Lusine Kirakosyan

LEZU
2024




Duration: 3 Month
Role: Creative Technologist
Tools: Teensy Microcontrolle, Ableton
Project: NIME
This project transforms the 39 letters of the Armenian alphabet into melodies, blending cultural heritage with modern technology and sound design.
An instrument with two parts: a MIDI controller with 16 buttons, 12 sliders, and a duduk-inspired section with 7 tubes.



PROJECT OVERVIEW


This project is an instrument that transforms the 39 letters of the Armenian alphabet into melodies, blending cultural heritage with sound design. It features two parts: one inspired by the Armenian duduk, a traditional wind instrument, and the other by a modern MIDI controller.

Each letter is assigned a natural sound, like whistling or wind, which can be played by blowing into the duduk-inspired section. The MIDI-inspired component allows further interaction, bridging tradition with modern technology. The instrument reflects the significance of the Armenian language, created in 405 CE by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and monk, to preserve a nation's identity. 

By turning the alphabet into music, this project reimagines the language through a new lens, offering a way to keep its memory alive while sharing its unique beauty with the world.

Top view of the instrument: the long one with seven tubes is the duduk/flute, featuring only consonant letters, while the rectangular one is the main tool with all the sounds
Different perspective showing the Teensy microcontroller in the middle section of the rectangular instrument.
Performance day at NYU ITP during the third semester, winter, for the NIME class, where I am performing and demonstrating the instrument in use.


TECHNICAL  FUNCTIONALITY 


This project consists of two parts: a MIDI controller-inspired section and a duduk-inspired section. The MIDI controller part features 12 sliders of which 6 are for vowels and 16 buttons for consonants, each corresponding to Armenian letters and arranged in different rhythms.

The duduk-inspired section uses 7 tubes, each producing sounds that resemble natural elements like wind or whistling, reflecting the unique qualities of the Armenian alphabet. Both parts are powered by a separate Teensy microcontroller, which connects to the buttons, sliders, and sensors, enabling interaction and sound generation.