Reel to Wheel: Bicylces and reel-to-reel tape machines

Reel to Wheel is an interesting project by Sasha Leitman, Steven Backer, Jesse Fox, and Jen Carlile.

Reel to Wheel currently includes two main instruments, Hank’s Wild Ride (two bikes facing in opposite directions and connected by a gear box) and The Looping Peal which was shown at the Maker Faire last weekend.

Drawing sketch of The Looping Pedal

The Looping Pedal, rotates two sections of 1/4” audio tape over two tape heads. This is a loop in the most literal sense. The instrument can make a typical “scratching” sound by pushing the wheel back and forth or it can create a different timbre by spinning the wheel freely. In addition to the “traditional” scratching gesture, the left wheel can also be rotated using the attached pedal. The result is a sound that builds on the sound of turntable scratching while adding other sonic possibilities.

Check here for an image of the real thing.

More information about projects shown at the Maker Faire can be found at CDM. Also check the Maker Faire 2007 Flickr set for a visual impression of the faire.

Link via CDM