Ben Grossman’s inaugural Handmade Music meetup

On Monday night, Mr. James Bastow and I headed out on a field trip to Guelph…

to Ben Grossman’s studio.

If you attended TEDxWaterloo this year, you will certainly remember Ben’s (at right above) unforgettable gig on the hurdy gurdy.  I ended up meeting Ben in person at Toronto Maker Faire, where Dave and I were rockin’ Project Loud Monkey out to the crowd, including…

the Wacky Sound Generator.  Ben shot me an email last weekend, inviting me to a meetup at his studio to explore some handmade music.  Awesome!  Having spent many fun years in Guelph for school and work, you don’t have to twist my arm too hard to get me back there.

Ben’s idea is to start a regular meetup for makers that create their own musical instrument (electronic or not) and want to collaborate/hangout with/jam with like-minded makers.

The experience was one of those great social experiments that I *love*.  You don’t know if anyone will show up or what will happen, but you just do it.  Right on, Ben!

It turned out that a lot of people came out…

with their circuit-bent gear…

and spare parts (look! a kit by Rob Cruickshank of Interaccess.  Cool dude!)…

and works…

in progress.

JB worshipped the photo gods rocked his wide-angle…

while I marvelled at this simple contact microphone made from a piezo element and clamped to a hanging sheet of steel.  Awesome!  I guess I’ve been over-complicating contact mikes in my head.

Lots of good conversation, including a chat about these guitar pedals.  A great meetup.  Thanks so much Ben for thinking this up and doing it, and for being a great host.  Looking forward to future meetups.

Coincidentally, Monday is also…

diyode’s open night.  diyode is Guelph’s hackerspace, and we were fortunate to…

get a great tour from James (thanks!), and also see…

the diyode smartphone charging station that will make its debut at the Guelph Hillside Festival this weekend.  Be sure to stop by diyode’s table there and say hello.

Lots of artifacts of hard work building this…

great space.  Well done, makers!

And then the sun set and we headed for home.

Happy making,

DW