Create Digital Music » Circuit Bending Challenge: The Envelope, Please

Nov 07 2007

Circuit Bending Challenge: The Envelope, Please

Announcing the winners of the 2007 Circuit-Bending Challenge!

Note: All the entries were excellent, and we have a little prize lined up for all of you, not just these top picks. *See below for details

It was very hard to choose three winners from all of the entries- the variety and quality of submissions was amazing. So, we tried to select those that most embodied the spirit of the contest- creativity, within a set time limit, and using only those materials that can be scraped together quickly.

And that didn’t narrow it down much. It was a tough call to be sure, and it makes me think that we’ll be seeing increased stiff competition next year. So, while these three will receive a special prize, we’ve got something lined up for everyone who participated.

Without further delay (ahem), here are the top 3 entries in no particular order:

George Lazenbleep’s Mini Furby:

El Colin’s Bent Guitar:

And Squelchbox’s “The 15 Puzzle”:

Since I forgot to do this at the beginning of the contest-
everyone who entered, please use the createdigitalmusic contact form and send us a message containing the following information:

Your name
Your display name
The piece you submitted to the contest
Your address and contact info (email is fine)

I will be in touch to make sure you receive your prizes in the mail.

Thanks again to everyone for participating, thanks to our generous prize-donating benefactors, and let’s do this again next year!

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21 Comments

Evil Paul

Congrats to the winners, especially El Colin, who really knows how to rock a plastic guitar.

November 7, 2007 @ 8:55 pm

Fin

Congratulations you three!

November 7, 2007 @ 9:53 pm

octatone

Congrats everyone for bending on a Sunday ;) Was my most productive Sunday in a long time.

When is the next?

November 7, 2007 @ 11:08 pm

coolout

El Colin fuckin’ rocks!!!!

November 8, 2007 @ 2:11 am

Stephen Haunts

Congrats winners :-) Was a good competition. Hopefully there will be more challenges, for bending and other explots.

Steve

November 8, 2007 @ 3:42 am

El Colin

I cannot believe my eyes! I feel like I just won an oscar…(I didn’t even know this was a contest at first- I just thought we were all rockin’ it hardcore - that, we did!)
Thanks for all your comments and to cdm and getlofi - this made me so happy. Everyones entries were awesome cant wait to see more.
i’ll post the connections on my blog but most of it is coming out of a nasty looking scrap transistor thing - i dont even know whats going on in there. till next time…

November 8, 2007 @ 9:41 am

Kevin Rees

Congrats every one!
I vote for a Christmas theme challenge for December!

-Kevin

November 8, 2007 @ 11:39 am

octatone

Agreed. Have bend holiday themed toys and decorations contest. I’m down.

November 8, 2007 @ 1:30 pm

Michael Una

If you bend them, I will post them. Maybe not so much with the prizes next time though- I’m going to get killed on postage to all those foreign countries.

November 8, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

Nick@sonic

Congratulations to the winners - well deserved.
A great concept - looking forward to more.

If anyones interested - it’s discussed on this weeks podcast (Hope this link is ok Peter/Micheal)

Here

November 8, 2007 @ 4:06 pm

Michael Una

@Nick- that’s great!

Everyone- John from HighlyLiquid has told me he’s giving a MIDI kit to all the winners. Sweet!

November 8, 2007 @ 4:52 pm

Peter Kirn

Totally will be more challenges. I love the holiday-themed idea.

Thanks for the link, Nick!

November 8, 2007 @ 4:53 pm

McFadden

To Colin it’s your cousin Tommy congrats. Its crazy that I’m sitting in jersey watching you in Korea rocking a plastic guitar, Not sure how u do it but it was cool. Congrats to everyone Col give me a call when u get this and have a chance. TJ

November 8, 2007 @ 6:06 pm

Highly Liquid: Blog / News: Product Announcements, User Projects, and Site Updates

[...] Congratulations to the winners of the Circuit Bending Challenge hosted by GetLoFi and Create Digital Music. [...]

November 9, 2007 @ 8:56 am

Aahzekiel

Suggestion for the next event:

Bend at least one new piece, and create a new musical composition featuring your new instrument. Submit documentation and audio… or get really hip and make a music video for your song combining the documentation of the bend and your performance of the piece. :)

Timeframe:

One week? This works well for Songfight.org, have had fun doin’ those.

November 9, 2007 @ 9:04 am

Michael Una

Aahzekiel, that is the best proposal I’ve seen thus far. Taking it up a notch, I like that.

November 9, 2007 @ 10:06 am

george lazenbleep

i would love to be a pop star

acceptance speech at
http://www.haha-fresh.blogspot.com/

November 9, 2007 @ 12:18 pm

esguerra.cc » Circuit bent toy with ingenious pitch control touch board

[...] In this video, Squelchbox presents his winning entry to the Circuit Bending Challenge hosted by the music blog Create Digital Music. I love how circuit benders tear into electronic toys and make them into wicked sound machines—it’s a great example of curiosity and inquisitiveness at work. This machine is begging to be paired with some heavy drums in a glitched-out hip-hop track. [...]

November 10, 2007 @ 7:05 pm

Squelchbox

Hey all. The day after I found out I co-won I had to go out of town for work for a few days but I just wanted to drop a line and thank everyone involved. The idea of getting a cool prize for bending kinda blows my mind. I live in a city where I’m the only bender I know of so it ends up being a somewhat personal introverted kind of hobby and I really love opportunities to be part of the bending community.

I’d also be more than willing to pay any shipping expenses. I can imagine how that piled up and caught you off guard. Let me know.

Thanks again all!
Sean(Squelchbox)