Sampled Bike - Music made from your bike

Mar 5, 2011 at 2:07
by Matthew Dennison  
Does your bike make music? Here is something you may have never seen...Inspired by Mateusz Zdziebko's 'Sampled Room', I was curious what kind of music or beat my bike could make.

With the help of a friend, Jason, I recorded all the sound bites I could think of from my bike on a Zoom h4n.
Finding variety was tough; bikes mostly make thumps, thuds, tings, and pings. With a collection of just under forty sounds, myself and another friend, Joel, began to play around with the noises--seeing what kind of things we could construct out of them. After some frustration and some do-overs, we managed to get on the right track.

Meanwhile, I wanted to shoot the bike. I wanted a white backdrop, as in 'Sampled Room.' But apparently my family doesn't own pure white sheets.
Access to a studio with a backdrop and lights wasn't a problem--cause I had another idea. I had a more interesting, make-shift plan. With the help of Jason, I moved everything out of the corner of my 9' x 11' room and taped up half a ream of white legal size paper to the walls and floors. A little sketchy and less than ideal, but I kind of liked it.

photo
Looks silly in real life.

photo
But surprisingly cool on film.

Anyways, a month later of editing and playing around and you get this.
Please Enjoy!

Views: 61,268    Faves: 1,336    Comments: 153


Matt Dennison
http://vimeo.com/mattdennison

Author Info:
mattdennison avatar

Member since Nov 20, 2002
13 articles

142 Comments
  • 159 7
 NOW MAKE A DUBSTEP REMIX!
  • 6 0
 bike was done by radrider!!!
  • 9 0
 that must have been hard to edit..
  • 6 0
 Awesome idea Matt. Good job putting it together!
  • 29 2
 Should be on iTunes...
  • 6 1
 holy i did that frame, kewl
  • 17 27
flag no-ah (Mar 5, 2011 at 23:09) (Below Threshold)
 fuck dubstep
  • 3 1
 how can u say that a dirty baseline is all u need just watch
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z59gAXZ0ksQ&feature=related
.....Dubstep is just awesome lol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1hLduV1p88
  • 2 0
 Frank Zappa once played the bicycle, you can find it on youtube. But otherwise, that was a jam
  • 1 0
 reminds me of Kraftwerk - Tour de France...
  • 2 0
 this would be a sick advert for banshee tbh!
  • 2 0
 That is sick! first comment is gold. this is just as good or better.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFybwg4wadI
  • 2 1
 Good job on the video!

I did a project like that a couple of years back so I know how much time and effort it takes to work on it.
What seems like a simple idea can get very complicated quickly as far as having enough variety in sounds and how to structure the music to make it sound interesting.
I recorded all of the sounds with different mics hooked to the camera, then had to organize and separate each sound. After collecting about 50 to 60 different sound bites I handed it all over to my friend where he went through each sample, created drum kits or put them into various software to create different synthesizers where he could actually play melodies. Once that was done he made a few different tracks and then I went on to make the film with the video clips matching the corresponding sounds.
That took quite a bit of time to edit the video because there was a fair amount of layering and quick cuts to make, as well as figuring out what sound was what.

I uploaded the video here on pinkbike awhile ago but there were issues with the transfer, I'm guessing because of the quick cuts. I just uploaded to vimeo because it seems that their flash compression worked a bit better.

The original, full-length film has a documentary before the music explaining the process that we used, what microphones, camera lenses, studio software and issues we had during the project. The cool thing was that I submitted it to the Bicycle Film Festival and was accepted where it made its premiere in New York City.

