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Update 06/10/09. Music From Sand is available as a longer and high-quality mp3 download, along with a new track: diegostocco.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-sand

I had some sandbags in the backyard that I used in November during a rainy day. I was moving them to a different spot when I heard the noise of the sand. I thought that maybe I could try a new sound design technique so I bought some piezo film transducers and started to experiment with them.

The entire track is created only out of tuned sand tones. No additional sounds or waveforms.
I emphasized the inner notes of the sand grains and mapped them on a sampler as a series of instruments. The grooves are all played live with various techniques, including taping two piezo films to my fingers.

I'd like to dedicate this work to Mike Oldfield. When I was a child I listened to his music and it opened my mind. That experience triggered my life passion to create the means to access sounds we've never heard before. If you have questions or you just want to say hi please write at info@diegostocco.com

Diego

More info and pictures can be found here: behance.net/Gallery/Music-from-Sand/171792

UPDATE 10/24/09. If you'd like to connect on Twitter:
twitter.com/DiegoStocco
  • Rui Penha 3 years ago
    Good work! Your sound design experiments are truly inspiring... In fact I've bought Omnisphere because of them. Grazie mille!
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  • Frank Neumann 3 years ago
    Fantastic, Diego. Great idea. Very inspiring...

    Frank
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  • Daniel Holter 3 years ago
    So great, man... really cool.
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  • Diego Stocco plus 3 years ago
    Thanks guys! : )
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  • Paul Gillett 3 years ago
    this is uber cool
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  • Manel 3 years ago
    Beautiful.
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  • Remyyy plus 3 years ago
    As always, fantasticly sweet !
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  • Diego Stocco plus 3 years ago
    Thanks Rémi : )
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  • Sebastian Zangar 3 years ago
    You rock so hard Diego.
    Amazing !
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  • Diego Stocco plus 3 years ago
    Hey thanks Sebastian!
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  • Wladimir A. 3 years ago
    amazing, i'm impressed
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  • Thauma 2 years ago
    Brilliant
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks!
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  • Matt Field 2 years ago
    Absolutely beautiful. I felt inspired after seeing this.
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Matt!
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  • Rivaldo Does 2 years ago
    Good job, Diego! Any plans to record the Eureka Dunes? ;)
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  • kieran klaassen 2 years ago
    wow, this is really inspiring and a great sounding!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys! : )
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  • Karen Abad plus 2 years ago
    This is such fantastic work. I especially like the behance page where you explain your methods...great work! You are so incredibly talented.
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks a lot Karen!! : )
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  • Adriana de Barros 2 years ago
    It's up at illusion.scene360.com

    Cheers!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Adriana!
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  • Graham English 2 years ago
    Oh hell yeah! Super awesome!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Graham! : )
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  • Jeremiah Jacobs 2 years ago
    Damn Diego - you won the internets today! Very creative - I mean, VERY creative. Did the folks from RealWorld call you?
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    eh eh thanks Jeremiah : )
    You mean RealWorld/Peter Gabriel?? Should I try to write them? ; )
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  • elbicho 2 years ago
    Really beautiful!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks!
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  • Sara Sears 2 years ago
    WoW, Have you made or are you working on a Meditation~Relaxation CD yet???? :) I would definitely buy it!!!!!!! :)
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  • Jacques Lopez 2 years ago
    amazing song amazing work !
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Sara, thanks Jack : )
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  • Carla Mayumi 2 years ago
    I wish there wars more... this video could be longer, it's so enjoyable to listen to and look at... fantastic work, congrats!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Carla : )
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  • Paul Davis 2 years ago
    Man. This is so wonderful!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Paul!!
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  • elsakawai plus 2 years ago
    tooo cool
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks!
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  • 3to1 Studios 2 years ago
    Very neat! I agree with some of the above that it could be a little longer but, I'm sure plenty of hours already went into it.

    Great work!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks, yeah it took me a while to put it together : )
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  • Adam Bilbaeno 2 years ago
    It's amazing what you do with sound.

    I really liked the feel of this song, more so than your others I think. It's a lot more cheery haha
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  • rebecca 2 years ago
    that was so cool! thanks for shareing.
    thats real talent to make music like that.
    i really enjoyed it!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys, I really appreciate your comments! : )
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  • Tito Sacchi 2 years ago
    Brilliant. I'd love to see more of these sort of things. Keep going. ciao
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Tito, besides the other videos you can see here I have some other short tracks:
    Music from a Stapler, created by sound designing the noise of the spring inside a small stapler: behance.net/Gallery/Music-From-a-Stapler/140956
    Or, BedSide Table Bass, created by building a bass out of a vintage bedside table : )
    behance.net/Gallery/Diego-Stocco--Bedside-Table-Bass/134763
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  • do you know where I can find more info on "piezo film transducers"?

