Kraakdoos
Encyclopedia
The Kraakdoos is a custom made
battery-powered noise
-making electronic device.
It is a small box with six metal contacts on top, which when pressed by fingers will generate all manner of unusual sounds and tones. The human body
becomes a part of the circuit and determines the range of sounds possible — different people will generate different results.
The concept was first conceived by Michel Waisvisz
and Geert Hamelberg in the 1960s, and developed further in the 1970s when Waisvisz joined the STEIM
foundation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The kraakdoos is a simple device, based around a single operational amplifier
(one of the earliest models to be produced) and a few transistors, and can be easily constructed by someone with a basic understanding of electronics.
Custom-made instrument
An experimental musical instrument is a musical instrument that modifies or extends an existing instrument or class of instruments, or defines or creates a new class of instrument. Some are created through simple modifications, such as cracked drum cymbals or metal objects inserted between piano...
battery-powered noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
-making electronic device.
It is a small box with six metal contacts on top, which when pressed by fingers will generate all manner of unusual sounds and tones. The human body
Human body
The human body is the entire structure of a human organism, and consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs.By the time the human reaches adulthood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells, the basic unit of life...
becomes a part of the circuit and determines the range of sounds possible — different people will generate different results.
The concept was first conceived by Michel Waisvisz
Michel Waisvisz
Michel Waisvisz was a Dutch composer, performer and inventor of experimental electronic musical instruments...
and Geert Hamelberg in the 1960s, and developed further in the 1970s when Waisvisz joined the STEIM
STEIM
STEIM is a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Electronic music in STEIM's context is always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician...
foundation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The kraakdoos is a simple device, based around a single operational amplifier
Operational amplifier
An operational amplifier is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output...
(one of the earliest models to be produced) and a few transistors, and can be easily constructed by someone with a basic understanding of electronics.
External links
- DIY Kraakdoos / Crackle Box — contains a schematicSchematicA schematic diagram represents the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic usually omits all details that are not relevant to the information the schematic is intended to convey, and may add unrealistic elements that aid comprehension...
and sound examples. - The CrackleBox — includes a history De Kraakdoos
- STEIM foundation
- Cracklebox Sinfonietta - for 9 crackleboxes, double bass and soprinano saxophone, hommage to Michel Waisvisz
- "Cracklebox" by tombola — a range of sound examples from The Freesound ProjectThe Freesound ProjectThe Freesound Project is a repository of Creative Commons licensed audio samples. Sounds uploaded to the website by its users cover a wide range of subjects, from field recordings to synthesized sound effects. All audio content in the repository is released under the Creative Commons Sampling Plus...