I Saw Something Beautiful by Burn Unit, Loki
June 12th, 2008 4:25 PMThis is one of those tasks which doesn't require much introduction. All I'll say in advance is that the audio is genuine, recoded with a microphone placed beside the saw in a single take.
That takes care of the second part of the task description.
As for the first part, it turns out that the engineers who spend their lives designing phonograph needles haven't been wasting their time. When you play a record with a razor tipped saw blade, you wind up destroying your record pretty quickly.
As proof, I offer these before-and-after audio clips. They were both recorded using the turntable as originally intended. The first was made with a fresh record that had never seen a saw blade.
The second was made with the same equipment and the same record, but after it had been played 15 times using the saw.
** the task **
For some, the muse appears bearing the text of a great novel, a melody for the ages, an invention which will change the world. The rest of us are called to projects humble, even absurd.
Last December, as I browsed the list of recently added UA tasks, I came across this gem. In an instant, this entire proof was revealed to me, fully formed. Drop kicked into my brain by some goalie on the field of the plane of ideas.
In far less time than it takes to read these words, I thought to myself: Why not combine both parts of the task and destroy something with a saw while making beautiful music? I'll bet if you played a record with a saw it would sound interesting and it would also destroy the record. If you suspended a rusty wood saw in the air with cables above a record player, that would look pretty cool. If you attached cables with magnets, it would be easy to adjust and balance the saw. I can imagine what Beethoven's Ninth Symphony would sound like played on a saw.
There was only one tiny unanticipated complication: the saw teeth wouldn't hold an edge suitable for playing a record, no matter how carefully I ground them with a Dremel tool. A few points sounded okay, but they'd always skip and tear up the record much too quickly. I settled on an Exacto blade bolted to the saw instead. A knife is pretty close to a saw, right? Besides, the saw blade is still instrumental in both the music making and the destruction.
Having already seen and heard this proof in an instant, I found myself short on the drive to recreate it in the physical realm. I signed up for the task, but probably would have never gotten around to doing it if not for C.M.'s comment and Lincoln's willingness to duel over it.
** the duel **
I want to thank Lincoln for taking me up on an ill-motivated duel. I needed an excuse to force me to sit down and do this task, and he was kind enough to indulge me. I feel a little bad about dueling for selfish reasons. If Lincoln is offended, I'll be happy to settle the matter with a duel.
Looking back over this proof, it occurs to me that I've ignored my own advice, offered in the aftermath of a previous duel. Once again, the weapon of choice is an inherently violent task, and once again I've spent my time constructing an intricate, harmless, mechanized sculpture. This one at least drew blood; a saw blade mobile with a razor tip is a real safety hazard. And yet the last one was on honest-to-goodness fire, and that didn't help any.
It may be that destruction of a more spectacular, life-threatening kind will have the advantage here. In this case, I really had no choice. The muse demands an audience, and cares not for the "could the product of the task help a person win an actual duel between two people?" factor.
Needle detail
Kids, don't try this at home unless your parents say it's okay or you think you can sneak the record back into their collection afterward without being noticed.
The complete player
Pretty much exactly what I expected it to look like back when I read the task description. It takes such a long time, turning ideas into the stuff of shared experience.
Suspension mechanism.
If you plan to try this yourself, note the third string tied to the handle and running backwards opposite the saw blade. It's essential to keep the saw from swinging back and forth along the groove.
Destruction kit
Old timey radio knobs, brass dohinkies that used to be part of flat pack furniture, and magnets.
fourth_movement_clip.mp3
Another audio clip played with the saw: some of the Ode to Joy bits.
Video
Download FLV
It's just like a photo, only much slower to load.
Video soundtrack
If you've seen the video, you've already heard this. It's here for those who like their lo-fi hi-fi.
38 vote(s)
- help im a bear
- Sparrows Fall
- Fonne Tayne
- Møuse
- teucer
- Tøm
- Blue
- Levitating Potato
- Evil Sugar
- JJason Recognition
- Dax Tran-Caffee
- auntie matter
- Darkaardvark
- GYØ Ben
- Jellybean of Thark
- zer0gee
- star5
- Bex.
- KristinawithaK
- teh Lolbrarian
- susy derkins
- Rainy
- anna one
- Tac Haberdash
- done
- r0ck c4ndy
- Julian Muffinbot
- Lincøln
- rongo rongo
- Quirk of Nature
- meredithian
- Spidere
- Optical Dave
- praximity
- SNORLAX
- Ben Yamiin
- Ryan
- N Mutans
Favorite of:
Terms
shplank, beautiful, music28 comment(s)
Hmm, I voted for Lincoln's (unclear on the concept of the duel) and I believe I actually prefer your completion. Nice.
The gummies are also unclear as to the details of dueling. Is the accepted practice to only vote for one completion, or is it acceptable to vote for both?
Voting for both has certainly happened in the past. It properly rewards both people for their excellent completions... but at the same time, it ceases to affect the results of the duel.
In this case, as an undecided person admiring of both praxes, I may do that myself.
It's up to you. Some people vote for only one at first then return after the polling period has ended to vote for the other. Others treat a duel just like it was any other unrelated set of proofs and vote accordingly.