    hi diego,
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Hi Serene, there are different companies that make them, I got mine online at: imagesco.com/
    They are produced by this company: meas-spec.com/piezo-film-sensors/piezo-film-elements.aspx
    These are just components, not finished microphones.
    The first contact mike I'm using in the video is a product available from: mcintyrepickups.com/pickups.html
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  • GIOCAVANA 2 years ago
    Awesome!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks!
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  • matias 2 years ago
    Wow truely amazing very good job
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  • Taragh 2 years ago
    Beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing.
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  • Adriana de Barros 2 years ago
    Good to see that it is getting coverage!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys and a thanks also for all those who liked the video : )
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  • Carlos Díaz Garza 2 years ago
    that's the kind of musicians this world needs! I've been experimenting with sounds that people don't realize are truly musical in their inner core.
    I loved it =D
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  • joyrex 2 years ago
    Geniale.
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  • Riccardo Sinigaglia 2 years ago
    Hi Diego,
    very good work!
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  • Florin Stiuca 2 years ago
    Really inspiring, grats!
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  • Alessandro Priano 2 years ago
    Complimenti Diego, very good idea!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys!! : )
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  • Matthew Edel 2 years ago
    this has really expanded my thoughts in how to capture video/sound with more than instruments. well done!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Matthew!
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  • Faye Sciacchitano 2 years ago
    sweet sounds....very spiritual. Have you read anything by David VanKoevering the physicist? You might find him inspiring...
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  • Choritzo 2 years ago
    relaxing..
    great technique!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys!
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  • mike grider 2 years ago
    This shows real talent, using your collective imagination. Since music is a form communication and expression you have done well. I will now visit your web sight, thank you.
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  • Summer Shapiro 2 years ago
    Diego, i keep playing your Sand With Music over again because i want a longer song. do you have a longer song of music with sand. it is a really inspiring soundscape. i have been sending you link to many people.

    thank you,
    summer
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  • EpicMovies 2 years ago
    You needed to continue this! Please?..
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Mike : )

    Summer and EpicMovies, I think I will create a longer track as soon as possible, I'm happy to know that this kind of sound is appreciated.
    Summer, thanks for sharing this around : )
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  • peepeeland 2 years ago
    Lush!
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  • liz barnett 2 years ago
    Creative. Inventive. Big fun. Big smiles here. Love this!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys! : )
    LRC, yes be creative!
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  • Claudio Pascolin 2 years ago
    Stupendo!!!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Grazie/Thanks Claudio!
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  • Esli Stopato 2 years ago
    I would love if it were 4 minutes long :) ... really cool!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Esli! : )

    P.S. there's a short interview about my stuff here:
    artintheage.com/blog/an-interview-with-experimental-sound-designer-diego-stocco/
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  • Joe Dunkley 2 years ago
    Great work man! Perfectly fits the video too :)
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Joe!
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  • cheko 2 years ago
    from all your videos i liked this one better....cause of the simple fact that it is not that much edited and you can actually see how you make the music...also some of the other videos are just sounds this one is a song.....so yeah keep it up man! this song made my day!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Cheko!
    For my first videos I only had an old camera and a low quality video camera to work with, so I had to create more motion with the editing and additional graphic elements. I did them with iMovie and I squeezed as much as I could out of it.
    The Burning Piano video though is not just sound, it's an actual composition, created only with the sounds sampled when the piano was on fire. But I believe the definition of "just sounds" vs "song" is a matter of personal interpretation : )

    Anyway, I did this one with a better camera (still not a professional video camera) and Final Cut Express 4.
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  • MIDIhead 2 years ago
    Diego,

    This is really incredible. You are a genius, brother. Blessed with many talents.
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Hey MIDIHead thanks a lot! : )
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Mark! : )
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  • gostrub elden 2 years ago
    very nice:)

    check here, you may be interested:
    vimeo.com/2867660
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks Gostrub! : )
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  • Henryk Iwan 2 years ago
    Haha, that's amazing! Really fantastic stuff!
    So which "element" is next?

    Water - sampled
    Wind - sampled
    Fire - sampled
    Earth - sampled

    Now you gotta summon Captain Planet and sample his... whatever ;)
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Hey Henryk, there's more out there to sample, much more!
    : ) Glad you liked this video.
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    If anybody is interested in seeing something else, I just published a new gallery on Behance where you can see new custom instruments I assembled and played for the soundtrack I composed for "The Conduit":
    behance.net/Gallery/_quotThe-Conduit_quot-Shaping-the-Soundtrack/226926
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  • michel feist 2 years ago
    as always great job Diego! nice to see a familiar face around here!
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Hey Michel, good to see you too : )
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  • trafficarte 2 years ago
    Bravo Diego!
    (non ho sentito il suono della scritta sulla sabbia, però...;-)
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  • Jon Perry 2 years ago
    your music is the epitome of the celebration of life nature and harmony... where's Oprah when you need her!
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  • refreshh 2 years ago
    wooaahh!!! Awesome!!!
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  • J. Da Capote 2 years ago
    I speak about your talented creations... well i mean, amazin... no no no wait... fertil and infectious imagination.

    Just here :
    lecotontige.blogspot.com/2009/07/musique-ecologique.html
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  • Kevin Spijkers 2 years ago
    veramente un buon lavoro,da pelle d'oca
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  • Diego Stocco plus 2 years ago
    Thanks guys : )
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  • Amila Galappatthi 2 years ago
    Thanks for the inspiration!
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  • Chinowski Garachana 2 years ago
    Inspirador Diego, en estos momentos estoy envestigando con la arena como material sonoro y es muy grato descubrir tus trabajo.
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  • evkedisi 2 years ago
    wauuuuw!!!!!!!!!! 0.o
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  • lamaisondubonheur 2 years ago
    Great music thank you for sharing...
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  • Mauricio Balma 2 years ago
    Very inspiring. I hope yo don't mind, I made a thread about your inventive on vintagesynth forum
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  • Michael Hale 2 years ago
    Great work, as always! What mics are you using here?
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