{"id":146212,"date":"2024-12-26T19:05:34","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T01:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/?p=146212"},"modified":"2024-12-26T19:05:34","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T01:05:34","slug":"sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/","title":{"rendered":"Sonic Artefacts Intros Limited Edition Sonic Chessboard"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-146213\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-728x546.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sonic Artefacts<\/strong> has introduced the <strong>Sonic Chessboard<\/strong>, a unique DIY musical instrument that merges the worlds of chess and sound.<\/p>\n<p>Inspired by Lowell Cross\u2019 design for John Cage\u2019s Reunion (1968), the Sonic Chessboard offers a unique way to create spatial sound experiences.<\/p>\n<p>Using the Sonic Chessboard doesn&#8217;t really require any knowledge of chess. Instead, it&#8217;s really about creating a unique interface for performance and experimentation with sound.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s an overview by creator <strong>Wouter Jaspers<\/strong>:<!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sonic Chessboard DIY Kit - Make music like JOHN CAGE with this Octophonic Audio Panner!\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gZlhjvS8Wv4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>The Sonic Chessboard is a passive Optical Octophonic Audio Panner that routes 16 audio signals via 64 light-dependent resistors, embedded in the squares to 8 separate audio outputs, changing the volume when a chess piece gets moved from one square to another.<\/p>\n<p>By strategically placing chess pieces on the board, users can control the volume and flow of sound, creating dynamic and immersive soundscapes.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-146212 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"222\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2-320x222.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2-320x222.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2-728x505.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2-768x533.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2-432x300.jpg 432w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-2.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3-320x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-3.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4-320x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-4.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5-320x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-5.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/sonic-chessboard-diy-kit-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-320x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>This limited edition DIY Kit includes all the necessary components to build your own Sonic Chessboard:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A full-size CNC-machined chessboard made out of cork;<\/li>\n<li>A professionally manufactured PCB;<\/li>\n<li>All electronic components;<\/li>\n<li>Mounting hardware;<\/li>\n<li>3D and CNC files for customization;<\/li>\n<li>A detailed manual and build instructions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what they shared about the Sonic Chessboard:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The Sonic Chessboard invites you to embark on a sonic adventure, combining strategic thinking with creative sound design. Whether you&#8217;re a seasoned musician or a curious beginner, this unique instrument offers endless possibilities for exploration and experimentation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">In the annals of avant-garde music, John Cage&#8217;s &#8220;Reunion&#8221; stands as a unique and fascinating experiment, blending elements of chance, game theory, and electronic music. Premiered in 1968 at the Ryerson Theatre in Toronto, &#8220;Reunion&#8221; was a collaborative effort between Cage and the legendary artist Marcel Duchamp, who was also a passionate chess player.<br \/>\nThe concept of &#8220;Reunion&#8221; was simple yet revolutionary: a game of chess would determine the structure and sound of a musical composition. These compositions, created by David Behrman, Gordon Mumma, David Tudor &amp; of course Lowell Cross, were then distributed to eight speakers surrounding the audience. The result was a dynamic and ever-evolving soundscape, shaped entirely by the random and unpredictable nature of the chess game.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">The choice of chess as a structuring device was not arbitrary. Both Cage and Duchamp were fascinated by the game&#8217;s strategic depth and its potential for generating infinite possibilities. Chess, with its rules and constraints, offered a framework for creating a musical composition without resorting to traditional notions of authorship or control. By relinquishing control to the game, Cage embraced chance as a creative force, echoing his experiments with indeterminacy in works like &#8220;4&#8217;33&#8221; and the &#8220;Imaginary Landscapes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pricing and Availability:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Sonic Chessboard<\/strong> is <a href=\"https:\/\/patch-point.com\/en-us\/products\/sonic-chessboard-optical-octophonic-audio-panner-diy-kit\">available<\/a> now in a limited edition of 30 pieces for 360,53 \u20ac (excl EU 19% VAT) \/ 429,00 \u20ac (incl. EU VAT).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Sonic Chessboard offers a unique way to create spatial sound experiences.&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/content\/2024\/12\/26\/sonic-artefacts-intros-limited-edition-sonic-chessboard\/\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Sonic Artefacts Intros Limited Edition Sonic Chessboard<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":146213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[34,29,25,2592],"tags":[4149,35254,35489,35490,19788],"class_list":["post-146212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-electronic-instruments","category-strange","category-synthesizers","category-virtual-musicians","tag-john-cage","tag-sonic-artefacts","tag-sonic-artefacts-sonic-chessboard","tag-sonic-chessboard","tag-wouter-jaspers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/sonic-chessboard-DIY-kit-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146212"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146503,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146212\/revisions\/146503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.synthtopia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}