This project was made possible with support from Stephanie Korolyk, Bryce March, and Megan Burkholder in manufacturing, testing, setup, and general positive vibes. Financial support by Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society.
Shadow Synth is an interactive musical installation where three people use their bodies to play a synthesizer. Each player has their own spotlight, sound, and light-sensitive panel, turning movement and shadows into a musical interface. The shape and position of each shadow directly affect the sound, influencing things like pitch, filters, and LFOs, while also allowing each player’s actions to shape the sound of the group.
The result is part musical instrument, part playground, and part social experiment. Shadow Synth is designed to be approachable enough for anyone to start making sounds, while offering plenty of depth for those interested in exploring sound design.
When three people play together, the music becomes an emergent collaboration. There is no single composer or conductor—the final sound is shaped by the movements, choices, and interactions of the group. It’s an exploration of what happens when light, movement, sound, and people become part of the same instrument.
The exact configuration of the boards and how shadows affect the sound are constantly refined and experimented with. The latest version of the shadow-to-sound interactions is shown in the infographic below.
