Aalborg University Copenhagen and the Danish Music Museum, a part of the National Museum of Denmark, continues the exciting partnership to delve into the crossover of music and technology. With the aim of making musical history come alive through state-of-the-art interactive museum installations.

This project is an interactive experience that allows visitors to play the iconic Violino Arpa (Amoeba violin), housed within The Danish Music Museum (image below).

The installation enables users to morph between violin bodies of different shapes and sizes. By manipulating the instrument’s form, visitors can hear the distinct tonal variations produced by different violin bodies. This interactive installation invites the user to understand and appreciate the impact of physical design on the sound produced by string instruments.

The evaluation of the installation conducted at The Danish Music Museum provided valuable insights into the user experience of the installation. Observations of the participants revealed that the installation was engaging and interactive. However, some participants found aspects of the installation confusing, while others enjoyed the experience, found it aesthetically pleasing, and perceived clear differences between the sound of the Violino Arpa and the classical violin. Nonetheless, the majority of participants perceived a clear connection between the installation and the Violino Arpa in the display case. In conclusion, the project describes a unique approach to bringing a historical instrument to life through physical modeling and interactivity, providing an immersive experience for visitors to the museum.

Check the paper by Simon Rostami, Stefania Serafin, Ali Adjorlu, Ulla Hahn Ranmar and Marie Martens in the proceedings for details on the process: Resurrecting The Violino Arpa – A Museum Exhibition.