Interactive Sound Exhibits

A set of four interactives were required by Explore@Bristol for the new galleries constructed for the millennium. Each one covers a different aspect of sound. The key features of these exhibits include an innovative styling, robust mechanical and electrical engineering and the use of the latest audio technologies. The interface to all of these is by large and colourful illuminated buttons and an LCD screen. The unique mounts allow for quick mounting and adjusting of each interactive and the ability to orientate each cone in any axis. The four exhibits delivered were:

Samples & Rhythms - A library of sound bites can be pasted into audio tracks and played back. Sequences of sounds taken from four different themes can be assembled and played in two independent tracks. Younger children just enjoy the sound effects, older ones can explore the sequencing aspects.
Change Your Voice - This is very popular with smaller children who love to speak into the microphone and hear themselves through the real-time pitch shift and distortion effects. Their voice can also be recorded, and then played back either unaltered or through one of five effects: Speed Up, Slow Down, Reverse, Echo, Distort.
Mix It - The most complex and challenging interactive, like Change Your Voice it uses the real time pitch and distortion effects. It can record the voice onto an audio track as well as any other sound that is playing at the time. A selection of themed sound bites and music tracks can be mixed and recorded at the same time. "Full duplex" record and playback enables sounds to be layered onto the track.
Drum Beat - Lets the visitor join in with specially composed music in four ethnic styles. A pair of rubber drum pads pick up the vibrations of being struck. These are translated into the appropriate drum sounds such as tabla or cow bell. The intensity of the hit is used to control the volume of the drum sound.

Mix It installed at a jaunty angle	Detail of a CNC milled mounting bracket
Samples & Rhythms showing waveforms	Join in the music with Drum Beat

	Explore@Bristol - You Are Curious
	Four stylish sound exhibits with the emphasis on "Hands-On". Inside each cone there is an example of how sound can be stored, mixed, manipulated and generally played around with.