Slagwerk-101 - A New Audiovisual Creation

US Love Hultén's sculpture and visual element for the stage is based on percussion instruments 08/04/20

We recently brought you news of his Korg Minilogue customization and now designer and craftsman Love Hultén has just finished his latest creation, Slagwerk-101. Here's the description we've been supplied with...

Slagwerk-101 is an audiovisual sculpture and a visual element for the stage, based on percussion instruments. A conceptual semi-acoustic drum machine built around mechanics, used with synchronized backtracks.

Like any modern drum machine, it allow users to program their own rhythms and beats. Via custom-built controller boards, MIDI signals are converted and sent to an array of electromagnetic solenoids, in real-time.

Drumsticks are then mounted onto these solenoids, extending the stroke. When triggered by MIDI, the drumstick collides with the acoustic instrument.

Slagwerk-101 can be used standalone for acoustic drum patterns, but that may not be ideal for everyone. For more audio control you might want to use it with synchronized MIDI backtracks, using personal drum samples and such.

Let the machine perform as a visual element on stage. The system is divided into a number of cubic instrument segments, and these cubes can be arranged in many ways. As stages vary in size, so does Slagwerk-101.
For cramped stages, the cubes could be stacked vertically, like a monolith choir. For larger spaces, the cubes may be spread out in order to claim he stage, placed separated from each other like sole pieces.

Slagwerk-101 consists of eight segments:

- Bass drum
- Tom
- Snare
- Hi-hat
- Crash cymbal
- Cowbell / tambourine
- Clap
- Main controller unit