El-Lamellophone A Low-cost, DIY, Open Framework for Acoustic Lemellophone Based Hyperinstruments

The El-Lamellophone (El-La) is a Lamellophone hyperinstrument incorporating electronic sensors and integrated DSP. Initial investigations have been made into digitallycontrolled physical actuation of the acoustic tines. An embedded Linux micro-computer supplants the laptop. A piezoelectric pickup is mounted to the underside of the body of the instrument for direct audio acquisition providing a robust signal with little interference. The signal is used for electric sound-reinforcement, creative signal processing and audio analysis developed in Puredata (Pd). This signal inputs and outputs the micro computer via stereo 1/8th inch phono jacks. Sensors provide gesture recognition affording the performer a broader, more dynamic range of musical human computer interaction (MHCI) over specific DSP functions. Work has been done toward electromagnetic actuation of the tines, aiming to allow performer control and sensation via both traditional Lamellophone techniques, as well as extended playing techniques that incorporate shared human/computer control of the resulting sound. The goal is to achieve this without compromising the traditional sound production methods of the acoustic instrument while leveraging inherent performance gestures with embedded continuous controller values essential to MHCI. The result is an intuitive, performer designed, hybrid electro-acoustic instrument, idiomatic computer interface, and robotic acoustic instrument in one framework.