3D Printed Cello, 2-String Violin & Single String Bass Guitar Stun Crowds at 3D Print Week NY

Back in March, 3DPrint.com broke a story on a 3D printed 2-string piezoelectric violin which MONAD Studio had announced they would be unveiling at MecklerMedia’s 3D Print Week NY event. The renderings of this incredible violin instantly went viral across the internet, with thousands of people sharing photos and the story of the unique instrument.

For many individuals and musicians who wanted to see the final 3D printed version of the violin, it was officially unveiled at 3D Print Week NY, and it certainly did not disappoint.  At the same time though, it may not have been the most incredible of the 3D printed musical instruments on display by MODAD Studio. In fact, the company, run by husband and wife tandem, Eric Goldemberg and Veronica Zalcberg, brought three incredibly designed 3D printed instruments to the show, not only for attendees to feast their eyes on, but to show off the instruments’ capabilities via a live performance.

The design project, called “MULTI” actually is what Veronica Zalcberg tells us is a “Sonic Art Wall Installation”, an installation that when complete, will feature five separate 3D printed instruments. The wall itself acts as a decorative assembly, which also helps play a role in sound manipulation, and doubles as a display unit for the instruments themselves. Zalcberg explained to us that only three of the five instruments were finished in time for their live performance and exhibition, but the final two are only days away from being complete.

The instruments on hand included the famed 2-string piezoelectric violin, as well as a single-string 3D printed electric bass guitar which they refer to as a ‘Monobaribasitar’, and the largest of the three, a 3D printed cello. The two instruments that were not on hand because they were not finished being printed and assembled, were a small didgeridoo, as well as a hornucopia (large didgeridoo).

Musician and Associate Professor of Art and Design at UCF in Florida, Scott F. Hall, was on hand to play the cello and Monobaribasitar in front of the large crowd, while another woman beautifully played the 2-string piezoelectric violin. As you can see in the videos provided below, these instruments were capable of not only being aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but also able to create equally pleasing music.

Hall explained to me that while the designs are quite unique, the sounds they create are not all that different from similar, more traditionally designed instruments. The designs themselves actually do play a small role in creating a uniquely distinguish sound though, and Goldemberg tells us that this is just the beginning for them when it comes to 3D printing custom instruments.

As for the method of 3D printing, a MakerBot Replicator Z18 was used to print them out. The largest of the three, the cello, took an incredible 10 straight days of printing to complete. It is made up of three separately 3D printed sections, which were glued together by hand. The Monobaribasitar was printed in just one single piece, although it also includes a small section which was not 3D printed. The 2-string violin was printed in two sections and came out remarkably similar to the original rendering which went viral last month.

So what’s next for MONAD Studio? Zalcberg tells us that they have plans to work with several musicians, and hope to next 3D print a working accordion, as well as investigate the potential of printing several horned instruments.

It should be interesting to follow MONAD Studio as they continue to develop unique custom instruments catered exactly to individual musicians’ preferences and playing styles. Is this the future of music? It very well may be. Discuss in the MONAD Studio ‘MULTI’ forum thread on 3DPB.com. Be sure to check out the additional photos and videos that 3DPrint was able to capture, below.

[Images: ©Eddie Krassenstein – 3DPrint.com]