Circuit Bending / Glitchmachines / Interview via GetLoFi

I am enjoying the fresh news from Rodney Clark of GetLoFi. Although the site has always been very well done, it's nice to have more frequent content updates.

Rodney just interviewed creator Ivo Ivanov from Glitchmachines. His circuit bent designs are sleek, artistic and fun.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

"Q: If you had to have a favorite bend what would it be and what makes it number one in your book?

There are so many great bends out there that are all characteristically unique, but I’m particularly fond of Casio keyboards in general. The Casio MT-140 is a great unit with a wealth of possibilities for all kinds of interesting bends. The Casio MT-500 is a very interesting bend, but also one of the more difficult for me to build, as I incorporate industrial grade arcade joysticks which are very tedious to mount into the speaker ports."

"Q: Does the love for bending wear off, having to bend so much for so many other people?

I would never do this if I didn’t love it completely. More often than not, I am so eager to implement a new design idea that I can hardly wait to get back to my work bench. Of course, there are certainly moments where I get frustrated, but I always try to implement new ideas to keep things fresh. When you are going to school full time and coming home to 5 projects that all need to be finished and shipped as soon as possible, it can sometimes be a little much."

"Q: Do you ever make your secrets known…and lend advice on bends when contacted for help?

I do, but I treat situations like that on an individual basis. Sometimes if I answer a question with too much enthusiasm, it can lead to a full on tutorial, which is time consuming and often under appreciated. I try to guide people in the right direction without spelling things out completely. After all, circuit bending is all about exploration and I think it’s cheap to just use someone else’s methods without putting any effort into making your own discoveries."

It's always interesting to read an interview with someone who is doing something that is similar to what we do. We can certainly relate to his thoughts on helping others make something or designing something new (John is constantly coming up with new ideas!), or simply just geeking out on the same aural delights. It's not easy to sustain this type of business or lifestyle but it is so much more rewarding if you love it and can share that with others. Ivanov's insight into his work remains candid and humble despite his success. I admire anyone who pursues what they believe in passionately.

Links:

Interview with GetLoFi
Glitchmachines Myspace

- C