Celletto
Built in 1988, the celletto is an electronic cello that’s a cousin of the electric guitar. It has four analog string outputs and a fifth mono output with all strings summed. Recent music, especially improvisations, are found on this web site’s recordings page. Arcology is a compilation of performances through 1999 liner notes ). The celletto’s built-in string pickups and electronics were designed by Max Mathews along with a system for translating bow motion into MIDI built with Jay Kadis’ help using an accelerometer and strain gauge. A MIDI device, the Lightning, from Buchla Associates is an infrared position detector that tracks the bow arm and figured in some of the earlier pieces. Currently, I just use it straight — no sensing, only string sound.
I began with a block of maple and carved the celletto seeking my way into all the fun keyboard players were having with live MIDI-based computer synthesis. It turned out to be a much more in-depth project as sophisticated audio computing and software synthesis became available. It has remained a work-in-progress as sensing, synthesis and processing continue to develop. As a performer, it’s my platform for engaging the capabilities of computers which are still to come.
