Introduction

The Sonic Spider, the world’s first eight-legged musical instrument, is touring Wales this summer.

At each venue there will be a free workshop for interested local musicians to learn to play and inter-act with the spider, with the option of taking part in performances later or the next day.

All levels of experience welcome

In detail

here is a link to the pdf version of the text below
https://littleweed-music.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/The-Sonic-Spider-1.pdf

The Sonic Spider, ‘the world’s first eight legged musical instrument’ is the creation of scientist and science journalist Alun Anderson, musician/designer Charlie Beresford and composer/musician Camilla Saunders.

Its highly successful premiere performance was at the Oxford Science + Ideas Festival in October 2023. The Spider is now available for bookings in 2024. It is an interactive instrument, that attempts to explore the mind of the female orb web spider through sound.For humans, listening to the sounds around us is the closest that we can come to entering the spider’s world of vibrations.

Other musicians have tried to create sounds and music inspired by spiders’ webs, but they have relied on electronic sounds generated by computers. The Sonic Spider is the first to put a spider’s body at the centre, with the entire performance space representing the reach of the web. The goal is to capture more of the spider in her world. Her eight legs are ears, and she can feel the slightest vibration from anywhere in the web.

Orb web spiders see very little, and have to wait for hours for prey to land, so it is as if a human were to lie in a large field throughout an entire night, waiting for something – anything – to happen. It could be the crash when a fly arrives, sending the spider sprinting across the web to bite and paralyze the prey before it escapes. It could be the arrival of a male, with whom she might mate, or whom she might eat, or both. The spider listens for dangerous predators, and to the distinctive sounds of her web swaying in the wind that tell her if it is in good repair. The patient night passes …

2 4 musicians play the spider instrument, and other musicians may interact at different distances away.
Each performance has a brief introduction explaining the concept of the whole project and its underlying science.

The eight legs are made of steel.
Each has piano wire stretched taut along it, and a contact microphone attached.
The strings can be bowed, knocked, plucked.
During intervals between performances, people of all ages can try their hand at playing, explore the accompanying exhibition and chat to the scientist and musicians.

The instrument can be indoors or outside,weather permitting, and performances long or short potentially all night in the summer.
The spider cannot be left unsupervised for health and safety reasons. Depending on available time and space, there is the
possibility of demonstrating how to build a prototype leg. We can also offer an improvising workshop for local musicians who wish to join in playing.

Tech spec: It needs a minimum of 6 square metres, to accommodate both the spider and players.
More space required if incorporating other musicians. We have a simple sound system that can work outside but tech support and speakers etc would be helpful. It takes about an hour to assemble, and a little less to take apart.

The whole instrument packs away into a normal sized car.
Parts are quite heavy so we need to be able to drive onto the site and any help with carrying would be welcom

schedule

Dates and venues:

• Saturday 22nd June, Sunday 23rd.
  • Botanic Garden of Wales – Saturday 22nd June, workshop 11am – 1pm. Performances start at 2pm,
    and continue till about 2pm on Sunday 23rd.
• Thursday 25th July - Friday 26th.
  • Narberth Thursday 25th July
    11am – 1pm,Sonic workshop for local musicians

    2pm – 2.15pm,Performance followed by discussion until 2.45pm
    3pm – 3.15pm.Performance followed by discussion until 3.45pm
    4pm – 4.15pm.Performance followed by discussion until 4.45pm

    Narberth Friday 26thJuly

    10am – 10.15am, Performance followed by discussion until 10.45am
    11am – 11.15am, Performance followed by discussion until 11.45am
    12pm – 12.15pm, Performance followed by discussion until 12.45pm

     

• Friday 2nd August, Satuday and Sunday Moring
  
  • Ty Pawb, Wrexham, Darganfod/Discover science festival, workshop Friday 2nd August, 6pm,
    performances next day and on the Sunday morning
• August 17th and 18th,
  • Hafan yr Afon, Open Newtown, August 17th and 18th, exact timing tbc

Interested? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More information about Sonic Spider at
https://littleweed-music.org/2023/10/the-sonic-spider

Contact

Interested? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More information about Sonic Spider at
https://littleweed-music.org/2023/10/the-sonic-spider

disclaimer

Disclaimer:
None of the individuals or organizations involved in the event posted the event details to this feature. Before heading to the event, please ensure that the information provided, such as the date, time, and location, is correct. To confirm the accuracy of the details, kindly visit the host's website or the event's Facebook page.

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