CrackleMask
A wireless wearable electronic instrument using a custom analog circuit, touch, and the performer's oral cavity as part of the instrument interface.
About the Instrument
CrackleMask is a wearable electronic instrument based on the Kraakdoos (CrackleBox), originally designed by Michael Waisvisz at STEIM (Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music). The original instrument incorporates six touch contacts connected to an unconventional circuit built around the LM709 operational amplifier.
The LM709 lacks internal frequency compensation, making it susceptible to oscillation. The Kraakdoos exploits this behavior through deliberately unconventional circuit connections, producing unpredictable oscillations and noise. The performer's body becomes part of the circuit when touching its contact points, with different individuals producing different sonic results.
CrackleMask extends this principle into a wearable instrument, incorporating the performer's face and oral cavity into its operation.
Circuit & Origins
CrackleMask Rev. 1
The first CrackleMask was conceived and constructed at Mills College. I wanted to create a character witnessing their dreams of a positive technological future being transformed into oppression, exploitation, and abuse. Its visual design draws loosely on early twentieth-century Expressionism, particularly the work of Edvard Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and Emil Nolde.
Constructed from wood, the mask incorporates a modified Kraakdoos circuit mounted at the back of the head. The original transistor amplifier section was replaced with an LM386 integrated-circuit amplifier. Six contact points are positioned on the face of the mask and connected to the circuit through exposed wiring.
A small speaker is mounted over the mouth, facing inward. This allows the performer to modulate its sound using movements and resonances of the oral cavity. During performance, a wireless lavalier microphone positioned near the speaker captures the resulting sound and transmits it to a computer for further processing. I have primarily used SuperCollider for this purpose.
CrackleMask Rev. 2
The second revision was developed to address the physical limitations of the original wooden mask. Rev. 1 was uncomfortable to wear, restricted visibility, and provided insufficient openings for breathing.
Rev. 2 replaces the wooden structure with a plaster face-mold and incorporates enlarged eye openings, nose holes, and a mouth opening. The electronic circuit was redesigned with a smaller physical profile, while the wires connecting the speaker were sewn into the elastic straps securing the mask to the face.
Two CrackleMask Rev. 2 instruments debuted on August 24, 2019, in Driven Arts Collective'sKhôra: A Dance in Digital and Physical Spaceat ODC in San Francisco.
