What am I doing??

On August 1st 2026, I began a year of exploring/building/learning about musical technologies around the world, funded by a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.

What exactly is a musical technology? I have spent many hours asking myself this question, and convincing the Watson Foundation that I know the answer. I define a musical technology as any system (any set of interacting, independent parts) from which sounds (that at least some people call music) can be produced. Hoping to get that one in the encyclopedia soon.

Some systems are intentional, some are unintentional. Some are old, some are new. Some are obvious, and some are obscure. Some are easy to find, and some are tucked away in small Indonesian villages which make them actually ridiculously hard to find if you don't know any of the local languages (I speak from experience).

Are you unsatisfied with this broad definition?! So am I. But that's kind of intentional.

As a musician/programmer/tinkerer of many kinds, I'm fascinated by a wide range of sound-producing systems, and I want my project to encompass all of it: everything from traditional metal Gamelan forgeries of Indonesia to fringe sound collectives making music from plants, to DIY modular synthesizers. My Watson year is focused on exposing myself to all different types of sound producing systems, understanding these systems technically, building some, and connecting with the people that use and create them.

Okay so what am I actually doing? I'm going to make you read my blog to really find out, but here's a rough overview of things:

I'm beginning my year in Indonesia, learning about traditional instrument building in Bali (specifically from craftsmen making metal Gamelan bars in forgeries) and chasing down a rare type of musical windmill. Next, I'll head west to Yogyakarta, a city home to an vibrant scene of young electronic musicians building their own (much less traditional) instruments. After that I'll be in Europe working more with synthesizers, and eventually in The Gambia helping out in a recording studio at a school in Kartong. And after that... well... you'll just have to stay tuned.

Here, I'm offering a (biweekly?) proof of life in the form of sounds, sites stories. I hope you'll follow along.