How to Make Embedded Acoustic Instruments

Edgar Berdahl

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract:

An embedded acoustic instrument is an embedded musical instrument that provides a direct acoustic output. This paper describes how to make embedded acoustic instruments using laser cutting for digital fabrication. Several tips are given for improving the acoustic quality including: employing maximally stiff material, placing loudspeaker drivers in the corners of enclosure faces, increasing the stiffness of ``loudspeaker'' faces by doubling their thickness, choosing side-lengths with non-integer ratios, and incorporating bracing. Various versions of an open design of the ``LapBox'' are provided to help community members replicate and extend the work. A procedure is suggested for testing and optimizing the acoustic quality.

Citation:

Edgar Berdahl. 2014. How to Make Embedded Acoustic Instruments. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1178710

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{eberdahl2014,
 abstract = {An embedded acoustic instrument is an embedded musical instrument that provides a direct acoustic output. This paper describes how to make embedded acoustic instruments using laser cutting for digital fabrication. Several tips are given for improving the acoustic quality including: employing maximally stiff material, placing loudspeaker drivers in the corners of enclosure faces, increasing the stiffness of ``loudspeaker'' faces by doubling their thickness, choosing side-lengths with non-integer ratios, and incorporating bracing. Various versions of an open design of the ``LapBox'' are provided to help community members replicate and extend the work. A procedure is suggested for testing and optimizing the acoustic quality.},
 address = {London, United Kingdom},
 author = {Edgar Berdahl},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1178710},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 month = {June},
 pages = {140--143},
 publisher = {Goldsmiths, University of London},
 title = {How to Make Embedded Acoustic Instruments},
 url = {http://www.nime.org/proceedings/2014/nime2014_551.pdf},
 year = {2014}
}