You can check out there short version of it here:
vimeo.com/20719368
  • 1 0
 I'm a big fan of that one^, nice and fast paced
  • 35 3
 Quite possibly, one of the most creative projects I've seen!
That must have been a bunch of work to get that all together; way to go.
Its pretty sick!
  • 15 2
 ^^^Dick? and that was awsome!
  • 8 1
 Grow up, man.
  • 7 0
 That would be great! Smile
  • 3 0
 douche
  • 2 0
 wow
  • 2 0
 whata fuckin bellend...
  • 3 1
 Too much caffeine? I'm getting grouped in with 'pompous English riders' or something and seeing as you don't know what the f*ck you are talking about, whitwelljames, I'd like you to shut the f*ck up for everyone's good.
  • 1 0
 holy shit!.. ya i feel sorry for you haydenmorrison gettin grouped in with a juvinile ass wipe like that..
grow up little kid, and get off the site if your just here to critisize.

and nasty nick took the words from my mouth
one of the most creative things ive seen in awhile.

can anyone say BANSHEE BIKE COMMERCIAL??
  • 23 0
 This is pretty cool, must admit...
  • 25 14
 Too mainstream.....
  • 9 2
 this is really great! But I have to admit, when I first seen the blog my stomach sank only because... ...I had the exact same Idea!!! aaaaaaaahhh!!!! lol, now people might think I got the idea from you if I make stuff like this in the future... I honestly had the same basic idea! Oh well good work man, I like the color grading!
  • 4 0
 Need to fix that Rotor haha Amazing job!!
  • 17 1
 You know what you wanna do with that right, you wanna put a ban-gin donk on it...
  • 3 1
 haha, screw fixing the rotor if it gives you tunes like that when you're riding Wink haha... I'm just in my head trying to figure out how to make a dubstep remix of this... reckon I could get some bass down my spinning up my mud spikes and ragging a bit of thick card against them...
  • 1 5
flag bunkey (Mar 5, 2011 at 13:39) (Below Threshold)
 If you want awesome dubstep samples then you gotta think outside the box a little. Not quite the same but I got a pretty wild sample from putting my guitar through various compression and overdrive effects whilst running it through a tuner and spinning a powerball just above the pickup to whatever frequency of note I wanted. You can check out an early version in this old video for an idea, its the eerie drone kinda sound. www.pinkbike.com/video/59204
  • 3 2
 DUBSTEP REMIX GOOOOOOOOOOO
  • 7 1
 That'd be an awesome advert for banshee Smile
  • 2 1
 if you were listening to this while riding down a trail you would constantly stop to see if something was wrong with you bike Smile
creative idea and great editing by the way
  • 1 0
 that is so cool good job on it
  • 6 2
 Not especially complicated to do and it wasn't a very interesting rhythm imo. People have been doing this kind of thing for years Wink Having said that, it is pretty damn cool and could be taken further.
  • 1 0
 I don't take pride in thinking I'm the first to do it!
  • 1 0
 Goodgood, it was more aimed at some of the replies Wink A definite plan to be worked on though, make some awesome technical beats or something, I wish I had some nice recording equipment to go with this now-redundant software Frown
  • 1 0
 it seems every english riders has a pompous critique to state about this before they throw a bone to the mix.........wankers.
  • 1 0
 Oh no, an honest opinion! Get f*cked. If you read what I said again the general feel of my comments were positive Wink It might be because I spent two years doing this kind of stuff at college but I thought I'd offer some friendly crit and he took it well
  • 1 0
 Oh wait, he didn't take it well. My mistake
  • 1 0
 hey, your right, it was an honest opinion, but pointless to state: 'people have been doing this for years' yeh...so what....does that make it redundant, like your software - and, the rhythm was good enough, and as for your comment being 'aimed' at some of the [ positive] replies - a little self righteous; but hey maybe your not a wanker just another teenager who knows everything and can't just be positive without using others efforts to show how smart he is...as for me getting f*cked, beats jerking off on line like you...ok. your turn to TRY to be witty or call me a f*ggot or whatever it is that turns you on, but i'm done and won't be reading it anyway :-)
  • 2 0
 Haha, I took it well! Can't we all just get along? Smile
  • 2 0
 Sorry Matt, bit of a mix up there! He did take it well, no worries. Sorry if people took my comments the wrong way, I didn't really mean for it to sound like that, had a shit week so I wasn't in the best mood so it didn't come out with a positive spin Razz It's not redundant or anything, I just meant that the guy up there who said it was the most creative thing he had ever seen should look into it because there is tonnes of equally cool stuff about done in interesting ways, well worth a look if you are into it. I wasn't trying to put him down, I just thought I'd make a fair comment on something I'm interested in/know a little bit about. Leave my personal habits out of this! Haha, sorry again, I hope we can all get past this Wink
  • 2 1
 So sick! I tried taking all the sounds off of the silly little pinball game and making a remix type thing out of it. 30 hours later I had 45 seconds worth. I liked how it was turning out, but I just couldn't stand working with it anymore... So props to them for sticking with it.
  • 2 1
 My dad went off his nut! He just can't believe that is all made with a bike. No drums etc.
  • 2 0
 Hey Matt,

