The Demon Box

The Demon Box is an instrument that turns EMF into streams of signal and customized MIDI data that can be used in a spatialized way, to turn the incredibly dynamic world of magnetism into a source of sound exploration and music creation. Its design is inspired by investigations in quantum physics and the dynamics of visualizing multi-dimentional phenomena such as EMF, in a way that is unique, powerful, and nearly infinite. Our goal is to bridge the gap between science and music, to turn the forces that made the electric guitar and MIDI possible into an instrument for the 21st century.

The Demon Box uses an enmeshed configuration of 33 inductors in three triangular channels of 11 inductors. They are arranged in 3 triangular arrays that translate the electromagnetic resonances of innumerable objects and devices into three spatialized channels. The result is high quality multi-dimensional audio that is then sent out via MIDI CC and note data, as well as cv and 5 channels of audio—all simultaneously. We use analog sensors to translate the spatial and phase dynamics of the 3 channels into a wildly diverse MIDI environment. We also use odd numbers in all our coding to create both a unique signature sound and to cause users to utilize other instruments in new ways in relation to the Demon Box.

The three channels allow you to sculpt and navigate with panning, phasing, and effects layering, making a more synaesthetic triphonic-feeling-sound. Each of the three channels can be modified with one dedicated aux in, with controls that allow the music maker to mix aux in and inductors independently for each channel that are also converted into midi data. Using a proprietary system of inductors to translate EMF into sound, you can blend it with external inputs and then play a whole host of MIDI synths in ways not possible before.

The Demon Box is also not exclusively a sonic instrument. We’ve been using its interface array of inductors to great effect in video synthesis DMX lighting and in coding projects in softwares like Max, Jitter and Touch Designer.

The demon box was originally conceived as a sonic instrument, but we have found that by creating the custom Midi expressions from an analog input we’ve been able to have many applications in the visual fields that blend visuals and sound in a synesthetic way. Upon its discovery, we’ve leaned into this potential and have found people using our instrument for primarily visual purposes. This was very unexpected, but seeing its potential, we have been putting a large amount of our efforts into bridging the gaps between analog, digital, sonic and visual–so they can all connect and work together towards new audio-visual music and experiences. There are also accessibility applications to this: people with hearing impairments can see music, and people who are visually impaired can play our instrument easily due to the tactile nature of our design.
EMF is all around us, and its patterns and fields are multidimensional oscillators that can be used for new approaches to music. EMF fluctuates based on temperature. It’s a living thing, and everything is connected with it. The whole history of the earth has been in the canopy of its protective shade, keeping dangerous radiation at bay. The power and magnitude of EMF as a natural phenomena is something so wild. The music is already there, and you can hear it when you put a Demon Box next to fluorescent lighting or a TV or a cell phone. The sounds you hear are the heartbeats of a most dynamic and powerful phenomena. This instrument lets us listen to the inherent music of the universe in new ways and expand our understanding of what is natural.