FM3 Buddha Machines
Earlier today I posted a link to a New Yorker article by Sasha
Frere-Jones over at Blast!, where he talks about his considerable affection for the
FM3 Buddha Machine – colorful plastic modern musicboxes, decidedly
low-tech and appropriately straight out of China, where their
musician/makers are based.
The devices use 2 AA batteries and feature creaky, distortion-prone
plastic bodies and cheap speakers, but tend to retail for many times
more than what you'd imagine they cost to make. Their designs are
reminiscent of little FM radios I coveted as a child, except these
only play back nine looping audio tracks of under a minute each.
Recently, an iPhone app has become available, bringing the cost of
sorta-owning a Buddha Machine down to between SGD$3 and $8 (depending
on whether a sale is on). If you want a hi-fi, free, but sadly
Buddha-Machineless experience, the soundfiles are available for
download at the official site.
While you'll do just fine with one, as I did for awhile before
receiving another as a gift, there's a lot of fun in getting several
to play off each other. In Frere-Jones' interview with one of the
creators, there's mention of several hour-long "performances" in
underground Chinese clubs, where audience members take turns to adjust
the settings on their way to the bar. I just bought the iPhone app
tonight and listened to the three of them droning on for... I don't
know how long. Both my physical boxes are Version 1.0 models; later
Version 2.0 models played nine totally different tracks. The iPhone
app contains all 18 sounds.
Here's a video I took, although the sound isn't great. Let's see if my
new Posterous account can handle this.
