Image scanning sequencer excites our ears, leaves blank looks on our faces

Be warned: what you're about to see, hear and experience should you venture down beyond the break is exceptionally odd. Like, bordering on creepy. It's not so much the machine that's eerie -- after all, it's just a home built image scanning sequencer that uses LDRs to measure grey-scales and trigger MIDI notes from a selected threshold -- it's the audio we're concerned about. We're talking funeral tunes at their finest, which is honestly a bit heavy at this point in the morning. Those who can take it know where to head.

[Via MAKE]

Image Scan Sequencer from Gijs on Vimeo.

[Joe @ Aug 5th 2008 8:17AM]

Oh wow. I'm not exactly sure on how to respond to this.

[theNONjay @ Aug 5th 2008 8:20AM]

then don't....
cool device, creepy music...

[Bill Jobs @ Aug 5th 2008 9:25AM]

I'm scared!

[Jack C @ Aug 5th 2008 10:50AM]

Isn't this Transylvania's music? I think it is!

[wodheila @ Aug 5th 2008 8:20AM]

I wonder what the sounds would be if he ran scanned images of the presidential candidates theough it?

[neofolklore @ Aug 5th 2008 8:22AM]

i almost thought that, but I was thinking Transylvania music for Bush

[neofolklore @ Aug 5th 2008 8:21AM]

There really IS a hidden message woven into the fiber!

[adam.plante @ Aug 5th 2008 11:17AM]

no there isent. That movie was aweful.

[Tony @ Aug 5th 2008 10:45AM]

I've read the post, seen the video... i still don't get it.

WHY WOULD YOU MAKE THAT THING?

[Metkis @ Aug 5th 2008 8:24AM]

Is that the boss music from a Castlevania game? :3

[nak @ Aug 5th 2008 3:33PM]

That's the first thing I thought

[fredbblakemore @ Aug 5th 2008 8:25AM]

Castlevania 17: Tone-Deaf Tards

[idiM @ Aug 6th 2008 2:00PM]

That's what you get from sequencing toilet paper...

[Mikey @ Aug 5th 2008 8:27AM]

I want one.

[Cassini @ Aug 5th 2008 8:28AM]

Those are some weird random tunes, but it's not *that* bad. I suppose it might be fitting for some creepy, short movie scene or something, but I wouldn't let it get to you too much.

The tech is what's cool here, as simple as it might seem. There's a lot that could be done with this musically, especially if the instrument sound could be modified (and why couldn't it?).

[M @ Aug 5th 2008 1:04PM]

I agree. Overall it was worth a watch

[Wwhat @ Aug 6th 2008 2:26AM]

Someone could just write a script to scan a jpg and output the rgb to sound easily, seems like a quicker way to do this.
In fact someone could write it in PHP and put it on a website, if they didn't already.

[霽月瀛台 @ Aug 6th 2008 1:05AM]

Wow!
mechanized electric guitar player

[Allister @ Aug 5th 2008 8:38AM]

Sooo....

He no-doubt used a custom digital program/script to make the music sheet, then converted it to an analogue print job, then used a light sensors and a muxer to turn that back into a digital signal, then converted that digital signal into analogue music?

It's the new CD!

[SQLGuru @ Aug 11th 2008 7:17AM]

Next, they'll be talking about Analog Rights Management and how to keep people from photocopying music......

[avester @ Aug 5th 2008 8:39AM]

Listening to music tracks backwards is so 70's, putting the record covers into an image scanning sequencer is [i]so[/i] in.

[Elora HRanma @ Aug 5th 2008 8:41AM]

When he uses his fingers to cast 'music' it sounds great. Like, Rick Dangerous great!

The other part, well, he could have gone for something nicer, like the Solstice's soundtrack. And I hope he uses the back of all that paper for something more productive.

[rhyoung3 @ Mar 19th 2009 3:52PM]

ROFLMAO! It's amazing that someone would spend so much time to make such stupid, creepy music.

[G Johnson @ Aug 5th 2008 9:09AM]

Player piano. Aurora.

