Name

The name of the project pedalando ma non troppo  resembles the annotations used to determine the tempo of a musical piece (andante ma non troppo), as the speed of the pedaling will determine the tempo of the melody.

Description

The objective of the project is to collectively create and perform a musical piece in the city, in which rhythms created by each participant will be mixed together as the bicycles circulate through the streets.

A tone generator controlled by four reflective sensors will be placed in the frame of 100 bicycles. The device can generate four different tones that can be individually adjusted by each person.

Each time that a reflector triggers a sensor, a tone is generated. By arranging the reflectors in the wheel, each participant can control the sequence in which the tones should be played.

The basic composition can be further modified through a sequencer included in the device that allows the creation of four different musical measures. The sequencer will alternate between measures with each turn of the wheel, modifying the composition as the bicycle moves.

Through the collaboration of the bicyclists, the different tones and sequences will be interactively mixed together, creating a melody that accelerates and de-accelerates according to the speed of the bicycles. This will motivate the participants to change their own position and speed, encouraging the interaction between the participants and strengthening in this way the urban life.

The device is a tool of collective creation that allows the creation of a partnership between the creative professionals and the bicycle collective.