Lou Smith and Matthew Venn

Lou Smith is an artist working in sculptural installation art, photography and film-making, and inventor of the Gas Organ. He is fascinated with physics, engineering and the natural world and seeks a fusion of these disciplines with art.

The Gas Organ is a type of Pyrophone, from the Greek words for fire and sound. Sound is generated in an open-ended tube when the heat from a propane flame causes the air to heat up and vibrate, which sets up resonance in the tube. The pitch of the sound is determined by the length of the tube, with longer tubes producing lower frequency of vibration. Chaotic turbulence produced in the flame by air currents, and sound pressure waves add vibrato and beats to the already complex mix.

The propane torch used to provide the heat for the Organ is controlled by servos (small motors) which adjust the volume of gas in the flame, and also the ratio of the Gas/Air mix. The servos are in turn controlled by a random signal generator, which uses analogue microprocessors. Control can also be input using Radio Control transmitters, allowing the Gas Organ to be played by performers.

Matthew Venn, who has been developing the computer interface controlling the organ, is an engineer who appreciates beauty in sound, form and nature. He is especially interested in artistic works that respond to, and encourage interaction with the audience. Read more about Matthew here.

The Gas Organ will be part of the ASD Choir’s forthcoming concert at St Bartholomew’s on 11 December 2009.