Over its first five issues, Make Magazine has established itself as a must-read resource for DIYers and digital homebrewers; aside from regularly writing for the thing, its back issues have a special place on my shelf. Now, Make is hosting a kind of cross between Burning Man and a digital State Fair, the Maker Faire. (Not sure why they opted for Olde English spelling, but okay.) Music and live visuals figure very prominently, with high-tech performances, workshops, and hands-on booths you can visit. If you’re anywhere near San Mateo, CA next weekend (April 22-23), you simply have to go. And fortunately, if you’re not, a couple of CDMers have promised to file a full report (a good thing, too, because I’ll be busy performing in Boston!). Check the music category, but here are a few of my top picks:

For some of the most bizarre and unusual music-sound installation art, look no further than Burning Man. Burning, indeed: this desert-based event has in the past featured Eric Singer’s Max/MSP-controlled pyrophone, a propane-powered flaming sound organ. (And, incidentally, that installation is making a repeat appearance this year.)

And what better activity when in the middle of the desert than tweaking knobs and producing strange electronic grooves? That’s the idea behind improbable orchestra, an interactive table full o’ knobs for collaborative soundmaking. Build one yourself: check out the copious design notes. Basic specs: the free Pure Data graphical multimedia development environment is running sounds, gutted Pentium PC with custom power supply, custom circuit board connecting the knobs and fiddly bits thorough a Parallax basic stamp board. (Lots more specs on their site, missing only details of the Pd patch.)

“But,” says you, “I hate knobs. Give me lasers, man.” Sure! You obviously want the interactive Aeolian laser harp, which suspends a series of laser beams through which you can walk to trigger sound. It’s the creation of former NYU ITP faculty member Jen Lewin, now based in Colorado and doing interactive sculpture full-time. She has other fantastic projects like interactive butterflies.

Are you going to Burning Man — or have a project of your own you want to tell us about? Drop me a line!

improbable orchestra
Laser harps
Pyrophone [ CDM ]
Art of Burning Man [burningman.com]