In a delightful union of creativity and technology, UK-based musician and inventor Sam Battle, popularly known on YouTube as Look Mum No Computer, tapped into a surprising use for a Game Boy—playing an old church organ.
The technique behind this fascinating invention was recently explained in Battle's latest YouTube video. Essentially, the Game Boy had been modified using an Arduino—a small, user-friendly open-source electronics platform—and a piece of software known as ArduinoBoy. Battle had previously utilized Game Boys in his music, using them as a synth and sound source. This new venture, however, brings out a unique twist in Battle's unconventional approach to music.
Equipped with his modded Game Boy, Battle embarked on an innovative journey, using the gadget to control and play a uniquely composed piece of music on a church organ. He leveraged a MIDI out, a standard protocol for the interchange of musical information between computers, musical instruments, and other hardware.
This endeavor was a continuation of Battle's previous experiments with the same Arduino-modded Game Boy. In his prior video, he connected the Game Boy to a modular synthesizer, guiding it to perform a freshly composed piece of music via a sequencer called Little Sound Dj. Clearly, it sparked an idea in Battle's mind because soon after wrapping up that video, he set about connecting the modded Game Boy to a church organ.
To put it in context, Battle didn’t just stumble upon an old church organ. Instead, he bought it himself last year and rigged it to receive MIDI commands, bearing testament to his innovative thinking.
For this new project, Battle composed another piece of music using the Little Sound Dj, dedicating three different channels to signify the organ's pedals, the great keyboard, and swirl. The result was a remarkable piece of music that would seamlessly blend in a modern-day Classicvania soundtrack.
Battle’s journey, starting from the conception of this idea to its actual execution, was revealed in two of his videos. They provide a detailed exploration of his work process, instruments involved, and his passion for moulding the future of music.
The inventive musician's work has garnered significant attention and support from fans not only for its inventiveness but also for demonstrating the vast potential of old technology in new ways. Subsequently, Battle also set up a Patreon page for those who appreciate his work and wish to provide financial support. Subscribers can gain access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, satiating their curiosity about Battle's inventions.
Sam Battle's journey is an ongoing saga of creativity and relentless pursuit of invention. It’s a fascinating blend of the old and new, embedded with a passionate love for music and technology. His work serves as a testament that music and innovation often walk hand in hand, and the possibilities are endless when one dares to look beyond the conventional.
Here's the YouTube video demonstrating Battle's incredible work with his Arduino-modded Game Boy and the church organ:
As technology evolves, the line between the digital and the physical, the new and the old, continues to blur. Battle's work epitomizes that blending—breathing life into old technology to create new experiences. His creative use of a modded Game Boy to control a church organ exemplifies not just the endless possibilities of technology, but also the imaginative ways we can interact with itly becoming a window into a future where the boundaries of what technology can achieve are constantly being redefined.
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