Getting started & bubble organs

WOW! I'm over-whelmed at how people are getting behind me on this project, it is clear that it is going to be a much bigger deal than I imagined - I'm excited to ride the wave to try and steer this thing and get many people involved. I just raised my target from $3000 to $5000, I have to go for it, as I managed to raise $1840 in my first day of starting. Thank you all, I had better get started.

So the blog, where do I start?
[First the instruments, then the CMT]

INSTRUMENTS (#1)

I like fun projects and have been mulling over for a while how to create one that would also support CMT without loosing any of the fun. The plan for this project emerged fairly quickly from a few starting points.

- One is obviously a love of making music, plain and simple.
- A second was a realization at work. Work for me is somewhat different to many people as I'm an exhibit designer for museums. So I was busy researching how to make exciting and engaging sounds with water (a hard day's work), and I stumble across a bubble organ. An art/sound student called Aaron Wendell made it, it makes a ridiculous and brilliant sound, it's an instrument. My realization was that I too could make an instrument, which had previously eluded me.

Today I started my first instrument.
In honor of the inspiration it has to be a bubble organ, but there is definitely room for improvement, or at least exploration.

The concept is that you take a long tube, put one end in water and blow bubbles so that they go up the tube.

It produces a bubbling drone.
Changing the length of the tube, changes the pitch.
There you have it, basic science for a bubble organ.

The 2" PVC pipe was sounding best, particularly if it was nice and long. Never one for making things easy.

So we (working with my friends Sam & Nao) pretty quickly found an air pump, because blowing was too much work (you can see I soon went red). Then by adding a cone to the pipe we had a consistent and satisfying sound.

All we have to do now is have 24 of these at different lengths, and there's a bubble organ!?
Oh, and a way to control each tube.
Oh, and for cheap as 100% of all of your money goes to the CMTA.

No problem, please keep donating and I'll sort it out.

Anyone have any spare 2" PVC pipes in the Bay Area?

CHARCOT MARIE TOOTH

There are many difficulties, obstacles and frustrating things about living with CMT. Later, I'll try and explain some of these, but I am certainly not looking for a place to bemoan my ills. There is no doubt that CMT does strongly influence what I can and can't do in life - but I wanted to start (and stay) on a positive note. (I'm a genuine optimist and very happy for it)!

The fact that I'm choosing to do this project over running a marathon is a prime example of the point I want to make. CMT, because of its restrictions, has forced me to always look for creative solutions. An example, I love being outdoors but its hard moving around and tiring so I always rest. When I do I look around, talk, draw, sit, think - I do a lot of thinking. By not being physically able to do something makes me constantly question what I'm doing and pushes me into exploring new ideas in artistic ways.

You get the point. I don't like having CMT, but I'm happy with who I've become with it.