And Now…The Big Solar Powered B-flat Chord
As I am sure you are aware, I’ve been on the lookout for an eco-friendly, alternative-fueled, free range, 100% organic, vegan, all tube guitar amp.
As of yet, nothing comes close to my exacting specifications but, there is something (not an amp really at all) that shows some evidence of movement in the right direction.
Behold the Sun Box (A solar powered sound installation by Craig Colorusso.)
Sun Boxes are an environment to enter and exit at will. It’s comprised of twenty speakers operating independently, each powered by the sun via solar panels. There is a different loop set to play a guitar note in each box continuously. These guitar notes collectively make a Bb chord. Because the loops are different in length, once the piece begins they continually overlap and the piece slowly evolves over time.
The sounds of Sun Boxes have been described as both soothing and energizing. A unique combination of adjectives often used to describe yoga, or meditation. When experiencing the piece, Sun Boxes allows the participant to slow down, and notice the subtleties of the composition unfold. With the abundance of technology and hustle of this culture it is a much needed concept to not only be allowed, but also encouraged to slow down.
So, this guy sets these things up at various locations and it’s one of these art “installation” deals which, is cool. And, there are parts of this, like 20 speakers pumping, that seem intriguing but…the Bb thing is troubling.
I mean, if you’re going to use the guitar as your instrument with which to build something like this, a big fat E or A chord seems more plausible, maybe an open G tuning with a few slide licks would be neat. Possibly even an altered jazz chord like a 13flat9 if you were intent on Bb.
And really, as we’ve discussed before, a lot of nature sounds tend toward keys like C#…if you really want to be one with the surroundings, you might try tuning to A=432 but, we don’t need to open that whole can of worm castings do we?
Upon listening to the Sun Boxes, they don’t sound very guitar like for some reason…all legato tones but, it’s a nice Bb chord. Click here to give a listen yourself.
Comments
4 Responses to “And Now…The Big Solar Powered B-flat Chord”
Leave a Reply
-
Pribek At Zazzle
The post to blame: Most Peculiar Mama (Don't Eat Your Cat)
As an aspiring solution in your quest for the intergalactic gargleblaster green world amp system .. well it is solar powered.
As I listen I grow a little weary of my forehead resonating with its tones… but still promising; in a sort of wind chimes genre.
I wonder if you put one of these boxes out in a sunny spot here in Texas, where it is 103 degrees and feels like 109, where that Bb “could sound like” a C# ..? Or, no?
Careful with the “T” word…Hermano.
Couple of years back we had an Upper Texas Coast storm named Rita. Everyone took off for the hills, like scalded cats. Media induced hysteria is a sight to behold. I stayed put because I was determined to play golf in a hurricane. Anyway, there are three power lines that cross the ditch, maybe free span of two hundred feet. Between my terrific slices, hooks and drives into the stratosphere, those wires played some wind driven tunes that made me sway to the siren song of Rita.
Sweet…dancing with Rita, under the wires…this song almost writes itself!