A FLexible musical instrument Augmentation that is Programmable, Integrated in a Box (FLAPIBox)

Abstract

Most musical instrument augmentations aim to only fit one specific instrument and depend on an external sound system to work as intended. In a more acoustic concert setting this often alienates the electronic sound component. The FLAPIBox is an integrated solution that fits most acoustic instruments and use its own resonance for playing electronic sound in a more organic way—through the instrument itself. Reviewing related works and exploring different hardware and software components, a modular prototype has been built. The results of this preliminary study make the body of planning and building the first integrated breadboard prototype. Because of its flexible design, the FLAPIBox can use several different microphone, and loudspeaker technologies. Using inexpensive components and developing open-source software, the FLAPIBox is both affordable and accessible. The development of the FLAPIBox aim to result in a stable and predictable platform, yet open and versatile enough for further development.