What makes Tromleorkestret unique is the music machine. Every instrument on it is handmade and full of surprises. Some are robots that play themselves, and others are new instruments played by hand. All of them are wired together with custom electronics and code, so they respond to motion, touch and sound in real time.
Robots that play
A slide bass, a keyboard, a drum ensemble and a xylophone, all driven by motors and solenoids that play at a precision (and speed) no human could.
Instruments for humans
New instruments played by hand: a wind synth that plays chords, gloves that sculpt sound, salvaged springs, and a synthesizer you wear as armour.
Fire & light
Flames leap from the machine, lights pulse with the beat and moving parts everywhere turn every show into a feast for the senses.
Every instrument in Tromleorkestret is a character in its own right, a mechanical soul with a story to tell.
Aloysius G. Tinkerfoot
The robots
These instruments play themselves. The machine drives them, and we steer it.
The Robotic Slide Bass
The mechanical heart of the low end: a robot that slides, plucks and growls.
Explore
The Automated Keyboard
An innocent-looking keyboard hiding actuators that play at inhuman speed.
Explore
Mechanic Drum Ensemble
Robotic percussion that drives the machine’s relentless grooves.
Explore
The Autonomous Xylophone
Solenoid-struck tines that ring out all on their own.
ExplorePlayed by hand
New instruments we built to be played by humans. They are covered in sensors and hooked up to our own sound engines.
The Aeolynth
A synthetic wind instrument that breathes, bends and plays chords.
Explore
Sound Gloves
Wearable controllers that sculpt sound with a flick of the wrist.
Explore
SynthArmor
Part synthesizer, part exoskeleton.
Explore
The Springs
Salvaged industrial springs turned into resonant percussion.
Explore
The Sonimba
A kalimba reimagined with sensors and real-time sound processing.
ExploreWitnessing Tromleorkestret is like watching art, music, and engineering perform a perfectly synchronized dance.
Felix Crankshaft
The origin story
It was a quiet evening in 2012. The applause from our cabaret show, Cuckoo’s Nest Cabaret, had long faded, and Sofie and I found ourselves adrift in the void of post-performance ennui. The show had been a wild blend of slapstick, surrealism, and sonic chaos – including invisible man fights, dramatic slow-motion sequences, and sound effects ranging from whip cracks to well-timed flatulence. It was theater at its most delightfully absurd, but now that the curtains had closed, we asked ourselves: “What next?”
The ceiling, predictably, offered no answers. So, we made a list – a proper inventory of all the skills and oddities we each brought to the table. By the time we’d scribbled halfway down, the idea struck: Why not build a music machine? A proper contraption! Picture this: a mobile mechanical marvel, with Sofie perched atop a spinning podium, all the while I, the industrious organ grinder, cranked out tunes on an assembly of instruments so peculiar, it would make a mad inventor blush.
Sofie, ever the designer, immediately began sketching outfits for our new venture. With her remarkable eye for aesthetics, she crafted costumes that turned us into characters as eccentric as the machine itself. Much of Tromleorkestret’s signature look owes itself to her genius, from the tailored details to the overall visual harmony.
From Modest Beginnings to Mechanical Mayhem
Naturally, such an idea demanded a stage. So, we built a wagon. And thus, Tromleorkestret made its humble debut, rolling through streets and surprising unsuspecting onlookers with a mix of music, oddity, and sheer nerve.
The wagon itself was as much a performer as we were. It housed a collection of mechanical wonders, each more curious than the last. Among its many marvels were three cuckoo doors, each one a portal to a little scene of whimsy. Behind one door was a taxidermied mouse sporting a jaunty top hat; behind another, a rat clad in race-driver gloves; and behind the last, a bird so lifelike it seemed ready to chirp. These tiny tableaux delighted audiences, adding a touch of charm to the machine’s already bizarre persona.
Of course, the wagon quickly took on a life of its own. A slide bass here, a robotic drum there – soon, it resembled something out of Jules Verne’s sketchbook. Flames were added (because why not?), and before we knew it, we had a fire-breathing, sound-making, joy-inducing monstrosity that delighted and slightly alarmed audiences in equal measure.
An Education in Creativity (and Desperation)
Now, I’ll admit, there were moments in the construction process where things got…complicated. My knowledge of robotics and mechanics was stretched thinner than a poorly tuned violin string. At one point, I stared at the half-finished machine and thought, “Well, this is a pickle.”
So, in a moment of either brilliance or panic, I enrolled at DTU to study robotics engineering. The university provided the tools I needed to take Tromleorkestret from a whimsical sketch to a fully-fledged music machine. My crowning achievement during this time was the creation of the robotic slide bass, which became a cornerstone of the orchestra and a testament to the ingenuity demanded by this project.
A Symphony of Man, Machine, and Mayhem
Today, Tromleorkestret is a curious beast. It’s equal parts music machine, performance art, and science experiment. Fire leaps from its depths, robotic instruments play alongside humans, and sound-manipulating gloves summon melodies with the flick of a wrist.
And let’s not forget Sofie’s contributions to the visual experience. Her designs ensure that Tromleorkestret isn’t just a musical marvel but a feast for the eyes as well. Whether she’s dressing the performers, orchestrating the machine’s aesthetics, or fine-tuning its many delightful details (like those cuckoo doors), her touch elevates the entire performance to something truly extraordinary.
But here’s the thing: it’s not perfect. The machine sometimes groans, creaks, and argues back – much like its human creators. And that’s the charm of it. Tromleorkestret is a celebration of ingenuity, imperfection, and the sheer joy of creating something wildly unnecessary but endlessly entertaining.
A Journey Without End
In the end, Tromleorkestret isn’t just about the music, the fire, or the spinning podiums (though those are delightful). It’s about bringing a little wonder to the world – the kind that makes you laugh, clap, and maybe scratch your head in amazement.
So, the next time you see a fire-spouting wagon rolling your way, don’t be alarmed. Just step closer, admire the costumes, marvel at the cuckoo doors, and join us in the beautifully chaotic dance of man and machine.
