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Live Band Uses Wii Remote Instruments

The one-man band Jazari utilizes complex software and two Wii remotes to craft some remarkable music.

Patrick Flanagan is the designer and musician behind Jazari, an experimental band with a unique Latin- and African-inspired vibe. The music, in its final form, sounds most like the product of a multi-person drum circle, but most of the band's music is created through the interface of two simple Wii remotes.

Flanagan designed a complex software program that reads his inputs from the Wii remotes, and translates them into music played on live instruments. The remote connects up to his laptop. The laptop speaks to an electromagnet. The electromagnet signals a rod that strikes the drum or other instrument. Most of Jazari's music combines the use of drums like the djembe and bongo, but the band is expanding its repertoire to include other instruments.

National Public Radio has a fascinating interview with Flanagan about the process behind his unique musical creation, but you can get a taste of the band's sound below. The first video reveals the process behind Flanagan's music, including details about how exactly he manipulates the remote. The second video is one of his compositions.

 

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Comments
  • This is pretty wild! I like percussion music, and this is pretty good percussion music!

    I'm actually wondering how he wrote this program, personally.

  • or you could just actually hit the drums, because, you know, they're right there next to you

  • The best thing to come out of grabbing a Wiimote since breaking your TV.

  • hmmmm now thts just wierd.....but i guess its pretty cool

  • That's weird,  I've seen a video where a guy uses the tech in a wii mote to make his computer a touch screen.

  • I love when people take technology and use it in a creative unexpected way. It's an amazing time we live in.

  • It will be interesting if people start using video game systems to make real instruments make music for video games.

  • This guy clearly knows his tech, that was very cool.  

  • All of these *** rock band and guitar hero games ruin music.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIII LOVE TECHNOLOGY.  BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT AS MUCH AS YOU, YOU SEE? ALWAYS AND FOREVER.  ALWAYS AND FOREVER.

  • wow who knew a wiimote could be used to create music