The Platforms

Johannes Bergmark's musical instrument setup June, 2009

Johannes Bergmark's musical instrument setup, June '09

Me playing Platforms and Polly Moller (bass flute) play in the California Columbarium at the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, CA (21 June, 2009) as part of Garden of Memory 2009, filmed by Gino Robair, who invited us and also, like Tom Duff, participated.

Playing the Platforms in Turbinhuset at Ljudkonst i Nolhaga Park, Kulturföreningen Tornet, Alingsås, sweden August 30, 2009. Filmed by Per Åhlund.

The Platforms were constructed in the summer of 2008. The reasons were:

1) to develop the way of playing that emerged after many years of having the Whalefish as major instrument. From having been thought out as an instrument, increasingly it became the platform for objects that its sound board amplifies. To make an instrument that has this as its main function then seemed necessary.
2) To make it into different parts amplified separately, in order to have the possibility to diffuse the sounds in different directions,
3) to be able to play together with my mate Tippi, or possibly more people (there are four platforms at present)
4) to be able to connect separate sources of amplified object sounds to electronic treatment, especially Micro Modulars. This last part is still to be developed, however when I play with Tippi, the combination of amplified objects and electronics that I like works very satisfyingly.

An intermediate version between the Whalefish and the Platforms is the Stranded Whale.

Johannes Bergmark's musical instrument setup, January '09

[Platform, right]

The materials for the soundboards of the Platforms are small doors for cupboards, found at a big store for building materials. To keep them free to vibrate and at the same time stable for acoustic reflection and playing with stability, they're clamped to the table with something between the table and the instruments to keep them slightly above the table surface.
The Platforms in their setting around October 2008, among objects, zither, bass guitar and Micro Modulars. Here are three short examples of some sounds from this setup, recorded for a surrealist game. Game sample no. 1. Game sample no. 2. Game sample no. 3. Excerpt from a concert in Aalborg, denmark 2008.