Craft-Focused Electronic Musical Instrument Building: Exploring DIY Textiles and Hybrid Craft Techniques in Sound Arts Practice

The aim of this practice-led research was to explore the concept of a craft focused electronic musical instrument building practice, prioritising textile handcraft materials, techniques and aesthetics in the process of creating new electronic musical instruments and sound artwork. A range of DIY textile crafts and hybrid craft techniques (such as knitting, embroidery and pompom making, often with electronic textile materials) were used to create novel and alternatively designed ideas, working with other colours, textures, forms, methods of construction and means of performance. Craft led the design, utilising the properties of the materials and craft processes to explore unconventional design concepts, such as round, soft and colourful objects. A portfolio of fourteen projects, including electronic musical instruments, interfaces, installations and sound art objects were made. Crafted forms were made to house the technology, as well as using many different techniques to construct the tactile instruments and interfaces in their entirety. The practice of building electronic musical instruments was reframed with a craft-focused lens, with ideas not usually considered whilst instrument building, broadening the potential toolkit for others in the practice. Each project was unique with regards to material, method of construction or method of performance, offering many novel artistic and technical design concepts. The projects were created with craftivist intent, suggesting craft’s potential to democratise and address current cultural, socio-political, socio-economic and environmental issues in creative music technology practices. The work was presented and shared with different audiences, mostly happening in community and grassroots settings, exposing new audiences to themes related to the sonic arts through craft-focused ideas. The documentation of this practice-led research offers an original contribution to knowledge, adding to the discourse on electronic musical instrument building and hybrid crafting in sonic arts practice.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

PhD

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

De Montfort University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Topley, Samantha Jane

Licence

• https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstreams/00309d4d-0c29-43ca-ac35-75728315e3dc/download