We tried to figure out how to describe the band [Wintergatan]. It took a lot of googling, and we decided to let their really incredible music machine do it for them. The best part? Unlike some projects like this that come our way, [Wintergatan] documented the whole build process in an eight part video series.
The core of the machine is a large drum with two tracks of alternating grey and black Lego Technic beams and pins. The musician sequences out the music using these. The pins activate levers which in turn drop ball bearings on the various sound producing devices in the machine. The melody is produced by a vibraphone. At first we thought the drum kit was electronic, but it turns out the wires going to it were to amplify the sound they made when hit. At the end of their travel the bearings are brought up to the hopper again by a bucket conveyor.
The final part count for the machine sits at 3,000 not including the 2,000 ball bearings rolling around inside of it. If you’ve ever tried to make a marble machine, then you’ll be just as impressed as we were that the machine only appeared to lose a few marbles in the course of a three minute song. Aside from the smoothness of the machine, which is impressive, we also enjoyed the pure, well, hackiness of it. We can spy regular wood screws, rubber bands, plywood, bits of wire, and all sorts of on-the-spot solutions. Just to add bonus cool, the whole project appears to have been built with just a bandsaw, a drill press, and a few hand power tools.
The machine is great, but we also really appreciate the hacker spirit behind it. When a commenter on a YouTube video told him he was a genius, he replied, “Thank you for that! But I do think, though, that it is mostly about being able to put in the time! I mean the talent of being stubborn and able to see things through are more important than the abilities you have to start with. If you work hard on anything, you will learn what you need and success! Its my idea anyway! So happy people like the machine!”. Which we think is just as cool as the machine itself. Video of the machine in action and part one of the build series after the break!
amazing build, i especially like their use of lego pegs for ease of use in their sequencer wheels.
Just phenomenal. I saw this linked from somewhere else yesterday and I must have watched the performance 5 or 6 times now. It never gets old. Great work, Really inspirational.
Very nice! But I wonder how it really sounds like…
Ah, found a video with real sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwTdGVNWB1M
Amazing!
it is actually very well documented. there are a lot of building vlogs
“Until now there was actually no duct tape involved in the building of the machine, so I’m happy that I found a place for it.”
Oh man, that is just great.
I think Matthias Wandel has a lot to answer for :-)
(and, having read his comments on G+, it sounds like he’s been inundated since this marble music machine went viral)
It looks like he’s using Matthias’s gear template generator: http://woodgears.ca/gear/index.html
Also, according to youtube, Matthias is subscribed to him :)
Reminds me of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyCIpKAIFyo
Clearly that was the inspiration for this project.
I was just going to say that too – it looks like somebody built the Animusic Pipe Dream in real life! Amazing.
Loved those Animusic contraptions! Can’t believe how old those videos seem now.
man, when I saw those for the first time, all I wanted was to see a real version. Good to see someone took a shot at it.
Intel built a clone several years ago. Not really that impressive though. The lights and sounds are all handled separate from the ball drops. Also, air solenoids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCIkbr9HCcw
OMG, I liked that a lot.
Fairly sure the music was at least in part sequenced; or snare drums are a lot fluffier than I remember.
Those Buildogs just took over my weekend…
If you look at it closer, you’ll see that the snare drum is actually a trigger pad, triggering a synthesizer snaredrum. It does move when a marble hits it, but I think that’s only to make sure that the marbles don’t jump all over the place. I.e. dampening.
If you actually look at it closer (i.e. the video where he shows how that one works), you’ll see that it uses a contact microphone with a bit of post/processing. No triggers anywhere.
The snare-y sound is made using rice. Basmati rice.
Awesome! Makes all other marble machines seem rather pointless. Oh, yes. Pointless IS the point.
In many ways the Wintergatan machine is similar, but simpler, than an old Linotype machine.
Only in the letter drop and return mechanism sans sorting.
Amazing build, and the song’s not half bad either.
+2 for incorporating both Lego and duct tape.
New sound for my car.
Maybe I just missed the obvious but does anyone know what the name/title of the song the machine is playing?
Yes it’s called: “You Must Be An Idiot”. Btw. like for no arduino usage.
http://ci.memecdn.com/936/7633936.jpg
@Edgar Vice
Is that a serious response? It doesn’t sound like one but I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt because the HAD forums are typically where adults go and not the script kiddies and other immature teens who are unable to comment in a mature manner.
> because the HAD forums are typically where adults go
@[Benchoff]
I can just see you lifting the chair back upright and pushing it aside leaving tracks of coffee from the wheels. Looks like you need another keyboard to! … now where’s that mop?
“script kiddies and other immature teens”
Yeah, they forgot to spray this month so we’re seeing more of them lately. The exterminator says they’ll be here next week.
Guess they been keeping him busy. With the millions of Justin Bieber worship sites on the net I can’t understand why they would prefer to hang out here.
Did you check if it sounds like anything off their album?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0_r0SKc2oc&list=PLLLYkE3G1HEBjOwevVnv-x3OxNqjhVp5f&index=1
Well worth a listen either way.
Maybe someone answered this elsewhere — Wintergatan means Milky Way and Sommarfågel means Summer Bird in Swedish*.
*Ärans och hjältarnas språk
“summer bird”, AKA butterfly
Thanks Dan. I’m listening now. Its great upbeat background music for my office.
A cross between a Linotype and an automatic musical instrument from anytime in the last millennium or two.
Coolest thing I have seen in a long time!!!
This is so awesome.
I can’t help but wonder if the timing of the notes and drums is as perfect as the music video suggests…
According to the latest ‘making of’ videos, there are screws in the back of the release mechanism that micro-adjust the moment each of the 22 ball dispensers, so I’d say yes.
Does he remind anyone else of the guy in the windmill in Zelda: Ocarina of TIme?
Yes lol.
They released two new videos earlier today, describing the machine in closer detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uog48viZUbM (part 1; instruments, gearing, programming)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Guq7vZb_E (part 2; marble systems, design oopses etc)
Apparently, the drums are not synthesised/simple triggers; they are contact miked for clean sound, and then post processed/effect filtered. Part two also shows the system they use to tweak the timing, there’s a screw for each ‘note’ that delays the trigger point slightly.
Interesting build.
Oh my goodness… I can’t believe the sheer number of people here who haven’t obsessed over this like I have until now.
Watch for and follow the one black marble. :)
They did a followup video like 6 months back where this song was played on the bell tower of some city and it felt totally justified.
This and WOTE are my current favorite music related youtube thingies atm: https://www.youtube.com/user/walkofftheearth
Uh.. oops. My late night excitement just lead to me necro-thread myself. :)
Seriously though. If you haven’t seen them already, check out WOTE.
Truely a 21st Century, HomeMade One Man Band. With that and a busy street he will never have to get a job. Har har har. He is largely right, philospoically. Thomas said; Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Of course Albert also; Imagination is more important than intelligence. Yup… he jut might be a genius… Or a redneck – but 1 bridge at a time. What do YOU think, Jeff?