I think if I saw this video about 5 years ago it would have totally blew my mind to see skateboards used to make music. It would have been the thought of my two favourite things at the time colliding as one massive unstoppable force much like the massive robot thing from power rangers.
Anyway....
"Musique Concrete" is a project from Simon Morris, an American new media artist from New York (previous works include a fire place that composes music with light sensors and a rocking chair that can reach different notes in a scale from... rocking the chair) .
His goal for this project was too "examine technology and its role as a socially engaged art practice". Basically he wanted to turn the art of skateboarding into the art of composition!
http://www.therealsimon.com/images/spread.jpg (photo of under the board and what was used)
Underneath the skateboard is attached, a midi controlled interface which using wireless, transmits data to a laptop.Physical actions are detected using three sensors connected to the interface. The actions of the skateboard i.e. turns, acceleration and vibration are processed using flex sensors, a photoresistor and piezo sensor. Midi data is then transferred to the used software programme to allow the skateboard to control and modify real time sound.
http://www.therealsimon.com/videos/day2.mp4> (video of rolling of the wheels)
http://www.therealsimon.com/videos/3rdrail/1b.mp4 (Video demo of turning with the board)
Are the possibilities really endless of what can be used as a midi controller, I'm really starting to think so!
