The art of making objects sing. | Erich Netherton | TEDxPeachtree

so what are these things what do you see

so what are these things what do you see here this looks like those shelves you

here this looks like those shelves you

here this looks like those shelves you were making this part of that project

were making this part of that project

were making this part of that project that was supposed to take six hours and

that was supposed to take six hours and

that was supposed to take six hours and six months later it’s still unfinished

six months later it’s still unfinished

six months later it’s still unfinished and sitting in the corner these

and sitting in the corner these

and sitting in the corner these leftovers from that honey do list you

leftovers from that honey do list you

leftovers from that honey do list you had but personally when I see these

had but personally when I see these

had but personally when I see these things I don’t see projects like that in

things I don’t see projects like that in

things I don’t see projects like that in fact I don’t see anything at all I hear

fact I don’t see anything at all I hear

fact I don’t see anything at all I hear but I’m jumping ahead I’m a sound

but I’m jumping ahead I’m a sound

but I’m jumping ahead I’m a sound designer I create and manipulate audio

designer I create and manipulate audio

designer I create and manipulate audio for commercials film TV video games plus

for commercials film TV video games plus

for commercials film TV video games plus I’m a percussionist now I know that

I’m a percussionist now I know that

I’m a percussionist now I know that makes me incredibly noisy and I’m sure I

makes me incredibly noisy and I’m sure I

makes me incredibly noisy and I’m sure I Drive those closest to me nuts

Drive those closest to me nuts

Drive those closest to me nuts with the constant tapping and all the

with the constant tapping and all the

with the constant tapping and all the times I have to ever to be real quiet so

times I have to ever to be real quiet so

times I have to ever to be real quiet so I can record some mechanical whirr or

I can record some mechanical whirr or

I can record some mechanical whirr or buzz that I happen to find interesting

buzz that I happen to find interesting

buzz that I happen to find interesting but selfishly I know this is a beautiful

but selfishly I know this is a beautiful

but selfishly I know this is a beautiful union of disciplines as a sound designer

union of disciplines as a sound designer

union of disciplines as a sound designer I’m in a constant pursuit of new sounds

I’m in a constant pursuit of new sounds

I’m in a constant pursuit of new sounds I carry a recorder with me wherever I go

I carry a recorder with me wherever I go

I carry a recorder with me wherever I go whether I’m riding the train riding in a

whether I’m riding the train riding in a

whether I’m riding the train riding in a car you know when you travel you sample

car you know when you travel you sample

car you know when you travel you sample the local fare and take in the sights me

the local fare and take in the sights me

the local fare and take in the sights me I do the same things but I also sample

I do the same things but I also sample

I do the same things but I also sample the local sounds of the city I’m in and

the local sounds of the city I’m in and

the local sounds of the city I’m in and then head to the beach and catch some

then head to the beach and catch some

then head to the beach and catch some waves with my microphones but one of my

waves with my microphones but one of my

waves with my microphones but one of my favorite places to hunt for sounds is

favorite places to hunt for sounds is

favorite places to hunt for sounds is the Home Depot now what I’m about to

the Home Depot now what I’m about to

the Home Depot now what I’m about to tell you is a warning never ever go with

tell you is a warning never ever go with

tell you is a warning never ever go with me to a hardware store

me to a hardware store

me to a hardware store unless you don’t mind listening to

unless you don’t mind listening to

unless you don’t mind listening to someone tap on everything seriously I’ll

someone tap on everything seriously I’ll

someone tap on everything seriously I’ll go into the pain aisle and tap on every

go into the pain aisle and tap on every

go into the pain aisle and tap on every paint can creating little paint can

paint can creating little paint can

paint can creating little paint can melodies like this latex paint that

melodies like this latex paint that

melodies like this latex paint that sounds pretty cool

sounds pretty cool

sounds pretty cool not only that it’s fast drying it’s

not only that it’s fast drying it’s

not only that it’s fast drying it’s indoor and it’s durable enough for

indoor and it’s durable enough for

indoor and it’s durable enough for outdoor and it’s ideal for wood metal

outdoor and it’s ideal for wood metal

outdoor and it’s ideal for wood metal jazz and blues and then you have these

jazz and blues and then you have these

jazz and blues and then you have these little cans of stain that sounds even

little cans of stain that sounds even

little cans of stain that sounds even cooler and thick but the difference yes

cooler and thick but the difference yes

cooler and thick but the difference yes the cans smaller but the consistency of

the cans smaller but the consistency of

the cans smaller but the consistency of the stain is thinner so I’m able to

the stain is thinner so I’m able to

the stain is thinner so I’m able to change the pitch more quickly then that

change the pitch more quickly then that

change the pitch more quickly then that lumbering latex over there

lumbering latex over there

lumbering latex over there lumber that’s another great aisle to

lumber that’s another great aisle to

lumber that’s another great aisle to prowl let’s take a listen to some of

prowl let’s take a listen to some of

prowl let’s take a listen to some of this wood that sounds amazing there’s

this wood that sounds amazing there’s

this wood that sounds amazing there’s nothing special about this wood

nothing special about this wood

nothing special about this wood [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] these two pieces I bought about a month

