Learning to play any instrument isn’t just about correctly following every last note on a sheet of music. Being expressive, and imaginative, is just as important to learn. That’s what led MIT’s Xiao Xiao and Hiroshi Ishii to develop Andante, which adds lively animated figures to a self-playing piano.
Continue reading Watch Stick Figures Dance Across an Interactive Piano Like They’re Playing it
I always love watching Jason Pelsey play the piano from his perspective. It reminds me of how special music and art can be because even though I too have two arms and ten fingers, I cannot even come close to melting the keys of a piano like he does. It is totally frantic and powerful and it seems like his fingers are moving so fast that the music becomes so fluid. Your eyes can’t keep up with what you’re hearing.
Continue reading Watching this pianist play the piano makes it seem like the keys are melting
The Art of Sound is a short documentary by Rodgers Townsend that reveals a bit of the genius of Tom Bills and the painstaking precision that goes into his making of guitars. Equal parts science and art, every decision of every carving of every shape of every guitar is motivated by making the instrument sound as good as it can.
Continue reading The scientific art of sound when making a guitar
There are so many moving parts in a saxophone (like hundreds of ‘em!) and so many holes and so much going on in the instrument that it always needs tinkering and adjustment so it’s no wonder that Steve Goodson, legendary saxophone designer and restorer, is basically considered a magician for what he does. Anthony Bourdain shares his meeting with Goodson in the latest episode of Raw Craft below.
Continue reading Meet the master saxophone maker who’s so good he’s considered a magician
The Fat Cat Collective 