Arbrasson

Touching through a notched wood is a practice of grounding and breathing. Touch transforms air into sound that is spatial like a flowing river, warm in hand like a fire built from wood, and moist with memory like fog.

arbrasson1 arbrasson

I improvised with arbrasson, with gesture, pressure, sound, and space. Through the real-time computer processing in Max and with my DIY MIDI controller beneath my feet, the arbrasson sound transform into different levels of volume, texture, bodies, and spatial position.

arbrasson

Femi and I play our arbrasson with just acoustic. We played in an big empty warehouse with acoustic reflection that created long reverb. We both started walking while touching the arbrasson, feeling like we were rowing on a boat on the ocean. We normally play electroacoustic set with computer and modulars.

Making an arbrasson

Arbrasson is a notched wooden instrument that resonates like a singing bird when its carved ridges are caressed. I learned making an arbrasson from Femi. I drew lines on a piece of wood, carved notch using wood saw, sanded it, then fine tune it with hand saw.

Daxophone

Daxophone is a wooden beast that stirs my guts and flesh, reminding me of my own body.

daxophone arbrasson

I was playing the daxophone and arbrasson with MaxMSP at the Experiments in Electronic Sound Festival (EESF) 2025, CalArts, Valencia, CA. I played the arbrasson acoustically and only hooked up the daxophone with my computer. I wanted to start without speaker and only focus on the reflection and resonance of the space. I was thinking a lot about how my gesture and sound could make us aware of the space that we all situated.

making a daxophone

The tongue, which is the main body of daxophone, is cut by CNC machine. The sound is different depending on the type of wood, shape, thickness, and the edge of the wood. The daxophone is attached with the wood block that has two contact mic embedded inside and hooked up with a 1/4 stereo jack, playing with the dax and a cello bow. I was working in Daniel Fishkin's studio in New York, helping with sanding and oiling the daxophone.