Over the past few years, a wealth of designers have produced new musical instruments from unexpected objects—from touch-sensitive t-shirts to spandex panels wrapped around an architectural-scale frame and a custom suit rigged to the Brooklyn Bridge.
Sound artist and designer Yuri Suzuki has designed some of the most interesting new instruments, using doorbells and robotics to make music. For his latest project, he looked to an office staple—sticky notes—to create the AR Music Kit app.
The app, which was launched during Google I/O, uses the camera on your smartphone to read codes on the paper notes and translate them into an audible note. To build one of these virtual instruments, all you have to do is print out the codes, cut them out, and stick them to a surface. A video demo shows how they can be used to make a guitar, piano, or music box:
"This has fantastic potential in developing do-it-yourself culture, empowering people to explore, create, and take control of their own musical experiences," the video's narrator states. What makes the AR Music Kit especially interesting is how low of a barrier to entry the app has—there's no need to purchase any special gadgets or materials to make the instrument, and the app is free. It's a perfect activity for budding musicians—and for bored desk jockeys, yet another way to make use of spare office supplies.
You can download the AR Music Kit from the Google app store.
All Images: via Yuri Suzuki