Build a band of portable, virtuosic, futuristic music robots. Create new music for them and a human duo. Tour the world. Rock out.
Help thwart the imminent robot vs. human wars by demonstrating how fun, cool, and sonically interesting it can be when humans and robots combine their powers for good!
Expressive Machines Musical Instruments (EMMI) is comprised of Troy Rogers, Steven Kemper, and Scott Barton. Since 2007, the group has been designing, building, and composing music for robotic musical instruments on a shoestring budget. EAR Duo—Dana Jessen (bassoon) and Michael Straus (sax)—is an incredibly gifted, innovative, and engaging force in new music. The duo is ready to tap into the power and promise of EMMI’s musical robots. EAR Duo is commissioning EMMI to create an ensemble of next generation robotic string and wind instruments for a series of upcoming performances across the US and Europe.
The current state of musical robotics resembles that of electronic music 50 years ago. Robotic instruments are poised to explode forth from research institutions onto the larger musical scene, creating new genres and transforming existing ones.
But, as in the era of modular synths created by people like Buchla and Moog, it's going to take extraordinary machines—both in terms of design and sound—to instigate such a revolutionary transformation. It’s clear that these machines must be designed by musicians, for musicians.
We're ready to start the party, but we need your help!
$7000 is the absolute minimum amount we need to raise to make this happen. So give what you can, tell all your friends, and join us in this endeavor.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
127
Backers
$8,165
pledged of $7,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Nov 30, 2010 -
Jan 3, 2011
- First created · 1 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: expressivemachines.org
Pledge $5 or more
7 backers
Exclusive web updates, backer credit on the EMMI and EAR Duo web sites, and unending gratitude from us and the robots.
Pledge $10 or more
16 backers
Exclusive audio/video downloads of recordings from our upcoming tours. Plus web backer credit and eternal human/machine gratitude.
Pledge $25 or more
37 backers
Signed, limited edition CD featuring live tracks from the tour and a thank you note, plus a spare laser-cut acrylic part—your own little piece of music robot history! Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $50 or more
17 backers
Cool commemorative T-shirt featuring graphic of the robots you’ll have helped create! Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $75 or more
7 backers
Super geek poster featuring schematics, functional diagram, photo of the new robots, and more, signed by us. Backer credit on the T-shirt. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $82 or more
2 backers Limited (1 of 3 left)
A copy of the "Agents against agency" DVD from EcoSono (see update #7), signed by EMMI co-founders Troy, Scott, and Steve. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $100 or more
20 backers
Tour DVD with performances & behind the scenes footage. Backer credit on the prototype—your name or a name of your choosing, laser-engraved into MARIE 1 (the closest you can get to having a robot lovingly tattoo your name on his/her ass!). Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $150 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
1-hour long bassoon & improvisation lesson with Dana Jessen via Skype. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $150 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
1-hour long saxophone/electronics/art of touring lesson with Michael Straus via Skype. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $150 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
1-hour long composition/musical robotics lesson or consulting session with Scott Barton via Skype. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $150 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
1-hour long composition/musical robotics lesson or consulting session with Steven Kemper via Skype. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $150 or more
1 backer All gone!
1-hour long composition/musical robotics lesson or consulting session with Troy Rogers via Skype.
Pledge $300 or more
1 backer
Personalized, 1-hour performance/demo/Q&A session with EMMI and/or EAR Duo and a selection of our robots via Skype. Great for anyone! Fun and educational for your child's class, scout group, or birthday party. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $500 or more
1 backer
EAR Duo + the robots will perform an exclusive musical work for you over Skype or dedicated to you on YouTube or via Skype. A signed DVD of this work sent to you. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers
Robot dedication. An arrangement of your requested song for the robots, posted on YouTube and dedicated to you. A signed DVD of the arrangement sent to you. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $2,000 or more
0 backers
Robot love ballad. We'll compose a piece for you, and the robots will perform it for you via Skype and/or YouTube. You'll get a signed DVD of the work and commissioning credit in concert programs whenever the robots perform your piece. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $6,000 or more
0 backers
Robot + EAR Duo performance at your wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, birthday party, funeral, or other event. Limited to locations within 1000 miles driving distance of Charlottesville, Virginia. Plus all previous incentives.
Pledge $7,000 or more
0 backers
Let's talk!
