Rockin' Out With Tesla

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Although it sounds like something that only the Gods should have power over, it’s now possible to build a machine that will shoot giant bolts of electricity to create music. It’s all based on an invention pioneered by Nikola “Mad Scientist” Tesla back in 1891 called a Tesla coil, which creates an electrical charge similar to a continuous bolt of lightning.

 Now, 21st Century inventors are harnessing Tesla’s contraption to create tunes, by modulating the rate and duration of the ‘bolts’ through an external control panel. The result is a jagged bolt of synth-like sound with the bonus of an accompanying lightshow to freak-out even the most leathered clubber. 

There are scores of musicians out there currently using the very dangerous, very cool technology. For Merge’s buck, check out ArcAttack (who are slapping the suckers where they belong – at parties), and The Geek Group (who prove that it is possible to pocket-protect even the already most geekiest of technologies). 

Harnessing large amounts of crackling electricity just for the novelty? I get the feeling Nikola Tesla would be proud.