In 2006 the Owl Project created the Sound Lathe a traditional green wood turning pole lathe and augmented it to create a unique audio instrument.

The Sound Lathe produces audio data, sawdust, noise and wood chippings. Turned spindles are shaped into complex sounds such as tones, glitches and beats. Unlike many electronic instruments, the Sound Lathe produces a unique wooden object at the end of each performance. This object serves as a memory of the performance, albeit slightly faulty and incomplete as it represents the conclusion rather than an accurate recording of the process.

For Lovebytes the Owl Project will develop a major extension to this practice composing a new audio work, which will be embedded permanently within a chair made using the lathe. Audience members can sit on the chair and access, via an embedded MP3 player, the audio work composed during its construction.

The Sound Chair will be made during a residency at the Moorlands Centre, Edale (13-15 May) and the Owl Project will informally present and demonstrate some of the techniques used in creating the Sound Chair at Bloc Studios (Sat 19 May 2-5pm).

See also:
Sound Chair - Owl Project in Edale
Sound Chair - Owl Project at Bloc Space