Follow Us!
Workshops
BodMusic: 3D Encounter with Chinese Culture
1.30-4.30pm, Thur 29th Sep
The installation aims to technically reconstruct a traditional Chinese Guqin string instrument, to invite bodily interpretation of the classical instrument. Guqin has a special place in the Chinese history as a symbol of the high-culture of the nobles and intellectuals (Junzi, Superior Man). It’s also seen as the vessel for pursuing harmony. Guqin is sometimes referred to by the Chinese as “the father of Chinese music” or “the instrument of the sages”.
The installation allows the performer and audience to experience three dimensions of the culture: sound, movement and emotion. The setup consists of an interactive instrument with “strings” created by laser sensors network, designed to allow meaningful intervention of movements to trigger the sound. The performer will also wear bend and pressure sensors at different parts of the body to create layer of sound effects. The emotion of the performer will be sensed by an ECG heatbeat sensor, which in turn translates into the temperature actuation (heating and cooling) at the palm rest of the audience, so that they could feel the additional sensation of the performance.
Artists
MiDEA Lab and EON Reality
Venue
Mahjong Room, Crackhouse
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
Songbirds [Workshop/Demo]
10am-2pm, Sat 1st Oct
Songbirds are a type of wind-activated electro-acoustic sculpture, made from readily available materials such as metal conduit, PVC tubing or glass bottles and capable of both listening to their environment and producing sound. Artist Joe Mariglio will work with you to build, install, record and perform with these sculptures.
NOTE: You are more than welcome to come and observe the workshop, but if you would like to participate in making a songbird, booking is essential as materials are limited.
Artists
Joe Mariglio
Venue
Dining Room, Crackhouse
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
Drop-dead simple MIDI controllers with Arduino
1.30-4.30pm, Fri 30th Sept
The Arduino has been one of the great success stories of the “Maker Movement”. Unlike embedded microcontrollers that came before it, it is actually pleasant to use! Created by designers, not programmers, the Arduino lowers the barrier to producing custom interactive electronic projects.
As Open Hardware, other parties are welcome to create their own “Arduino Clones” and “Arduino Shields” to expand the platform. Libraries and tutorials are available for nearly every conceivable use!
In this workshop, two members of the Make Hack Void Hackerspace aim to show how simple and powerful Arduino projects can be. This workshop is for people who are interested (although not necessarily experienced) in Arduinos, gadgets, interactive art and/or physical computing.
We will be building a simple USB MIDI controller which takes inputs from the real world, based on an Arduino clone board. We’ll show you how the basic electronics work, and how to program the Arduino for simple MIDI control behaviour. No experience necessary.
If you have a laptop then please bring it along to run the Arduino IDE and also to use as a MIDI device.
NOTE: Limited places, bookings essential.
Artists
Angus Gratton & Adam Thomas
Venue
Tafe Worksheds
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
GLI.TC/H: hacking codecs in the pursuit of communication
10am-1pm, Sat 1st Oct
In this panel-led workshop, we will explore and discuss the architecture of digital media files through an intentional corruption of codecs, compression algorithms, digital files and conversion software. We will examine how seemingly similar files contain wildly varying code structures and determine a lineage of distribution codecs as they pertain to the expansion of digital media.
Participants are required to bring their own laptops, Mac OSX is preferred but not essential.
RSVP essential! Email: electrofringedirectors@gmail.com
Artists
Evan Meaney
Venue
Newcastle City Hall
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
Solar Powered Sound
12-2pm, Thu 29th Sep
10am-12pm, Sun 2nd Oct
Learn the basics of solar-power and how to build a sustainably – powered PA system! Find out what deep-cycle batteries, inverters and panels you need. All the equipment will be on display. Help the environment and make some noisy beats.
RSVP essential! Email: electrofringedirectors@gmail.com
Artists
Oskr Wyldkat
Venue
Civic Park
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
This Is Not a Startup
11am-2pm, Mon 3rd Oct
While web and mobile startups have been mainly seen as the realm of Software Engineers and MBAs in-it-for-the-money, This Is Not Art’s unique community of artists, musicians, designers, writers, comedians, thinkers, freaks and geeks is the perfect melting pot for a new breed of Web & Mobile entrepreneur: creative, inventive, critical, subversive, humorous, socially conscious, collaborative and with a strong sense of DIY.
This Is Not a Startup is for anyone who is constantly thinking of new ideas for websites or mobile apps but may not have all of the necessary skills to realise their ideas: a programmer with the graphic design skills of a Google employee, a graphic designer who thinks JavaScript and Java are the same thing, or just someone with great ideas and business sense but no idea how to bring their ideas to life.
After teams are formed consisting of members with diverse talents, the teams have one and a half hours to brainstorm a new idea, think of a good (domain) name, come up with a business plan and sketch up a paper prototype. They then each get five minutes to pitch their startup idea to the judges and other participants. The judges review each entry against a set of criteria, decide on a winner and prizes are won!
RSVP is essential! Email: electrofringedirectors@gmail.com
Artists
Michael Bylstra
Scott Brewer
Venue
Newcastle City Hall
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
Peon
3-5:30pm, Thur 29th Sept
Straddling the worlds of jazz, electronica and ritual music, Peon’s musical excursions utilise hi-tech gadgets and folkloric instruments creating an enthralling, transcendental experience of music made in the moment – a double drummer electro improv two man festival of exploratory sound. Peon came together in 2009 initially as a “research project” exploring the challenges of realtime improvising between man and machine. Sam was at the time undertaking post-grad study in this field, at the Victorian College of the Arts and asked Ronny to play the skeptic and to find holes in his music making theories.
For this special event, Peon will play and hold a workshop / seminar to do their level best to expose their approach to the many and disparate elements they use to create their unique sound.
Artists
Sam Price – drums/laptop/synths/voice
Ronny Ferella – drums/melodica/ngoni/analogue effects
Venue
The Royal Exchange
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
Rapid Prototyping for Sculptors
10am-12pm, Fri 30th Sept
Louis Pratt will walk through the various digital processes She uses to create sculptural works. Outlining the steps she takes – laser scanning, working with data via various software programs, how to prepare the data for rapid prototyping, finish the works off and joins part together to create larger 3d prints.
Pratt will touch on all the steps of scanning and an overview of software for sculptors, keeping the main focus being on achieving output, putting low cost rapid prototyping in to the hands of users.
Pratt will be specifically looking at the BFB 3d printers and how she achieves low cost larger prototypes through a practical demonstration . Tips and tricks for printing.
Artists
Louis Pratt
Venue
TAFE Worksheds
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map
The Human Drum Machine
2-5pm, Sat 1st Oct
An exploration of image recognition and it’s power to sequence notes and musical phrases in realtime. Featuring a 3D “stage” participants can interact with, this event is equal parts of explanation, demonstration and light-hearted audience experimentation. Based on the same underlying technology of the legendary reACTable, this project throws away all “the expensive bits” making it a simple, cheap and fun way of interfacing creatively with a computer. Everyone attending will receive a pre-configured starter pack so they too can try the technology when they get home. Please note that any interpretive dance experienced at this session is purely accidental and in the name of getting something to trigger correctly.
Venue
TAFE Worksheds
View Electrofringe 2011 in a larger map