Giant Distributed Musical Instrument

Five wooden structures, each eight feet tall, are arranged in a circle. Four to six metal pipes hang from each structure, alongside a large rubber hammer that acts as a mallet. The large pipes produce deep, sustained tones that can often be felt as well as heard.

Although it is built from five structures, GDMI is one instrument. Each player contributes only part of its unusual musical scale, so making music requires active listening, space, and collaboration.

The work removes familiar expectations about musical skill. Its architecture invites hammering; every pipe produces an unusual and beautiful sound; and the tuning favors exploration over familiar songs.

Low frequencies, soft attacks, and long sustains let players savor each note. Acoustic beats make the pipes interact, creating slow and shifting sound patterns in the air.

• A distinct set of tones belongs to each structure.
• No single station can produce the complete musical language.
• The collective sound changes as players listen and respond to one another.

The collective playing experience was inspired by my cognitive-science work related to Balinese gamelan, where synchronicity and collaboration are central. Visually, the oblique posts draw from the imaginary architecture of German Expressionism.

The work received an art grant from the YouTopia festival and was featured in the San Diego Reader.