these two pieces I bought about a month

these two pieces I bought about a month ago prepping for this talk these three

ago prepping for this talk these three

ago prepping for this talk these three were one piece a week and a half ago and

were one piece a week and a half ago and

were one piece a week and a half ago and I made two random cuts and then you have

I made two random cuts and then you have

I made two random cuts and then you have the hardware aisle with the little

the hardware aisle with the little

the hardware aisle with the little pieces of metal the nails and screws

pieces of metal the nails and screws

pieces of metal the nails and screws nails in a plastic container the perfect

nails in a plastic container the perfect

nails in a plastic container the perfect shaker

shaker

shaker I was playing all these individual

I was playing all these individual

I was playing all these individual components and it struck me what if I

components and it struck me what if I

components and it struck me what if I put them together and that idea led to

put them together and that idea led to

put them together and that idea led to this what is it it’s a percussion

this what is it it’s a percussion

this what is it it’s a percussion instrument I created called the nether

instrument I created called the nether

instrument I created called the nether box everything to make the nether box

box everything to make the nether box

box everything to make the nether box came from Home Depot it’s red oak that I

came from Home Depot it’s red oak that I

came from Home Depot it’s red oak that I made into a box mounted threaded rods

made into a box mounted threaded rods

made into a box mounted threaded rods and Springs across the top the threaded

and Springs across the top the threaded

and Springs across the top the threaded rods come in long links and I cut them

rods come in long links and I cut them

rods come in long links and I cut them to different sizes to achieve different

to different sizes to achieve different

to different sizes to achieve different pitches the springs are stretched across

pitches the springs are stretched across

pitches the springs are stretched across the top and vibrate sympathetically to

the top and vibrate sympathetically to

the top and vibrate sympathetically to the strikes on the rods some rods are

the strikes on the rods some rods are

the strikes on the rods some rods are high pitched and some like my personal

high pitched and some like my personal

high pitched and some like my personal favorite which I have nicknamed the god

favorite which I have nicknamed the god

favorite which I have nicknamed the god note are low

one more time I find it amazing that a

one more time I find it amazing that a threaded rod bought at Home Depot

threaded rod bought at Home Depot

threaded rod bought at Home Depot mounted on this red oak box that I

mounted on this red oak box that I

mounted on this red oak box that I created can produce such low frequencies

created can produce such low frequencies

created can produce such low frequencies that literally shakes this room I don’t

that literally shakes this room I don’t

that literally shakes this room I don’t know about you but when I hear and feel

know about you but when I hear and feel

know about you but when I hear and feel this that makes me smile now I can

this that makes me smile now I can

this that makes me smile now I can change the timbre of the box depending

change the timbre of the box depending

change the timbre of the box depending on what kind of striker or stick I use a

on what kind of striker or stick I use a

on what kind of striker or stick I use a soft mallet or when I play in the nether

soft mallet or when I play in the nether

soft mallet or when I play in the nether box my stick a choice the bamboo skewer

box my stick a choice the bamboo skewer

box my stick a choice the bamboo skewer I can use my fingers I can even use my

I can use my fingers I can even use my

I can use my fingers I can even use my fingernails the springs act as

fingernails the springs act as

fingernails the springs act as resonators and help sustain the notes on

resonators and help sustain the notes on

resonators and help sustain the notes on the box or I can just hit them this is a

the box or I can just hit them this is a

the box or I can just hit them this is a percussionist Rin right so what do I do

percussionist Rin right so what do I do

percussionist Rin right so what do I do with the nether box well I make music

with the nether box well I make music

with the nether box well I make music and sounds with it sometimes those

and sounds with it sometimes those

and sounds with it sometimes those sounds are soft and chiming

and other times they’re downright

and other times they’re downright demonic

the nether box has a seemingly infinite

the nether box has a seemingly infinite range of tones and sounds that you can

range of tones and sounds that you can

range of tones and sounds that you can make from a depending on how you play it

make from a depending on how you play it

make from a depending on how you play it and what you choose to play it with

and what you choose to play it with

and what you choose to play it with sometimes it can remind you of another

sometimes it can remind you of another

sometimes it can remind you of another instrument but it truly has a unique

instrument but it truly has a unique

instrument but it truly has a unique voice all its own

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]