Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
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.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