The selection of the pipe organ timbre could have been a drum kit or other instruments. What is this deep association of any organ sounds with creepiness? Didn't you people go roller skating fifty years ago? Don't you ever watch Lawrence Welk? Waitaminute. Uh, right, creepy.

[minjae Cho @ Aug 5th 2008 9:17AM]

omg I want one of those!

[James @ Aug 5th 2008 9:36AM]

I preferred the happy finger-music.

[Layne @ Aug 5th 2008 9:28AM]

Next thing you know, they'll be talking about Analog Rights Management to keep people from photocopying music.....

[Alex @ Aug 5th 2008 9:36AM]

It's useful to know how to compose music before making one of these.

[giuliop @ Aug 5th 2008 10:02AM]

A perfect instrument for Dalis Car's Cornwall Stone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ2TQc-wwbw

[vonbroner @ Aug 5th 2008 10:15AM]

All I could think of was the end scene in Revenge of the Nerds when they're on stage playing their instruments. Mood-wise it sounded like the computer from WarGames crashing.

[egloskerry @ Aug 5th 2008 10:27AM]

But can it do the ultimate song? Boston's "More Than A Feeling?"

[Steven @ Aug 5th 2008 10:35AM]

Well that was quite odd.

[qwert @ Aug 5th 2008 10:50AM]

these arent funeral tunes. much much to fast and happy for that.

If you want slow and "uncofortable" music, try looking for drone, drone doom or funeral doom on lastfm.
Thats creepy stuff.

But i really like that "instrument". Very cool thing.
I totally want to have that (and the skills to make music).

qwert

[Eddy Alvarez @ Aug 5th 2008 11:20AM]

MAN!
these beats are so FRESH!
SNAP!

[PuBeLeSs @ Aug 5th 2008 11:33AM]

must see more

[Walt_Mink @ Aug 5th 2008 11:34AM]

Whoa! Did anyone else expect Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas to come skating out in their storm trooper costumes?

[nosaj @ Aug 5th 2008 11:37AM]

Reminds me of Close Encounters of the Third Kind...

[Yevon @ Aug 5th 2008 12:20PM]

At the present stage, it's a bit dull.

Needs more cowbell.

[SilentDude56k @ Aug 5th 2008 12:34PM]

Indeed, it does need more cowbell.

Very good idea. Might actually build one of these and put random pictures under it, heh.

[Cassini @ Aug 5th 2008 3:22PM]

Guess what? I got a feevuh! And the only prescription, is more... I mean, yeah, I agree with you.

[Demikura @ Aug 5th 2008 12:27PM]

It was an ordinary day for the engadget frequenters. Everything seemed to be in order except for one topic, one story. For those brave enough to 'read more', they were about to take a creepy and surreal trip into... the Twilight Zone.

[Demikura @ Aug 5th 2008 12:28PM]

It was an ordinary day for the engadget frequenters. Everything seemed to be in order except for one topic, one story. For those brave enough to 'read more', they were about to take a creepy and surreal trip into... the Twilight Zone

[HeHaw @ Aug 5th 2008 12:46PM]

When playing with his fingers, it was clear he had an arppegiator hooked up. I'm not sure about when he was scanning the images, but I'm guessing it was still running the arpp. Would be interesting if he made it so the notes sustained with constant images and poly pressure for light and darkness of those constant images and individual notes.

[Steve @ Aug 5th 2008 1:34PM]

I was half expecting to be Rickrolled

[Cassini @ Aug 5th 2008 3:02PM]

Why on earth would you think anyone would do that?

Oh, btw, have you seen the second video of this Image Scan Sequencer? Talk about it putting out weird music! Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

[rlc:tk @ Aug 5th 2008 8:33PM]

OH SNAP!

[Gervin @ Aug 5th 2008 5:38PM]

This was stupid. Utterly.

[Sylvain @ Aug 5th 2008 2:59PM]

For some reason I want to drink beer and play hockey in an insane asylum.

[granny down east @ Aug 5th 2008 3:02PM]

Listening to what you see?
Synesthesia at its finest.

[egloskerry @ Aug 5th 2008 4:25PM]

But can it do the ultimate song? Boston's "More Than A Feeling?"