We saw so many fantastic pairings of music and visuals at Coachella this past weekend that we’re craving much more than just audio alone. We want to continue to assail our senses, supplementing great sound with awe-inspiring spectacles and tactile experiences. While we love being hyper-stimulated, it’s time to recover from three days spent out in the California sun. The beauty of these five projects is that they utilize unusual instrumentation and innovative interfaces, and can be experienced from the comfort of your living room.Mateusz Zdziebko: Sampled RoomPolish photographer-designer Mateusz Zdziebko shows us how to make music out of all the stuff you’ve probably got lying around your room already. Zdziebko’s not using any fancy newfangled contraptions, but examining new objects as sources of sound feels fresh. And his artfully-edited video sure doesn't hurt either.MrNocturnalassail aka Andrew: GuitArduinoThe GuitArduino provides the perfect introduction to the instrument for those of you who have always dreamed of shredding like a superstar but never knew how. Using Arduino, an open-source platform, this electrical engineering student enhanced a traditional electric guitar by adding in LEDs that light up the spots on the neck where you’re supposed to put your fingers, taking all the guesswork out of learning basic major scales and chords.Matthew Irvine Brown: Music For ShuffleThis program designed by Matthew Irvine Brown takes short, versatile tracks that Brown composed himself, and loops them into varying sequences. His compositions even include the sound that iPods make when skipping a track. The resulting sonic cycle swirls indefinitely, and provides a thoughtful commentary on our jumpy listening habits.Aseem Mishra: Drum Trousers
Seventeen-year-old engineer Aseem Mishra recognized the difficulties in portability that drum kits pose—so he built an entire set into his pants. The system operates out of a small backpack, and recognizes a percussionist's varying taps and slaps to create a dynamic rhythm. Watch this video from BBC News to hear just how authentic Mishra’s virtual drums are.Toshio Iwai: TENORI-ON
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When we caught up with Paola Antonelli, MoMA’s Senior Curator of Architecture and Design, we learned about Toshio Iwai’s TENORI-ON. The device, which consists of several touch-sensitive layers, is founded on the idea of making electronic music a visual experience. When MoMA acquired the instrument in 2009, Iwai told them, "In days gone by, a musical instrument had to have a beauty of shape as well as of sound, and had to fit the player almost organically." Iwai's device has returned to that form.