EightNote

EightNote is an interactive musical installation combining magnetic sensor triggers, sound sampling, and dynamic LED visuals. Users place magnetic balls onto a horizontal panel with 8 tracks—similar to a flattened music box. As the panel is manually slid left or right, magnetic sensors underneath detect the ball positions and trigger MIDI messages in sequence. The result is a tactile sequencer where users not only choose what plays, but also how fast and in what order—directly manipulating musical rhythm and motion. Each trigger also activates WS2812 LED effects synchronized with the sound. The experience is playful, intuitive, and performative.

EightNote introduces a novel form of kinetic sequencing. Unlike traditional step sequencers or MIDI pads, it transforms rhythmic composition into a physical gesture: users slide an entire 8-lane panel under fixed magnetic sensors, dynamically controlling both the timing and order of sound triggers. Combined with the intuitive ball-placement interface and synchronized LEDs, it offers a uniquely expressive and visual way to shape electronic music through physical movement. It’s both a musical instrument and a choreography of motion.

At exhibitions, audiences become composers and performers simply by sliding the panel and placing magnetic balls in new positions. Children, musicians, and even non-musicians collaborate spontaneously, shaping intricate rhythms and light patterns. The physicality of motion makes sequencing feel alive—as if spinning a music box, but with total freedom and immediate sonic response. It inspires hands-on musical discovery unlike anything else.