I've been getting more and more interested in building instruments and electronics. This feels like an extension of the sound sculpture work that I've been doing. As a composer I've always been very interested in timbre, and it's nice to work with my hands and create something tactile.
My first completed project is this resonator. I originally wanted to make something that would let me add something like the wonderful resonance of Hardanger fiddle to other instruments and sounds. As I've played with it more, I've found it to be really rewarding to play as a feedback instrument. I set up a feedback loop using a spring reverb interface (and maybe add some other things like resonant filters in the feedback path) and play by muting and releasing strings with my hand. I love the feeling of playing sculpturally - the default sound is everything feeding back, and my hand subtracts strings from that sound.
The resonator is just a transducer below the bridge, guitar strings, and an electric guitar pickup. Jeff Snyder was a huge help in building this project and advising me on how to approach it. Thanks Jeff!
During a residency at the Banff Centre in January 2020 I created and performed my first solo modular synth piece using this resonator:
