**Inventions and Contraptions**
Prepared vibraphone
Dale has been playing the vibes since the age of 15 and he’s developed a unique and personal language on the instrument. His approach includes exploiting the tremolo mechanism (the defining feature of the vibes), using continuous bowed inventions on the bars, polystyrene, upturned containers, pingpong balls, magnets and amplification.
(photo by Jessica Hall)
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Automated Sculptures
Dale initially began building automated sculptures that were designed to be portable versions of his approach to the vibraphone. However this practice has expanded to include all sorts of creative sonic machines, including individual continuously bowed aluminium bars with swinging resonators, pingpong balls in upturned glass jars, and vibrating polystyrene. These can combine and be used in different contexts including installations, and outdoor spatialised performances.
Here is a little video of some of Dale’s kinetic sculpturesAutomated Sound Sculptureshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8c0agJwfew
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Modified trumpet
Dale’s take on the trumpet is certainly unique. Each valve has the potential to direct sound to any output such as a shower head, extra tubing, balloons, other trumpets or wind instruments, and moving tubes. He is exploring options with spatialising as well as containing sound.
(photo by julian wearne)
(photo by louise m cooper)
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