Accrocco Description

The Accrocco is a unique wooden sculpture created in 2015, designed as an experimental musical instrument. Its structure and functionality combine acoustic principles with artistic creativity, resulting in a versatile and intriguing sound source.

Structure

• Base Materials: The sculpture is primarily constructed from wood and plastic.
• Core Design: Two large wooden panels are held together by two rectangular wooden poles, forming a stable framework.
• Bridge: A flexible plastic strip is mounted between the two poles in a V-shaped configuration. This plastic strip serves as the bridge where the strings are attached on one side.

Strings and Vibrations

• The Accrocco features three strings stretched across the structure.
• A pickup is mounted to capture the vibrations of the strings, allowing their sound to be amplified or processed.
• The flexibility of the plastic strip creates a dynamic interaction with the strings. When plucked, the strings' vibrations cause the bridge to bend, producing a momentary fluctuation in their frequency. This adds a unique modulation effect to the sound, making the instrument capable of generating complex and evolving tones.

Sound Characteristics

The combination of string vibrations and the bending bridge introduces rich, unpredictable harmonic textures. The resulting sounds are both organic and mechanically intriguing, offering a wide spectrum of sonic possibilities.

AccroccoSonic Project

The AccroccoSonic project combines art, engineering, and music to create an innovative and interactive sound sculpture. Building on the unique design of the original Accrocco sculpture, which features strings mounted on a flexible plastic bridge to generate intriguing vibrations, this project aims to enhance its sonic capabilities through advanced technology.

The goal of AccroccoSonic is to transform the Accrocco into an active sound instrument capable of:

• Processing its pickup signal using spectral manipulation techniques (FFT and IFFT).
• Amplifying and reinjecting the processed signal into the structure using actuators to produce rich, evolving soundscapes.
• Project the Sound onto one Sounding Canvas.
• Creating a self-contained system powered by a Raspberry Pi and HiFiBerry Amp 2, ensuring portability and ease of use.

We already used the Accrocco in the past to create a unique performance that we called FeedBack Ballet. We strongly suggest you to check it out !

First Experiments

The project is still under development but the first experiments are very intriguing and encouraging, check the video below in which the sound of the Accrocco is processed and emitted by one of the Sounding Canvases.