Wintergatan — Technical Builds, Technological Skills, and a 2000-marble machine

Wintergatan:
Technical Builds, Technological Skills, and a 2000-marble machine
by Mark D. Williams

While discussion of the history of computer music is often decidedly America-centric, technology and music have been utilized and combined in numerous influential, innovative, and instrumental ways throughout history around the world. One such non-American example I believe to be deserving of a place in the pantheon of computer music is the Swedish group Wintergatan. An instrumental “folktronica” group formed in 2012 in Gothenburg, Sweden, they describe the project as a “mix of Music, Engineering and Innovation”. They utilize and repurpose unconventional instruments and technology to create original sounds, and often cross into different genres but still continue to keep their own unmistakable sound, sans vocals. Whether it’s through live instruments, technology, or somewhere in between, Wintergatan’s impact in this new modern era of computer music on the combination of music and technology worldwide is undeniable (and incredibly significant).

While many of their pieces involve live instruments (often unconventional ones), it’s often their use of odd technology (or how they twist the usage of existing technology) that makes for an unexpectedly-unique combination that defines their music profile. They often use odd or obscure live instruments (theremins, dulcimers, saws, electric autoharps), repurpose forgotten technology as modern instruments (including typewriters and slide projectors), or invent new electronic instruments themselves (like the “Modulin”, a DIY modular synthesizer played like a violin). In the track “Valentine”, for instance, they combine chiptune-like synths of the ‘90s, modern electronic risers of the 2010s, and a melody on their distinctive signature vibraphone. (Additionally, the song’s staccato percussion is actually played on both a drumset and a typewriter, as can be seen in a live Steadicam one-take performance.)

 

However, Wintergatan are perhaps most known for their innovative instrument and complex contraption called the “Marble Machine”. The machine is an astounding feat of engineering and programming, an innovative piece of technology that took 14 to 16 months to make (from 2014 to 2016, built by band member Martin Molin). The Marble Machine contains over 2,000 marbles in a 3,000-part Rube Goldberg-esque network—that, when powered up, is able to play music. The group published an official music video in March 2016, with an original song aptly titled “Marble Machine”:

 

Hand-cranked and semi-automated, this organ-sized birchwood behemoth was humorously described by MusicRadar.com as looking like “a cross between a xylophone, an antique printing press and a spinning machine” (couldn’t have said it better myself!). However, it utilizes both live instruments—a vibraphone, bass guitar, and cymbal—and electronic ones—with digital contact microphones hooked up to replicate the sounds of a kick drum, high-hat, and snare.
The thousands of marbles are dropped onto the instruments by what Molin calls the “programming wheel”, an automated conveyor belt contraption with an inner system of wooden gears, and a music-box-like outer ring built out of Lego Technic pieces.
It’s partially hand-powered—with a hand-crank, user-controlled bass strings, and a manual brake punderfully labeled “BRAKEdown”)—and partially automated—with the contact microphones hooked up to a digital sound system, and the complex conveyor belt automating the precise process of dropping thousands upon thousands of marbles. 

Even though the music is performed live, it’s still undoubtedly an invention of computer music in its own right, through the computing used to create it—its programming and engineering, months meticulously computing the right gear ratio (etc.) to make this technological wonder play.
More recently, in 2017 (and functioning as of 2019), they began work on a more-mammoth Martin-Molin-made metallic musical marvel: the Marble Machine X (even more advanced, complex, and steampunk-looking!).
Overall, Wintergatan’s Marble Machine blurs the line between live instrument and technology, person-powered and pre-programmed, contraption and computer.

 

While it was built through computing, programming, and engineering, one could argue that the Marble Machine could be considered a rudimentary computer itself. While it has no hard drive, screen, or monitor, it seems to be an absurd notion at first, but is in actuality a sound argument. The definition of a “computer” is simply a programmable machine or device, an automated complex system able to run a set program and store, retrieve, and process data. What is the Marble Machine if not a form of that? (What is a calculator if not an advanced abacus?…)
The dropping of thousands of marbles in the Marble Machine—essentially, each part automatically detecting one of two binary options (“marble on” or “marble off”)—is, in a way, similar to the detecting of millions of “on” and “off”, 1’s and 0’s, of the physical systems that run every modern-day computer (including the ones used to program the Machine itself!).
This train of thought challenges our perceptions of technological labels: similarly, one might call an abacus a form of calculator, a pinball machine a form of gaming console, or a typewriter a form of word processor (or, to Wintergatan, a percussive instrument).

 

Wintergatan uses technology not only in their music, performance, instrumentation, and engineering of new instruments— but also to reach a generation of new musicians. Their Marble Machine music video has over 152 million views on YouTube, and millions more on other sites. They’ve since inspired a whole new generation of crafty musiciengineers (side note: genuinely proud of that—I can’t believe no one’s come up with or copyrighted it!) around the globe, through their use of technology, including a recent fan-created miniature Marble Machine in 2020 which creator Love Hultén lovingly dubbed the “Marble Machine XS”.

Before it was eventually returned to them, their Marble Machine was held in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in the Museum Speelklok — a musical museum specializing in self-playing instruments, including a 100-year-old “self-playing violin”. After showcasing this specific “Orchestrion” from 1907 (the Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina) in a video that’s since garnered millions of views, Wintergatan introduced to a wider audience (and rejuvenated interest in) this obscure 100-year-old instrumental contraption. They used modern technology to bring a piece of centuries-old technology into the public eye in the modern age.

 

Wintergatan’s use of technology in music — be it in combination with live instruments, …in computing the creation of new instrumental technology, …or in sharing their creations globally and inspiring new technological musicians — is innovative and undeniable.

…It’s truly marbleous.

 

SOURCES:

Rhodes, Margaret.  (March 10, 2016).  Insanely Complex Machine Makes Music With 2,000 Marbles. 
In Wired.  Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2016/03/insanely-complex-machine-makes-music-2000-marbles/

Rogerson, Ben.  (March 3, 2016).  This marble-powered music-making machine is insane but amazing.
In MusicRadar. Retrieved from http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/this-marble-powered-music-making-machine-is-insane-but-amazing-635336

Rundle, Michael.  (March 8, 2016).  This incredible music machine is powered by 2,000 marbles. 
In Wired, Wired UK.  Retrieved from Web Archive:  http://web.archive.org/web/20160602011021if_/http://www.wired.co.uk/article/marble-machine-video
Rundle, Michael & Woollaston, Victoria.  (March 16, 2017).  16 months to build, two hours to demolish: watch the Marble Machine being taken apart.  In Wired, Wired UK.  Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/marble-machine-video

Coetzee, Gerrit.  (March 3, 2016).  Incredible Marble Music Machine.  In Hackaday.  Retrieved from https://hackaday.com/2016/03/03/incredible-marble-music-machine/

Lillywhite, James.  (March 3, 2016).  Wintergatan Marble Machine: Amazing video shows music box powered by 2,000 marbles.  In IBTimes. Retrieved from https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/wintergatan-marble-machine-amazing-video-shows-music-box-powered-by-2000-marbles-1547374

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Computer. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/computer

Bennett, James II.  (August 20, 2017).  This Self-Playing Violin Is a Musical Marvel.  In WXQR, WQXR Editorial. Retrieved from https://www.wqxr.org/story/self-playing-violin-musical-marvel/

Waters, Michael.  (June 14, 2017).  The Self-Playing Violins That Mastered Chopin.  In Atlas Obscura.  Retrieved from https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/phonoliszt-violin-self-playing-instruments-player-piano-ludwig-hupfeld

Arblaster, Scott.  (August 5, 2019).  Wintergatan return with the Marble Machine X, quite possibly the most beautiful groovebox ever.  In MusicRadar.  Retrieved from https://www.musicradar.com/news/wintergatan-return-with-the-marble-machine-x-quite-possibly-the-most-beautiful-groovebox-ever

Neira, Juliana.  (August 17, 2020).  Love Hultén’s Marble Machine XS makes music as mini marbles drop.  In Designboom. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/design/love-hulten-marble-machine-xs-08-17-2020/

 

Videos by Wintergatan:

Wintergatan – Marble Machine (music instrument using 2000 marbles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q

How It Works – Part 1 (Wintergatan Marble Machine): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uog48viZUbM
How It Works – Part 2 (Wintergatan Marble Machine): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Guq7vZb_E

“Valentine” Live Steadicam One-take performance: https://youtu.be/FHjdI7l3WDc?t=321

Modulin (How does THE MODULIN work? – DIY Music Instrument): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUdWeBYe3GY

100 Year Old Self-Playing Violin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0mP2cOmJs