Designing Strategic Incongruity: An Audio Device for Sharpening Pencils

shinnosuke hirose (keio university)*; Yuta Uozumi (keio university); Ryoho Kobayashi (J.F. Oberlin University); Shinya Fujii (keio university)

Image credit: shinnosuke hirose (keio university)*; Yuta Uozumi (keio university); Ryoho Kobayashi (J.F. Oberlin University); Shinya Fujii (keio university)

• Live Performance
• Paper PDF link
• Presence: In person
• Room Location: Rich Mix Stage
• Session: Concert 1

Abstract:

This work is a musical performance utilizing a device that incorporates a pencil sharpener into existing audio equipment such as amplifiers and mixers. The performer generates sound by inserting a pencil into the jack socket and performing the sharpening action. The friction and cutting sounds produced during pencil sharpening are directly captured by a contact microphone and amplified through the audio equipment’s circuitry. As the pencil physically wears down during sharpening, the sound irreversibly changes over time, making each performance unique. This work creates a situation where the audio equipment functions as an instrument while simultaneously behaving as an everyday household item. The performer’s actions remain both a musical performance and an everyday action.