Alexander Mihalič and Teresa Rosenberg, co-founders of Alter Instruments, answer our questions about augmented instruments.
Initially published in La Lettre du Musicien, 13 November 2024.
What is an augmented instrument?
AM: Musicians have always sought to improve acoustic performance, expressive possibilities and instrument ergonomics.
The addition of keys to wind instruments, the introduction of the pianoforte, and the electrification of guitars, perfectly illustrate this quest for innovation.
It's only natural that modern musicians should use all the technological means of our era to push back the limits of musical expression on their instrument.
The term augmented instrument refers to the addition of extensions - physical or digital - to a standardized instrument in order to broaden its sonic possibilities.
How can you augment your instrument?
TR: Two solutions are available to the performer: either realize the augmentation yourself, using sensors, interfaces and specialized software. Or you can call in a luthier. As such, we have developed a turnkey, non-invasive instrument augmentation extension for any acoustic instrument – the Sampo.
The Sampo allows musicians to transform and enrich the sound of their instrument with delays, echoes, transpositions, loops and other sound effects. The musician uses continuous control pedals to modulate the instrument's timbre in real time.
The Sampo requires no additional hardware or software. Presented in a wooden case integrating all electronics from microphone to loudspeakers, it also allows you to record and share works.
In creating the Sampo, our aim was to extend the musician's gesture, which lies at the heart of instrumental performance.
What does the Sampo have to offer performers?
AM: The gestural approach to sculpting the timbre of one's instrument enables new self-expression.
The intuitiveness of the tool invites you to listen to nuances, to dialogue, to search for the sound you like, to improvise, to experiment with new ways of playing.
In addition to sound transformations, the Sampo can be used to restore the sound “tapes” of mixed-music works.
The Sampo also opens the door to an ever-expanding repertoire of several hundred works. The repertoire contains transcriptions and arrangements of works by prestigious composers such as Jean-Claude Risset, Kaija Saariaho, Jonathan Harvey, Steve Reich, Hildegard von Bingen, as well as a rich selection of original works by composers from around the world.
No longer reliant on complex setups, the performer has immediate access to the piece, becoming self-reliant in the process.
In addition to professional and amateur performers, many conservatories are already equipped with Sampos. How does the Sampo adapt to the learning context?
TR: The Sampo is an ideal tool for educational purposes, offering an unprecedented opportunity to teach the nuances of contemporary, current, and improvised music across a wide range of musical genres.
Its playfulness, ease of use and portability appeal to students and teachers alike. The Sampo repertoire contains a large number of pedagogical pieces, and what's more, Sampo benefits all classes at the conservatory!
By introducing students to existing repertoire and the possibilities of augmented instruments, conservatories are preparing the next generation of musicians to embrace innovation and push the boundaries of musical art.
How do you see the future of augmented instruments?
AM: Instrumental augmentation opens up new horizons for musicians of all backgrounds, and we are seeing growing interest in this type of musical expression.
For instance, following the success of the Sampo, Alter Instruments was approached to develop a similar extension for the organ – the Modalio. Initial trials revealed significant potential and sparked enthusiasm among performers and audiences alike. The Modalio could well breathe new life into our organ heritage.
With tools like the Sampo and the Modalio, which are part of a tradition of instrumental innovations as old as music itself, artists are free to explore new sonic frontiers and create works that captivate the soul and imagination of their audience.