DRUM STOOL

In high school, some friends and I tried to start a band. We could all play a little guitar, some better than others—yet we soon discovered how frustrating it is to play music without a real drummer. Our dreams of becoming rock stars dwindled and I left my guitar dusty until recently. Over the last couple of years, I have spent countless hours practicing and improving. All this effort led me to feel a bit resentful of the hit video game "Guitar Hero." At the same time, that game has allowed me a small, synthetic glimpse of that sweet feeling of rocking out with the band I never had. I think the idea for the Drum Stool came as a response to these emotions.

The Drum Stool is a tool of rhythmic accompaniment for a guitarist. The performer can change the drum beat by simply twisting directions while sitting on the stool. The beats are set to fit the standard structure of a song with verse, chorus, bridge and rest. There is also a built-in audience applause to cue observers to clap. I performed the Drum Stool for the final critique in front of a crowd of about twenty-five. It was scary, but satisfying. Despite the what video reveals, I'm not really tone deaf. I had a sore throat that day and as you already know, I'm just not used to playing with a band.
ASSIGNMENT: Create physical interface where the audience creates an productive experience by manipulating a single knob and observing a video display or listening to audio (only one medium is allowed).
MAKING: I chose to make my first real project in physical computing simple. My main goal was to make something enjoyable for myself and to make sure it works. I spent a considerable amount of time in the shop assembling the device and aligning axels with turning parts.
Once the device was created, I was able to apply looping audio tracks through Flash using the NET lab and a MAKE controller. Considerable time was spent fine tuning the programming to play tracks at the appropriate rotation. Although the Drum Stool is intuitive to use, it takes practice to be able to perform a specific song on the guitar and sing along. I practiced and performed "Karma Police," by Radiohead. Others who played guitar tried improvisation.
MEANING: The experience of using the Drum Stool is far more accurate to the experience of playing with a real band than a video game. I found myself behaving differently than when I played the same songs alone. To keep on beat, I had to listen to the accompaniment rather than to the faulty metronome in my mind. I also had to anticipate changes in the song, making sure that remembered to make the transition. These behaviors are key to performing as a group. This calls to thought the idea of performance-enhancing training devices and also the notion of improving the performative quality of electronically produced music.