The Piolin

Project Music: Redefining the electric violin

03/2017

About the project

Project Music is a student organization at the University of Michigan dedicated to creating new and unique musical instruments. With this project, we took the concept of a traditional violin and completely redesigned it. The body is made of clear acrylic, which allows users to see and interact with the heart of the instrument: the electronics. There is an on-board micro-computer, sound card, and sensors that process the signal and give our violin a unique sound. For more details and demonstrations, please click on our video above!

As Vice President and Build Team manager, part of my role in leading the completion of this project was to plan our weekly meetings, set goals and deadlines, and maintain member involvement. I led a team of eight peers through the design and manufacturing process, during which we used laser cutters, 3D printers, and the machine shop at the Wilson Student Team Project Center to construct the instrument.

Upon completion the instrument was showcased at several club recruiting events, including SpringFest 2017. It was also featured by the Electrical and Computer Engineering department in the ECE Magazine.