instruments coming out of this.
Go Noah go!
Noah Vahter lend me the Electric Eel two months ago, and I keep delaying giving back the instrument (kind of a hybrid between accordion, trumpet and something else, yes, Eel!).
I am a visual artist, and started playing bass guitar recently. Eel is a great addition to any rock group, very easy to transport, adding this fantastic electronic noise to the music space, completely unexpected, like a punk.
We use 2 eels in our band, burnkit. We built them at one of Noah’s workshops, and they’re a lot of fun. Everyone who sees them thinks they’re amazing. And when i explain that they are human powered, it blows people’s minds! What Noah has done here- is to merge the simplicity and portability of acoustic instruments with the aesthetics of electronic music. It’s the best of both worlds. I can’t wait to bring one of these to a hippie drum circle or a coffee house open mic. 🙂
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've been using sounds from Noah's inventions in my tracks since 2006.. his circuitry have a great sound and allows lots of sounds with low bit depth. The Exertion instrument is pretty amazing– it has no on/off switch, you just begin to crank it and it comes alive. This is a synth/reed/accordian-sounding instrument which allows you to make tonal music literally in any environment. Perfect for burners, street performers, electronic artists, and designer instrument users. A+ // encanti.com
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've played a bunch of Vawter's exertion instruments – they're amazingly fun and quite versatile. If you ask him a question or two, you'll soon find that the software is quite elegantly designed – very low power, badass (sometimes hand-coded) waveforms, and supercool sounds. If you have a chance to acquire one, get a big one.
PS YOU SPELLED HIS NAME WRONG
I've done a couple of Noah's exertion instrument workshops and built my own, they can really make a good sound and look cool as well as being fun to play. Also everyone who sees you playing one wants to know about it and has their mind totally blown by a human powered digital instrument. Highly recommended.