Aulochrome

Linky Lee · Nov 29, 2006

http://www.aulochrome.com/

I want one of these! I can see some huge problems with them, but as far as the novelty goes I'd be willing to look around that.

Playing a bass note and a melody on the other one up high would be really hard as your embochure would be different for the different mouthpieces. more relaxed for the bass note and tighter though not pinching for the high notes.

There are some great possibilities with this though. You could really bring some music of Telemann's to life! It would be great.

Still a bit gimmiky though.

What do you guys think?

Dylan · Nov 29, 2006

I'd love to have a go on one of these.

It's a shame there are no sound clips on the site.

spike · Nov 29, 2006

Check out "Big Ben" from Joe Lovano's "Streams of Expression" Album.
The link should open a Real Player file.
Big Ben

EDIT:
I forgot to mention - he's playing an Aulochrome on this track - If you aint got Real Player there's an excert on iTunes (you'll need iTunes) or Amazon (wmv or real player)

Jules · Nov 29, 2006

Shotgun soprano (actually that's a great combination of words- good name for some sort of band!). Pity Roland Kirk isn't around any more to get his chops round one of these

mfox · Nov 29, 2006

why not just get 2 sops and 2 elastic bands

Linky Lee · Nov 30, 2006

because the keywork is modified so you can play both together without having to grow two extra arms and hands 😛

also it's possible to play one at a time as well.

You could hold a pedal bass note on one, and go all over the place on the top around the other.
Would be rather cool.

spike · Nov 30, 2006

Has anybody actually listened to what Joe does with that thing, he also uses it on another coupla tracks on the same album, truly amy zing, he's not just doing "pedal bass note stuff" - he's playing two instruments.

Do yourselves a favour - check out what Tim Price says about Fran?ois and the amazing Aulochrome, this is not a toy, don't do this at home.

Linky Lee · Nov 30, 2006

yeah, I wasn't so keen on it.

The tone was a bit too thin, and I don't think it was really used to its potential that well.

But it's a relatively new instrument and just because of that you'd have to say he's one of the leading players!

mfox · Nov 30, 2006

its looks stupid and cheesy.. no improvent on the sound quality.. its a gimmick and any one with sense will avoid crap like this..
10 years from now the guy who invented this thing will have a load of unsold ones in his garage..
10 minute wonder....

rs2sensen · Nov 30, 2006

Media and critics present when the aulochrome was premiered were quite excited by the possibilities of the instrument. I think that although the video sample above gives a partial sound of the instrument, I have a feeling that it would sound much better on a classical piece written specifically for it. I don't see much potential for it in jazz.

Fran?ois-Louis is an interesting character. If I recall, there's a pretty good interview with him in Michael Segell's book "The Devil's Horn." Some of his other developments have certainly been successful. His ligature is quite popular, and this new mechanism he has developed on the aulochrome (mentioned on the website) looks like it shows some promise.

spike · Dec 1, 2006

Joe Lovano on you tube talking about, and playing, the aulochrome.

Who was that weird Belgian guy? Adolf Socks I think his name was, he invented this far out instrument, the socksofoon, and everybody said - "ferget it Adolf, it sounds like a gaggle of squawking geese, try selling it to the army man, you could kill somebody with that thing."

If the sceptics always won we probably wouldn't even have the wheel, come to think of it the incas didn't have the wheel, and they all ended up as buskers playing pan flutes in shopping centers and malls.

mfox · Dec 2, 2006

and still it looks and sounds like junk..hehe

spike · Dec 2, 2006

well I just happen to know that all Santa's little elves and angels are getting aulochrome's for Christmas this year and they'll be tooting them on the rooftops all over the world on christmas eve . . . . he he.

mfox · Dec 2, 2006

that old joke where the workmen are needing the toilet and go to a house first guy comes out and says to his mate, " **** these people are loaded, they've got a gold toilet". "got to see this" say the other, when he gos round the lady of the house opens the door, and after listening to the workmans request shouts inside to her husband" Darling! there's another gentleman here who wants to take a C**P in your Aulochrome"

tris · Dec 3, 2006

For live work it could be great. In the studio I would record two sopranos on two tracks get a much better tone / intonation etc.

Without playing one I can't really say. I am not totally blown away, just curious.

Linky Lee · Dec 4, 2006

Yeah, It was interesting and would be a great novelty, to have one. But thats about it.

(sorry for the bad grammer, Im writing from Germany and I cant find everything on the keyboard! Hence the less frequent posting as well!)