This is a beautiful thing.
A tangible rhythm sequencer. Ball bearings are used to trigger drum sounds. Visual feedback is displayed from underneath to indicate the current time and the state of each ball bearing.
Update: I just noticed this “bubble gum sequencer” video, same idea, but the video explains the process much better.
The Bubblegum Sequencer is a physical step sequencer that lets you create drumloops by arranging colored balls on a tangible surface. It generates MIDI events and can be used as an input device to control audio hardware and software. Finally, people can’t claim anymore that electronic music isn’t handmade.
Very cool! There’s a website for kids that is a virtual version of this: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/patterns/patterns.html The first screen contains a very simple sequencer; click the “Next” button to create more complex patterns.