The classic Go-board acts as a tangible user-interface that can be intuitiveply played like a classic musical rhythm-sequencer to create and evolve rhythmic patterns and melodies.

Different areas on the board game grid control different aspects of the sound, such as rhythmic structure, bass notes, audio-loops, -effects and -filters. An industrial camera and custom computer-vision algorithms are used to detect unmodified Go-stones on an unmodified the Go-board. Sounds and effect parameters can be temporarily muted and unmuted by manually covering parts of the board, which allows for additional expression in live performances.

The positions and colors of the stones are analyzed in software and used to control the Native Instruments MASCHINE software as a sound generator.

In cooperation with Michael Hlatky (Native Instruments, Berlin) and Red Bull Studios, Tokyo.

iGO囲碁MASCHINEis the follow-up project to our popular LEGOTECHNO instrument.