Dig this: he’s been at it for almost half a century. 40 years to be specific. The name’s Rheed Ghazala and he’s a circuit bender. A circuit what? Circuit bender. He noodles around with battery-operated electronic devices and turns them into musical instruments. Pictured below is his latest creation, a Thereglyph, whose name is derived from the popular Theremin, an electronic musical gadget that goes back ages.
The Thereglyph is a souped-up dinosaur game whose circuit board innards have been toyed with beyond recognition. Check out the video down south:
You gotta watch the video to feel the awesomeness.
The Art of Circuit Bending
Circuit bending is an art form that involves modifying the circuits of low voltage, battery-powered electronic devices to create new musical or visual instruments and sound generators. This practice often involves the use of toys, synthesizers, and other electronic gadgets. Rheed Ghazala is considered one of the pioneers of this unique art form. His work has inspired countless others to explore the hidden potential within everyday electronic devices.
Ghazala’s journey into circuit bending began in the 1960s when he accidentally discovered that short-circuiting a toy organ produced unexpected and fascinating sounds. This serendipitous event sparked a lifelong passion for exploring the sonic possibilities of electronic devices. Over the years, Ghazala has created a wide array of instruments, each with its own distinct sound and character.
Examples of Circuit Bending
One of the most famous examples of circuit bending is the Speak & Spell, a children’s educational toy from the 1980s. By modifying its internal circuitry, enthusiasts have transformed it into a versatile sound generator capable of producing a wide range of glitchy, robotic sounds. Another popular device for circuit bending is the Casio SK-1, a small sampling keyboard that can be modified to create unique and unpredictable sounds.
Ghazala’s Thereglyph is a prime example of the creativity and innovation that circuit bending can bring to the world of music. By repurposing a dinosaur game, he has created an instrument that not only produces intriguing sounds but also pays homage to the Theremin, one of the earliest electronic musical instruments. The Theremin, invented in the 1920s by Russian inventor Léon Theremin, is played without physical contact, using the player’s hand movements to control pitch and volume. The Thereglyph, while different in operation, captures the spirit of experimentation and exploration that defined the early days of electronic music.
Source Gizmag
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