https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Free+Music&output=atom <![CDATA[Grainger Museum Online]]> 2024-03-29T05:53:10+11:00 Omeka https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/93 <![CDATA[Cross Grainger experiments "Sea Song" Sketch with 3 Solovoxes played by Pianola roll]]> 2017-10-17T10:59:11+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Cross Grainger experiments "Sea Song" Sketch with 3 Solovoxes played by Pianola roll

Subject

Date

1950

Rights

Copyright Grainger Estate

Format

Black and white photograph
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/92 <![CDATA[Player Piano conceived as a Free Music experiment with notes by Percy Grainger]]> 2017-10-17T10:59:20+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Player Piano conceived as a Free Music experiment with notes by Percy Grainger

Subject

Description

Photograph of Free Music experiments with Grainger's Duo Art player piano, and types notes by Grainger describing the experiment

Date

1940s
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/91 <![CDATA[Kangaroo-pouch tone-tool]]> 2017-10-17T10:59:28+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Kangaroo-pouch tone-tool

Subject

Description

Large, upright wooden frame with cross beams at side. Two vertical poles / tubes at each side divided into four sections with acetate discs. Paper reels (cut to represent pitch) are fed through a series of metal poles - a roller runs along top (cut) edge of paper to sense the pitch , each vertical section and a sine wave oscillator. Three oscillators had the fundamental frequency marked on masking tape.

Date

1952

Format

Paper, softwood, cardboard tubes, wire, electronics, 260 x 214 x 83cm

Identifier

00.0216
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/90 <![CDATA["Free Music" machine components]]> - Wood and felt frame (musical instrument?)
- Small piece of cardboard with electronic components attached - transformer, potentiometer, diode, resistors, capacitors, choke, wires and solder. ]]>
2017-10-17T10:59:38+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

"Free Music" machine components

Subject

Description

The box of Free Music components that this object is part of contains scraps of wood, metal, paper and rubber.
- Wood and felt frame (musical instrument?)
- Small piece of cardboard with electronic components attached - transformer, potentiometer, diode, resistors, capacitors, choke, wires and solder.

Date

1940s-1950s

Identifier

04.1126
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/89 <![CDATA[Kangaroo-pouch Tone-tool Free Music experiment created by Percy Grainger and Burnett Cross, on display in the Grainger Museum, University of Melbourne]]> 2019-07-04T10:57:33+10:00

Dublin Core

Title

Kangaroo-pouch Tone-tool Free Music experiment created by Percy Grainger and Burnett Cross, on display in the Grainger Museum, University of Melbourne

Subject

Description

This photograph shows the Grainger and Cross's Kangaroo Pouch Tone Tool Free Music machine installed in the Grainger Museum, probably in the late 1950s. The machine was not fully complete when it was installed, and Cross visited the Grainger Museum after Percy Grainger's death to complete the instrument so that it could make sound. Cross recorded an interview with ABC Weekend television in 1976, which included footage of the instrument being played in the Museum.

Date

After 1955

Format

Black and white photograph
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/80 <![CDATA[Example of swells (Estey reed tone-tool)]]>
21.4 x 14.3 cm]]>
2017-10-10T15:58:56+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Example of swells (Estey reed tone-tool)

Subject

Description

Ink on paper

21.4 x 14.3 cm

Identifier

04.0163
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/42 <![CDATA[Electric eye tone-tool]]>
One of Grainger and Cross’s last experiments before
Grainger’s death in 1961 was an attempt to create a more
immediate and accurate form of Free Music through the
use of hand-drawn waveforms and light-sensitive
circuits. This experiment used photocells (light-dependent
resistors) rather than paper rolls and tone arms to translate
pitch and volume markings, painted on plastic sheet,
into sound. The original machine, never fully completed,
was eventually disassembled after Grainger’s death.
This reinterpretation also uses light-dependent resistors
but connects them to digital Teensy microcontrollers
loaded with the Mozzi software library. The addition of
the hand crank enables the looped ‘score’ to be played
forwards and backwards.

]]>
2017-10-04T13:15:21+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Electric eye tone-tool

Subject

Description

Steel, PVC pipe, plastic sheet, globes, ink, electronics, speakers.

One of Grainger and Cross’s last experiments before
Grainger’s death in 1961 was an attempt to create a more
immediate and accurate form of Free Music through the
use of hand-drawn waveforms and light-sensitive
circuits. This experiment used photocells (light-dependent
resistors) rather than paper rolls and tone arms to translate
pitch and volume markings, painted on plastic sheet,
into sound. The original machine, never fully completed,
was eventually disassembled after Grainger’s death.
This reinterpretation also uses light-dependent resistors
but connects them to digital Teensy microcontrollers
loaded with the Mozzi software library. The addition of
the hand crank enables the looped ‘score’ to be played
forwards and backwards.

