The Sonic Marble Run is a sound sculpture and installation by Bristol based sound artist Oliver Jon Pigott. The piece consists of two elements. Firstly, the marble run creates sounds by a marble rolling along textured runways and striking various things such strings, springs metal objects etc. These sound sources are then amplified and reproduced through an installation of various prepared speakers. The speakers are prepared in that they have been physically altered in some way to affect their sound. As the audience roll the marbles down the run the space is filled with an electro mechanical soundscape.
“Any sound we hear has a mechanical source be it a vibrating drum skin, a plucked string, a struck object or a large machine. Since electrification and the advent of sound recording sound sources have become further and further removed from the listener who is often only presented with the loudspeaker as a source.”