The instrument consists of a composition of differing fabric samples, moving along the installation motor driven rollers. The interactive installation plays multiple loops of fabric. Light sensors are used to generate the sounds and the quality and density of the cloth determine the pitch and the rhythm of the sound. So for example, the number of threads interrupting the light per second determine the pitch of the sound. Fabricmachine undertakes a search for the musical structures found in the texture and composition of fabrics. Cultural artefacts like textiles become the data storage in the sound installation’s interface.
The material’s woven pattern and thread count is responsible for the algorithms of electro-acoustic sound generation. The way in which the pieces of cloth have been sewn together is responsible for beats, breaks, and rhytms in the score.
Kathrin Stumreich will show us the musicality of this interactive sound art installation and performs live some various composed fabric-tracks.
