Prusa (2024)
Turning 3D printers into musical instrumentsPremiere: 24. 8. 2024
We all know 3D printers are mostly used as tools. However, would it be possible to turn them into musical instruments? What about an ensemble of such 3D printers?
Sometime during late 2023, I was asked by Richard Grimm to help out on a project he dreamed of realising. Because I found this approach unique, I thought it might be a good opportunity to try it out. The idea is quite simple - to utilise noise and pitches coming out from the 3D printing machines to control and make music. He also applied to an artistic residence in Pečice, where he could fully focus on developing this instrument and making music with it.
My part of this project was to create a Max patch in order to translate MIDI data coming to the PC into correct real-time G-codes for the 3D printers. Because practically nobody has attempted this particular combination of tools before, I had to start from scratch and spend days trying to debug, send correct signals and make musical tools that could be useful to work with. In the end, I am proud of what we have created so far. We are also planning for a concert on 3D printers in 2025.
Instagram link
Photo by Richard Grimm (@boh_vajec)
Video by Richard Grimm (@boh_vajec)