Sormina
A new musical instrument using computers and sensors by Juhani Räisänen
On allamme viherjä maa
Ja päällämme sininen taivas,
Ja läntinen lehtistä laaksoa soittaa
Lintujen laulaes.
Heilahda korkeelle, keinu,
Ja liehukoon impeni liina
Illalla lempeäl.
-- Aleksis Kivi, a finnish poet, Keinu

Overview

Sormina is a new musical instrument. It is created as part of my research project in Media Lab, University of Arts and Design Helsinki. Sormina uses sensors and wireless technology to play music. Its design is guided by traditional instrument building.

Instruments in music history

The aim of my project is to gain knowledge about instruments and their impact in the western classical music. My point is that the material quality of acoustical instruments has had a major effect in the development of music. The concept of tone quality is historically parallel to the availability of raw material suitable for instruments.

Now when it is possible to create instruments without connection to traditional acoustical materials, new questions arise. My aim is to answer these questions by designing and constructing a new instrument that is intended to be used in the context of classical music. The playing posture of the musician, the ability to create nuances and controllability were among the most important problems. Visual design and overall usability are of equal importance

The chance to have new instruments entails also opportunity for composers to make new music for them. My project involves also new compositions.

Technically the instrument consists of eight potentiometres with wooden knobs, for eight fingers. The sensory data of the potentiometres is transferred through bluetooth-technology to the computer. There it is transformed to common midi controller messages. The sound is created in a synthesizer software. Every potentiometer controls one parameter of the sound creating software. More details.

I use i-CubeX technology and Reaktor 5 software.

Images, videos and sound

Click here to a series of Sormina images and videos in my Flickr site.




Sormina in You Tube.


Click here to listen to live recorded sounds of Sormina.

Click here to see sormina in MySpace

Credits: Martijn Zwartjes, Risto Linnakoski, Matti Kinnunen