This Instrument Uses Magnets to Create Unpredictable Electronic Music

If you’ve ever considered what the force of magnets sound like, Stacco has the answer. This innovative instrument turns magnetic attraction and repulsion into a matrix of electronic sounds that’s as unpredictable as it would seem.

At its core, the innovative device utilizes an interface embedded with magnetometers to attract and repel magnetic spheres, turning their movements into sound. As these spheres dance and shift across the instrument’s surface, Stacco captures the changes in magnetic fields before translating them into audible form.

What sets Stacco apart is its ability to merge human creativity with the spontaneous nature of magnetic interactions. It allows for a balance of user control while maintaining the understandably unexpected outcomes that come from fluctuating magnetic forces. 

Moreover, Stacco has been designed to work hand-in-hand with neural synthesis models. By navigating through its intricate control parameters, musicians can explore a vast range of sonic spaces, allowing them to create music that varies between structured and entirely exploratory. To inform the users’ musical journey using the device, it comes with graphical scores, which function as a map to the potential sounds the neural synthesizer can produce. 

In a recent performance titled “Magnetologues” at Zurich’s Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology, two Stacco instruments were used to showcase their versatility in a live setting. The result was a performance that offers a stereo-rendered glimpse into the infinite possibilities of the device’s sound. Whether it’s creating sharp, distorted tones or long, drawn-out waves, Stacco proves that music isn’t just about notes and rhythms—sometimes, it’s about harnessing the unseen forces of nature to push the boundaries of creativity.

Check out a demonstration of the instrument below, courtesy of Giacomo Lepri’s YouTube channel.