THE BACKYARD THEREMIN
About The Project
The Premise
The Backyard Theremin is an interactive soundscape instrument made by Anna Chaurize for the Digital Musical Instrument Design Class at Northwestern University. It allows the user to immerse themselves in a diorama filled with birds and natural elements. The user selects which sonic location they would like to occupy and can then become a bird themselves and sing along using an attached theremin-esque device that simulates birdsong.
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This instrument stems from the feeling of burnout and frustration that comes with being a full-time student and working a mentally-taxing job. The artist, simply put, decided she was tired of existing as a responsibility-having, deadline-meeting human and felt as though life would be much simpler as a bird. This instrument serves as a tool to allow the brain to decompress in a healthy way.
The Process
After the idea for this project was formed, the design process began. It started with trips to multiple craft stores as to decide what elements will make the soundscape. Then, the diorama was designed, though not yet constructed. Chaurize now constructed the circuitry and components that would speak to her Arduino and soldered all the elements together. Seven buttons allow for five different sonic locations and two buttons for controls. The "theremin" uses two ultrasonic sensors to measure distance as opposed to the traditional electromagnetic proximity sensors. Once the Arduino code was working properly, she built the diorama and embellished the attached theremin.
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The last part of the build was the most important: the software and sound design. She used Cycling 74's "Max" to design the soundscape and process the data coming in from the Arduino. The soundscape uses sounds sourced from FreeSound.org. The bird-like whistle of the theremin was designed in Max using a combination of a simple sine tone, vibrato, glissandos, and reverb.
The Future
If a second iteration of this project is built, it will likely have a few changes. For one, the wiring and hardware will be better hidden and more portable. The theremin will have a longer cable connecting it so it could be positioned more freely. The instrument would have even more sonic elements to explore.