Nice to see other people making music from bikes! I've done a bit of that too, if you want to check it out: www.johnnyrandom.com Specialized "Nutcracker" video. Cheers. Smile
  • 5 0
 haters gonna hate, but matthew makes good videos still
  • 1 1
 The mainpart of the track its a classic drum loop but switched with the sounds of the bike thats ok but theres something with the pitch of thelead and the other sounds maybe you can process the sane sound thru a vocoder so you can get a scale or something, plus giving an extra industrial sound, good idea my 2 favorites things to do, creating music and riding bikes nice!
  • 1 0
 I tried to do everything without processing or altering any sounds. All the sounds are straight from the bike! I agree something just a little off, but I'm happy with it!
  • 1 0
 Yeah im not trying to be an ass, its the kind of thing that I wish to hear from anyone. For me thats a pro recording sound and thats not easy Maybe on the future o idk hehe, peace
  • 3 1
 that was awsome when i watched it i thought it was an ad for banshee bikes lol
  • 2 1
 Nice! Pluck the Spokes for some sweet sounds...
And Specialized did this a while back, and they did a pretty good job: www.youtube.com/watch?v=68N43K5Y0Ek
  • 1 0
 Pluck the spokes! Great idea..wish I had thought of it!
  • 1 0
 If you get an old wheel that hasn't been retrued and spin it while you hold a spanner to it you get a hell of alot of different notes, could potentially tune with a spoke tool.
  • 1 0
 Hey, wort... That was me!
  • 2 3
 I'm sorry but this has been done so many times before with car doors, buttons and engine noises, gun shots from COD and so many other things. It's only a matter of time before people do something like this with their respective hobbies.

Don't get me wrong, it was well done, but certainly not an original idea. Well done anyway Big Grin
  • 1 0
 not original ? well, never seen it done on a bike and none of us give a shit about doors buttons or wtf....so tell us again, whats the point in telling us it's not original? well done. [ period ] would have sufficed professor.
  • 1 0
 Do you have a problem with the concept of originality? It may have not been done on a bike before but the fact remains it has been done on many other things and has also been in British TV adverts. Sorry to make you whine. I just gave some constructive criticism only to unintentionally offend somebody like you.

