I recorded this gorgeous, classic hymn on three different Electric Eels! Lowest two parts are played on Bowed Eel. Violin 2 is played on Blue Guitar Eel. Violin 1 is played on Red Saxophone Eel.
I'm looking for more players who want to play classical music on DIY/DSP Instruments!
Electric Eels return the nuance of movement to electronic instruments. I free synthesizers from the desktop/laptop paradigm. I make them more like acoustic instruments. They use no batteries, only the energy generated by player movement backdriving stepper motors. So you can take them anywhere and play all night. You don't have to recharge them or wait for their software to upgrade. They do not connect to a cell phone I developed them while at the MIT Media Lab in the Computing Culture research group.
First part was recorded into a phone and iPad. Subsequent parts
recorded into phone while listening on iPad through headphones. Four
parts were synced up with an inexpensive, buggy video editor. Recording
took place over a six hour period on Saturday, July 13th. Cathartic
language has been deleted.
I invented these instruments, the "Electric Eels," while at MIT's Media Lab. My inspiration was that I loved the sounds of electronic timbres, but hated standing still at a laptop or MIDI sequencer. So I made instruments that require you to move to make electronic sound, just like acoustic ones... but I didn't "fake" it with sensors. The Electric Eels have small electrical generators in them that require you to move to generate that electricity to run the synthesizer and CPU in short bursts.
I really enjoy the sounds of harmony and I'm looking for more players to make these recordings with on Electric Eels or other DIY/DSP instruments.
