The Drone Ensemble - creating a chorus of scaffolding tubular instruments

Tonight the Drone Ensemble continued with our work towards creating a chorus of scaffolding tubular instruments (these are yet to be christened). Joe had managed to source some more pipes, and so we now have the possibility of creating instruments spanning an even bigger spectrum of notes. The notes produced are determined by the length of the scaffolding. 

The image below was used to help understand semitones

                                                                                          

The scaffolding tube acts as a chamber for the vibrations; the vibration and resonance build within and travel down the tube until they escape at the base and project an almost organ-like unwavering note. 

The tuning of these instruments is established pre-construction through the length of the tube, which can be cut down gradually and ‘played’ through striking the tube at a point of appropriate resonance, assessing the current note and adapting the tube gradually until the desired note is formed.

The turn-wheel can be controlled at different speeds, by the player, and creates a friction against the felt pad which in turn translates that vibration into the metal scaffold tube itself.

When played in unison, three of these individually tuned instruments can emit a chord pattern with a certain sonic strength and resilience.

Next week we are going to have a session of playing our newly made scaffolding tube instruments.

Today's new skill: how to plane wood

Its been another busy day in the wood workshop as today we have been building the final of our three moveable sculptures. This one is based on the existing book trolley that can be wheeled around the library.

We have followed the dimensions of the book trolley for our sculpture, but have altered the shape to be triangular at the sides, on a rectangular base. Making this shape required us to learn another new technique/skill, namely planing. After an introductory demonstration by Joe, we took it in turns to plane the edges of the two sheets of wood that would form the apex of the sculpture. 

It was hugely satisfying when the two edges fitted together neatly!

Tomorrow we will build a support structure/framework, and attach the wheels.

Moveable sculptures in development

After days spent in front of a computer working out the dimensions for the moveable sculptures to be installed in our forthcoming exhibition at the Lit and Phil, it is a relief to be hands-on in the wood workshop using physical materials as opposed to digital mock-ups.

Today we made good progress and completed the first moveable structure. We still need to finish the surface, but the shape is made, and it moves!

Moulds for new casts

Over the last couple of weeks I have been busy working in the wood workshop and the casting workshop making a couple of moulds for new sculptures.

Moving on from my previous casts, I wanted to explore new shapes and on a larger scale. Continuing with my interest in play, games and building, I am using tetris shapes.


This mould is for a plaster sculpture that will be grey on the outside with coloured layers inside. 



I begun by going round the perimeter of the mould and creating walls of grey plaster. Each face needed to be made separately, and so the plaster was mixed in batches. I had mixed the correct amount of pigment to be able to cover all the surfaces  in order to maintain a consistent colour. 

I have built inside the mould with clay so that when I pour the plaster inside the mould, there is a space where the plaster cannot fill (where the clay is). Once the plaster is dry and I remove the clay, the negative space will be revealed and the layers of colour will be visible.