soundmachines optical live mixing by the product

‘soundmachines’ by the product offers a new technique of live electronic mixing based on optical patterns left: view of the 3-unit machine; right: closer view of a single device

‘soundmachines‘, created by berlin-based studio the product for volkswagen, translates the process of DJ-ing electronic music into a physical device, using optical recognition towards the live mixing of sound via cut-out and coloured discs.

each phonograph-like unit translates concentric visual patterns into control signals processed by music software. the beats are controlled by the spacing of bars on the rotating, and the type of sound itself depends on the instrument track to which the unit is synced in ableton live or other live mixing software. in the project’s current implementation, three such instruments are installed in a glass case.

for an event promoting the 2012 volkswagen beetle, the product collaborated with sound designer yannick labbé to develop three vinyl discs, each of which is connected to one track of an ableton live set.

‘soundmachines’ utilizes arduino and processing.

detail view

video demo

a single ‘soundmachine’ unit

via creativeapplications