Building and playing the Bullroarer

I'm interested in both electronic-generated music using modern technologies, and in primitive musical instruments that exploit the very basic laws of acoustics. I try to make them converge in my practice as a musician as well as in my instruments-making.
Recently I've read on a book that the Bullroarer is one of the oldest instruments used by humans to produce sounds.

We decided to make one and this is the result.
Sergio cut the fish-shaped thing from chipboard wood and shaped its edges to an airfoil.

Barbara decorated the surface with patterns inspired by aboriginal artworks.

Il looks great and makes a nice roaring sound.


To make it play great, you have to find the optimal rope lenght and thikness, by trial and error.






A small, portable drone generator that requires no batteries!

 Make it turn!

Ghirondrone: A new instrument under construction

The Ghirondrone is a self-playing chordophone.
It is drone generator inspired by the work of Vulpestruments.

 The pickup is made from a salvaged contactor coil.
We'll see if it gets enough audio signal...

An A and a D guitar strings ready to be tuned...

The motor that will play the strings will be placed between the "pickup" an the "bridge".

Maybe the Ghirondrone will be given a distinctive Steampunk look... we'll see.