The Motorgan Produces Terrifying Sounds with Tiny Electric Motors

Hackster Staff
Aug 22, 2017 · 2 min read

Moscow-based artist Dmitry Morozov, aka :vtol::, is at it again with his latest interactive installation — a device that morphs three electric motors into a musical device reminiscent of a pipe organ. Instead of compressed air as the sound source, his electromagnetic/electromechanical instrument uses three rows of keyboards to control two small PC cooling fans and a tiny gearmotor.

The Motorgan is based on three differently sized DC motors. The speed of each motor is controlled by voltage changes via a touch keyboard with 24 keys. (📷: ::vtol::)

The electromagnetic fields produced by each of these motors is sensed by a single coil guitar pickup, and turned into music with the help of an Arduino Mega. Depending on the sound needed, notes can be tuned with a potentiometer.

The Motorgan’s keyboard is split into three parts, one for each motor. (📷: ::vtol::)

While you might think that small motors would mean small noise, the aptly named “Motorgan,” sounds quite terrifying, almost as if large car engine is producing them.

Be sure to check it out in the video seen here, and if it’s not strange enough to begin with, fast forward to just after 4:00, where the output is modified via an effects pedal!

Hackster Blog

Hackster.io, an Avnet community, is the world’s largest network for hardware & software developers. With 1 million members and 17,000+ projects, beginners and professionals can learn and share how to build robotics, industrial automation systems, AI-powered machines, and more.

)

Hackster Staff

Written by

Hackster Blog

Hackster.io, an Avnet community, is the world’s largest network for hardware & software developers. With 1 million members and 17,000+ projects, beginners and professionals can learn and share how to build robotics, industrial automation systems, AI-powered machines, and more.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade