Circuit Band workshops

In a Circuit Band workshop, the participants made their own musical instruments with the equipment and technology that is at hand, created a stage act and performed together with their self-made instruments. The first Circuit Band workshop was held during the Uitmarkt 2007 in Pakhuis de Zwijger. Next workshops were held at PICNIC Junior at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam.

The aim of the workshop was to get the participants acquainted with the role of technology within a creative context. Musicians, performers and artists have already used technology in their work for quite some time. Well-known examples of technology used in the Circuit Band workshop are: circuit bending, tinkering and physical computing.

• With circuit bending one can, by simply altering the electronic circuit, create new sounds with modern battery-driven toys. Circuit bending has often played a role in recent music history: from Jimi Hendrix’ modulated guitar effects to the bleeps and squeeks of Aphex Twin.
• Tinkering within the context of this workshop means finding out how equipment exactly works and then use it in a new and different way. The re-use of existing technology is the basis of tinkering. Suitable equipment can be found everywhere, from toys to kitchen appliances.
• Physical computing is the development of prototypes with sensors in combination with microprocessors, possibly connected to a computer.
• Physical computing is much used by designers and artists in the interactive design process.