Which reminds me, we probably ought to set a formal polling period. What say one week from submission, Lincoln?
Remember, there's no wrong way to play SF0. Except maybe "in a way that isn't any fun." Except if not having fun is part of a task. Except if that task also isn't any fun.
It's the steampunk knobs with magnets holding a massive saw suspended in midair that tapers to the thinnest edge of an exacto blade playing Ode to Joy that captures my heart.
And that this beautiful, surreal thing can happen only once for each record, that even as the record plays it is dying, the music burning itself out on the knife of the very object that allows it to express itself, leaving only destruction in its wake.
Basically Sparrows post says exactly what I had planned to say.
Id actually be rather interested in seeing it turned into an installation of sorts. Playing the same record several times round, how long you can go before its completely destroyed.
The way the record is degraded each time by the saw is enthralling.
However this being said. I am going to negate my vote for this duel, although I love this to a great degree of wow, for it is indeed a superb completion of a task.
In terms of the duel though, since voting for you Senator Unit, I have thought long and hard and come to the conclusion that the fact that its an exacto blade and not the saw is a clincher for me (I must make it clear that I do not believe this to be a fail of the task, indeed it is a fantastic completion, but simply for the duel I believe that the amount of direct saw action is lacking).. I must therefore regretfully null my vote by doing the honourable thing and vote both ways.
I'm going to have to place my vote here (I shall return to vote for Lincoln's completion after the polling period) for everything Sparrows and Mouse said.
And for attaching a blade, to a blade. Doublesharp things are even better than singlesharp ones.
Pro vote: The cleverness of actually rolling both sides of the task in make music while destroying it.
Against vote: A design in which the saw could be replaced by a non-saw hanging object or could be absent altogether, providing the X-acto knife was there. A technicality, I know.
I´ll sleep on it
-EDIT- I came to the conclusion that if BU owned half the saws that Lincoln does, the technicality wouldn´t exist. And this is the one I keep remembering the most.
Any chance the whole contraption could be taken outdoors, to make a public performance? Someone else suggested it, I think. Is about making people cry, isn´t it?
A good duel, all around, but I'm going to side with my native Senator here. Points for combining both the options of the task into one. Plus, that saw-record player set up is beautiful. I loved Lincoln's saw medley, but I didn't really feel that his destruction was beautiful. Plus, that's an atrocious version of Good Vibrations.
...and this one's got Bro' Unit playing some Beethoven with a damn saw!
But the Ninth, man! The NINTH! Which is a beautiful bunch of music, and the Fourth Movement, man!
That's probably the best piece of music ever written. Ev-Ar! I love it, I'm a sucker for that song.
The Ode to Joy, it's almost like you're pandering to C.M.'s particular tastes.
It's something new I'm exploring. I call it active praxis.™ The proof content is customized for every viewer, based on a profile of your SF0 browsing habits.
So far you're the only one hearing Beethoven. The most popular song is currently a three way tie between Aretha Franklin singing "Amazing Grace," the fourth movement from John Adam's "Shaker Loops," and Prince's "Darling Nikki."
Wait, are you trying to tell me that it's not really playing Hanson's Mmmbop?
As the junior senator from Minnesota, I'm going to have to side with my colleague here.
I never considered that I was the junior senator from MN til just now...
I lament the loss of what I'm sure was a very nice recording of the Ninth, and will be glad to send Mr. Unit a digital version of said symphony if he is so inclined.
As for Lincoln, he may hit me up for a vote in a week for what was also a very cool praxis.
Remember, kids: Don't Try this at home.
Actually, do try this at home. Just don't blame us if things go horribly horribly wrong.
Remember the Law of No Permanent Damage.
Doesn't that only apply to OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF?
No. No, I don't think so.
I think Teller described it specifically in regards to things that could kill you.
But applying it to other people's stuff is a good idea too.
I am so impressed. The concept is exquisite and graceful. I give you a low bow, but must go vote for Lincoln's praxis.
love. it.
Also Lunch has been known to curl up in front of or on top of the speakers purring when I play Beethoven, so on her advice I must place my vote here.
Holy crap, I've been away from home and my computer pretty much since we posted. You are absolutely killing with your saw. Congratulations. When I saw your praxis I knew it was awesome and it was going to get votes, but I thought it was gonna be a close race. Boy howdy was that a bad assumption. Good work. Elegance beats moxie. Again, great job.
Although I'm a little ashamed to admit that I'm secretly glad this wasn't a real glove slap task duel. Because when it's for real, I'd prefer to win. And when it comes time for a real duel, I'd do a task that I felt from the beginning I could do well. That being said, I'm glad I got the chance to do this. I never would have done it if not for you. And I pushed myself to do something I never would have done in or outside of SFØ without your challenge. So thank you.
And unless anything crazy happens, you have this contest locked up right now. So throwing one more vote your way won't have any effect on my chances at victory.
I'm delighted that you were able to bring your vision into physical manifestation here. It must have been hard to get the contraption to not skip and skid with the records.
Wow. Awesome.
I was thinking of that scene where Andy Dufresne locks himself into the warden's office and plays that opera over the loudspeakers and leans back in the chair and folds his hands behind his head and smiles as his mind goes on vacation.