Why would I just leave it at "well done" just to fit in. It was a good effort and worked well, like i said. I know you're 'too-biker' for car doors and buttons but seriously, an "i disagree" would have sufficed, student.
  • 1 0
 ok. i disagree.
  • 2 1
 Must say its brilliant. Kraftwerk will be impressed if they watch and listen to it. and a very good advertisement for Banshee!
  • 3 0
 Any chance you could play "do you remember" by phil collins?
  • 1 0
 That would be amazing.
  • 2 1
 Cool stuff.. sorta like STOMP for bikes. I like it, can definitely appreciate it, since I cannot even begin to make beatz...
  • 1 1
 Love the Effort and Creativity and anyone who disses this needs a handlebar up the butt...the ratchet wrench sound was a little bit o cheatin, but i guess since it was turning a nut on the ride...:-)
  • 1 0
 And the pump too! Shhhhh.
  • 1 0
 its really good but it would be nice to hear a bass linein there tho...dont you think?....but ye its really good Smile
  • 3 1
 yes... avids are perfect for making squeaks... Wink
  • 1 0
 my thoughts exactly
  • 1 0
 That was great, Nice job, It's a bike version of the coldcut track timber www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8-QDCKdVO4
  • 3 2
 HAHAHA. thats awesome. Good job.
  • 4 1
 so good, even like most of the song lol!
good effort would never have thought a bike would have sounded like that, all i ever hear is groans, grinding a breaking :L
  • 2 1
 Really great job on music and very cool editing
  • 3 2
 i love it !!! bravo! merci!
  • 3 2
 Haha that's really cool. Great job guys.
  • 2 1
 That was just fantastic. Great work...
  • 2 1
 Incredible talent. That was the most creative video I've ever seen.
  • 2 0
 Thank you very much!
  • 1 0
 the Crank lost one screw?
  • 1 0
 Yes, haha! I should replace that sometime Razz
  • 1 0
 that was awesome....great concept
  • 1 0
 thats dope. great banshee add too.
  • 1 0
 Those guys, have nothing better to do! Great movie!
  • 2 1
 wooow amazing genius guys
  • 1 0
 should of thrown a link to IFHT at the end of the vid!! So sick man
  • 1 0
 Hahah, shoulda!
  • 1 0
 any one notice there is a chain ring bolt missing?
  • 3 1
 haha very creative:P
  • 2 1
 Haha, thats pretty sick! Good creative minds at work.
  • 1 0
 Nicely done! Sweet shots, editing, and great sound quality!
  • 1 0
 Should make a rock/metal song using bike parts!!!
  • 1 0
 Is that the frame you won at camp? Amazing job. Stunning actually.
Ken
  • 1 0
 It is! Thank you!
  • 1 0
 So Sick!!!Great job My new faviorite song!
  • 1 0
 that is really cool ma friend
  • 1 0
 How bored are they? Go out and ride.
  • 1 0
 well, i'm bored and i just rode, so maybe i could watch you ride...off a cliff...
  • 1 0
 Perhaps you need to find a new sport if you've been riding and your still bored. I am the one riding and not making music with my bike and you tell me I need to ride off a cliff. Weird reasoning.
  • 1 0
 Fortunately, not everything in life has to involve riding!
  • 1 1
 hey rosslikesbikes- whats weird about me being bored after a rip and asking you to ride off a cliff; how awesome that would be to see ! ok. i'll make it simple : telling others how bored they must be [ to make and / or watch this vid ] and to just go out and ride is arrogant and pompous - and as mattdenison says: not everything in life has to involve riding, so some of us do not have tunnel vision and prefer to get creative with other aspects of our lives and riding. and since you did not call me a f*ggot or tell me to get f*cked, [you know, the usual cyber rants] then it behooves me to say you have every right to be bored and i hope you don't ride off a cliff...happy trails.
  • 1 0
 Ok i don't know where to go with that so let's just agree to disagree.
  • 1 0
 My bike would like to know who he may speak too about vocal auditions?
  • 1 0
 Really Really wicked awesomly SICK!!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 1
 That was pretty amazing.
  • 2 1
 so good, love it !! Smile
  • 2 1
 shweeeet!!!!
  • 3 2
 bike version of stomp
  • 3 2
 Soooo awesome man!
  • 1 0
 dubstep Smile )
  • 1 0
 that was sweet!
  • 1 0
 great job!
  • 1 0
 this is legit .
  • 2 1
 that was sweet
  • 5 1
 I'm doing this for a project in my degree at the moment quite funny seeing the lecturers faces when I drag my muddy bike into the studio.
  • 2 1
 Super creative LIKE!
  • 2 1
 badass.
  • 3 2
 jajajaj juust SICK Big Grin
  • 1 0
 thats cool.
  • 1 0
 sick soundtrack!
  • 1 0
 so nice, i loved that
  • 2 3
 When is this on iTunes? nice work! lol
  • 3 3
 love you guys!
  • 2 2
 what an artist....
  • 3 4
 i was mildly entertained...
  • 5 1
 if it was a charlie sheen dubstep song produced by a bike would you be happy?
  • 1 2
 I prefer the dubstep vid. with the girl who faked nerve damage from flu shots. If someone recreated that with bike parts I'd be down.
  • 2 4
 Neat idea. Part of it reminded me of a Faithless song, you should do a Banshee cover versions album Razz
  • 3 4
 Might wanna get a chain ring bolt for those cranks there.
  • 2 0
 Good eye!
  • 2 3
 Dirtmerchant, looks like might finally get a VAWD
  • 1 1
 MysteryGuitarMan anyone?
  • 1 0
 Big influence!
  • 7 9
 please dont make a dubstep remix. dubstep blows
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