2007
Absolut Quartet
A music making machine like no other, Absolut Quartet makes you the fourth player in a robotic quartet that produces music like no human ever could, in a way that seems physically impossible.
Client
Absolut
Collaborators
Dan Paluska
Credits
Roberto Aimi - Music Software
Sean Stevens - Illumination
Compositions - Jay Flower and Bradley Kemp
Materials Science - Orian Welling
Press
Gizmodo
Science Magazine
Design Federation
Cool Hunting
Life in the Fast Lane
MAKE
Engadget
Sparking Tech
pixelsumo
Creativity Online
UnBeige
Sydney Morning Herald
Awards
Award of Distinction, Ars Electronica 2oo8, Interactive Art
Gold Prize, 55th International Cannes Lions Advertising Festival
Silver Pencil, One Show Interactive for best New Media Innovation and Development
Silver Egg - Best Internet Campaign 2008, Guldagget
Most Creative Advertising Campaign, Creativity Magazine, March 2oo8
Website of the Month, Resume, March 2oo8
Website of the Month, PIG MAG #60
Interacting with Absolut Quartet is simple — walk up to the keyboard and play a short musical theme. The Quartet will take that seed theme, just as Bach might have hundreds of years ago, and use artificial intelligence to turn it into a custom 3-minute piece of music.
This melody is played by three instruments. The main instrument is a ballistic marimba, which launches rubber balls roughly 2m into the air, precisely aimed to bounce off of 42 chromatic wooden keys. The second instrument is an array of 35 custom-tuned wine glasses, played by robotic fingers. An array of 9 ethnic percussion instruments rounds out the ensemble.
This piece was originally inspired when Dan and I saw the video 'Pipe Dream,' from AniMusic, and as musicians who were also roboticists, we knew there was a way to make it real. Thousands of people interacted with Absolut Quartet, and their music videos were uploaded to YouTube to be shared with friends online.
““unlike anything you have ever seen before””
“...not only surprisingly soulful but also visually stunning.”
“Prepare to be amazed. Thank the good lord for embedded video because any words used to convey our awe in Dan Paluska’s and Jeff Lieberman’s ping pong ball hurling, robotic Absolut Quartet orchestral machine would fall limp upon your liquid crystal cells, rods and cones. Should have sent... a poet.”
During the project we had the pleasure to meet Sabina Sciubba, who composed a custom piece for Absolut Quartet, called Sexy Machine. See the music video:
““One of the most creative feats of engineering we’ve seen in a long time. And, letting anyone interact with the machine online is absolute genius.”
““just who are those insane geniuses behind the absolut machines project?””
We are currently seeking a long-term home for Absolut Quartet. Might it fit your needs?
Special Thanks to:
Cha-Ling O’Connell, Rony Kubat, Jamie Rollins, Bill Washabaugh, Brien Engel, Neri Oxman, K+K Sound Systems, Marimba One
Shown in various locations: New York, Austria, Germany. Are you next?