Robotic Musical Instruments: The Next Trend in Music?

The League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR) is a Brooklyn-based group of artists and technologists creating robotic musical instruments. Founded in 2000, LEMUR aims to develop instruments that play themselves, such as the guitar bot and percussion instruments. Eric Singer, the inventor of the guitar bot, highlights its advantages over human musicians, including speed and rhythmic accuracy. The guitar bot's independent strings allow for complex rhythms and intervals unplayable by humans. While musical robots offer new ways to create music, they are unlikely to replace human artists soon.

Where is the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots based?

• Los Angeles, CA

• Brooklyn, NY

• Chicago, IL

• San Francisco, CA

What is one of the main advantages of the guitar bot over human musicians?

• It can perform without any power source.

• It can compose its own music.

• It can play faster and with more rhythmic accuracy.

• It can play louder than humans.

How are the strings of the guitar bot different from a human-played guitar?

• They are made of a different material.

• They are tuned to different notes.

• Each string is independent, allowing for unique intervals.

• They are played with a bow instead of fingers.

What does Eric Singer suggest about the guitar bot's ability to play complex rhythms?

• It can play complex rhythms that are unplayable by humans.

• It struggles with complex rhythms.

• It requires human assistance to play complex rhythms.

• It can only play simple rhythms.

What is the current role of musical robots in the music industry?

• They are used only for educational purposes.

• They are a new way of making music.

• They are primarily used in classical music.

• They are replacing human musicians.