The same music box melody, two vintage tape recorders, and modern software effects—what would this “sound experiment” spanning three generations sound like?
Italian musician Electro / Magnetic recently conducted a fascinating sound experiment with the Muro Box-N40 Standard music box:
First, the music box plays three melodic lines of different lengths, interweaving to create a hypnotic, tranquil pulse;
next, delay and reverb are applied; underpinned by a deep bass, the notes float through the space like glimmers of light;
finally, in a stroke of inspiration, the melody is recorded onto two inexpensive portable recorders and played back simultaneously; minute physical discrepancies in the machines’ motor speeds are exploited so that the notes drift naturally out of alignment and off the beat, yielding unexpected rhythmic shifts and a warm Lo-Fi texture.
He wrote these words on screen, precisely articulating the romance of this sonic experiment:
“Let the sound travel back and forth along the tracks of the effects units… It is like placing a small, intricate mechanical instrument inside an immensely vast space.”
From the simplest strike of a metal comb tooth to dreamlike, cinematic soundscapes, a physical music box can—with just a little imagination—reveal sonic dimensions beyond imagination.
Put on headphones and experience this sonic magic for yourself:
Electro / Magnetic — full experiment video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsHLW5CNGM8
Curious about what else creators around the world have done with Muro Box? Discover more inspiration:
https://murobox.com/en/listen-to-the-muro-box-melody-compositions-created-by-customers-around-the-world/
Bonus feature: an unboxing and overview video by Electro / Magnetic of the Muro Box-N40 Standard smart music box:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ENIPcE06Y