Date

2016

Identifier

16.0004
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/41 <![CDATA[Reed box tone-tool]]>
In their original Reed box experiments, Grainger and
Cross approximated the effect of gliding musical
pitches by using closely-spaced microtones. They
detuned harmonium reeds to microtonal intervals, using
tape to weight the reeds. They then used a wooden
waveform on rollerskates to control the motion of air
from a vacuum cleaner blowing through the reeds.
Cross later introduced electronic oscillators to create
smoother gliding tones.
This scaled-down version uses accordion reeds, also
detuned by tape. Blower fans take the place of the
vacuum cleaner and linear bearings streamline the design.
]]>
2017-10-16T15:19:18+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Reed box tone-tool

Subject

Description

Steel, brass, wood, accordion reeds, blower fans, linear bearings.

In their original Reed box experiments, Grainger and
Cross approximated the effect of gliding musical
pitches by using closely-spaced microtones. They
detuned harmonium reeds to microtonal intervals, using
tape to weight the reeds. They then used a wooden
waveform on rollerskates to control the motion of air
from a vacuum cleaner blowing through the reeds.
Cross later introduced electronic oscillators to create
smoother gliding tones.
This scaled-down version uses accordion reeds, also
detuned by tape. Blower fans take the place of the
vacuum cleaner and linear bearings streamline the design.

Date

2016
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/40 <![CDATA[Kangaroo pouch tone-tool]]>
This machine demonstrates the method used by Grainger and Cross to control oscillators through the use of connected ‘tone arms’ and cut paper ‘scores’. Whereas Grainger and Cross hand-turned their eight oscillator
tone-tool, this scaled-down version is operated by a hand crank that enables the looping score to be played in either direction. Here, a digital
oscillator created using the Arduino electronics platform and the Mozzi software library is controlled using two paper rolls in the shape of Grainger’s ‘Hills and Dales’ scores. One roll controls the pitch of the oscillator while the other controls the volume level.
]]>
2017-10-16T15:21:12+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Kangaroo pouch tone-tool

Subject

Description

Steel, brass, PVC pipe, paper roll, sewing machine belt, electronics.

This machine demonstrates the method used by Grainger and Cross to control oscillators through the use of connected ‘tone arms’ and cut paper ‘scores’. Whereas Grainger and Cross hand-turned their eight oscillator
tone-tool, this scaled-down version is operated by a hand crank that enables the looping score to be played in either direction. Here, a digital
oscillator created using the Arduino electronics platform and the Mozzi software library is controlled using two paper rolls in the shape of Grainger’s ‘Hills and Dales’ scores. One roll controls the pitch of the oscillator while the other controls the volume level.

Date

2016

Identifier

16.0003
]]>
https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/grainger/items/show/37 <![CDATA[Butterfly piano]]>
Keen to explore the possibilities of Free Music, but lacking instruments that would readily play the ‘noteless’ gliding tones it required, Grainger and Cross modified existing instruments to make approximations of the intended effect. This Butterfly piano has had its lid and front panels removed, and some of the strings have been lengthened using nails as supports. The strings have then been re-tuned to musical pitches much closer to each other than regular piano notes. This
instrument was tuned in 1/6 tones, so that playing a scale on it would produce a wave-like gliding tone effect.

Percy Grainger’s Daybooks 1944-1960
Excerpt: Friday 6 June 1952
‘Free Music Revamping Knoxville Butterfly Piano (Wurlitzer) & re-tuning it Three pitches to the 1/2 tone (got piano wire No. 13 from County Piano Co, $2.25)’
Excerpt Saturday 7 June 1952
‘Mr Hunt’s tuner helped on below Finished converting Knoxville piano to Free Music’.
Excerpt Saturday 14 June 1952
‘Burnett worked at Pianola on piano, loosening it up. Tried Pianola on sample bit of roll (cut by Burnett) on Knoxville piano, sounded well. PG made 4 discs (for front) 3 (green, red, yellow) with gramophone records, 1 with Burnett’s translucent blue plastic.’
]]>
2017-11-20T09:35:24+11:00

Dublin Core

Title

Butterfly piano

Subject

Description

Iron, wood, steel, ivory, ebony, nails.

Keen to explore the possibilities of Free Music, but lacking instruments that would readily play the ‘noteless’ gliding tones it required, Grainger and Cross modified existing instruments to make approximations of the intended effect. This Butterfly piano has had its lid and front panels removed, and some of the strings have been lengthened using nails as supports. The strings have then been re-tuned to musical pitches much closer to each other than regular piano notes. This
instrument was tuned in 1/6 tones, so that playing a scale on it would produce a wave-like gliding tone effect.

Percy Grainger’s Daybooks 1944-1960
Excerpt: Friday 6 June 1952
‘Free Music Revamping Knoxville Butterfly Piano (Wurlitzer) & re-tuning it Three pitches to the 1/2 tone (got piano wire No. 13 from County Piano Co, $2.25)’
Excerpt Saturday 7 June 1952
‘Mr Hunt’s tuner helped on below Finished converting Knoxville piano to Free Music’.
Excerpt Saturday 14 June 1952
‘Burnett worked at Pianola on piano, loosening it up. Tried Pianola on sample bit of roll (cut by Burnett) on Knoxville piano, sounded well. PG made 4 discs (for front) 3 (green, red, yellow) with gramophone records, 1 with Burnett’s translucent blue plastic.’

Date

1940. Modified by Percy Grainger and Burnett Cross, 1952

Identifier

00.0056
]]>