Touching the Collection

Please come and touch the objects in this room. Most of the metal elements here trigger a sound; feel free to pick up the tools and move them around to change harmony and create gestures.

Partly inspired by the looping turntablism of Philip Jeck and Janek Schaefer, massively inspired by the collection of instruments at St Cecilia’s Hall, Touching the Collectionoffers you a direct interface to the sample library we have created from baroque flutes, lutes, guitars, horns, keyboards and a sideless violin.

The project leverages various machine learning systems to give changing and dynamic access to hear instruments that would otherwise be completely inaccessible as they are simply too old or fragile to touch.

The assemblage of gilded, Baroque-like debris and work-a-day tools, crafted by sculptor Henry Martin, reminds us that musical instruments are tools too. Similarly, AI and computer software are merely tools without intentions, they need human touch and agency to craft their purpose.

Credits The sounds in the collection sound archive were performed by: Dr Richard Craig (flutes); Dr Jenny Nex (sideless violin and some keyboards); Eric Thomas (lute and decacord); Marlowe Parker and Calum Campbell (keyboards); Andy Saunders (horns).

Huge thanks to the team at St Cecilia’s Hall for their generosity in enabling access to the collection, for sharing their insights and for maintaining these incredible, rare instruments for future generations.

Sincere gratitude to the project’s funders, Arts and Humanities Research Council and BRAID UK (Bridging Responsible AI Divides)

We welcome comments about this project and would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please sign the visitor’s book.