simonegiertz
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The problem with bubble wrap
🕑 Added 2022-04-18 20:26:25 +0000 UTCI don't know if you remember this (or if you'd prefer to forget) but a while back, I made an instrument out of teeth.
I was very happy with the outcome, and stoked for my new career as a novel instrument maker. But to my dismay, I was met with complete silence from the music industry, which is surprising considering that their whole schtick is making noise.
It's been 2 years, and I'm ready to give instrument-inventing another shot. And this is a real good one.
Imagine a music box, but it's a lot bigger. About the size of a paint can. And instead of a spiked barrel hitting different prongs, it's a spiked barrel popping bubble wrap. And the pops resonate in different tubes, creating different tones. There's a video of my research above.
Thus, I have spent the last couple of weeks thinking about bubble wrap. How do I ensure pop reliability? And control the location of where it pops? What material makes for the best popping surface? Am I ready to deal with all the fame and fortune this project will inevitably bring? Will I take it on tour? Or simply perform on my friends' weddings and funerals?
As always, it's trickier than I expected it to be, so I've enlisted engineer Stu to the bubble pop mission and we've started designing it together. I'm having such a good time with this project. It has so many hyper specific problems to solve, which is my favorite type of problem. Also should I refer to it as "bubble rap"? Or "bubble pop"? So many questions.
In other news
YETCH store is launching MAY 3RD!!! Also known as very soon! I'm working on a YouTube video about it now. This is a dream that I've had for such a long time, and I really really really hope it does well. Working on setting up some discount codes for you all. Until then, here's a sneak peek of the website:
Today is Scraps' 2 year adoption anniversary! It's been a rollercoaster, but she's made so much progress recently. I can have people over without Scraps losing her shit, which is a huge relief. We still have a lot to work on, but our life is so much more manageable than it used to be. She's constantly finding new ways of raising a ruckus and is making me laugh every day.
Last but not least, I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. My new year's resolution was to make more friends, and I have really put an effort in. Also I started taking a really low dose of anxiety meds, which is something that I never thought I'd do. But I just got tired of always worrying about irrelevant things, no matter how much I meditated, slept, exercised, etc. So I thought I'd give it a go, and so far it's been great. It just made me feel like myself on a good day, which is all I want.
See you on May 3rd!
XOXO
Simone
Comments
Chris Brown
Hot Yoga with group therapy and mass murder.
VanOaks Props
Anxiety is real. I only recently realized that anxiety wasn't something that only affected other people. I was one of them and was in a bit of denial about it. So congrats to you for taking the next step to better mental health.
Anne ROBERTZ
Congrats on your achievements (and Scraps') <3
Karen Kingsbury
good news all around! yay!
Taylor Bell
I'm really glad to hear you've been feeling better! ❤️
Chris Brentano
But May 3rd is like so long from now
Matt Schwoebel
On a more serious note, sometimes Place is the problem. I was on anxiety meds briefly, then realized I did not like where I lived/worked and left that city. LA house with private workshop sounds awesome, but is your heart still in foggy San Fran?
Ferdinand
Nice! :) These plopps remind me of exciter sounds used for filtered delay+feedback based string synthesis! (e.g. search for "Patchení s Nikol - Karplus-Strong algorithm" on Youtube). The cheapest way to get a usable feedback, delay and filter modules would probably be the free modular software synth "VCV Rack" on a notebook with a microphone. And a loudspeaker. Or perhaps more fancy, some accoustic resonators instead of plain loudspeakers that trigger physical membranes, pipes and strings on wood bodies? Or - how was the idea with these pan pipes again? :)
Jack Hodgson
Nice pic of you on the stool. Good for you on the anxiety this. Nothing to be "embarrassed" about. It's just medicine after all. Glad it's helping.
Dennis Blackburn
Looking forward to the bubble rap instrument. People thought Ben Franklin was nuts when he invented the Glass Armonica, but Mozart, Beethoven, Saint-Saens and R Strauss all included it in some of their works. Happy Gotcha Day, Scraps.
Richard Laxton
May the Turd? Is the new store opening date a call back to the shitty robot days? I still can't believe that you kept all your fingers and appendages from that period!
Dom
So much cool stuff going on! I can't wait to see you on your world tour (or at a wedding-funeral event), excited for the store launch too ❤️ If you'd feel comfortable updating on the anxiety med effects after a little while using them I'd like to hear how they go for you
JoyousWaters
So much awesome! … I echo your thoughts about meds.. I totally thought it would change me from being me, but it’s just calmer me. Yay for that! I better get a job so I can give you all my money! 🤪 My trouble pup envies your not so trouble pup.. and aspires to her level of success. Remembering that she wants to be good and do well is my goal. Thank you both for your inspiration, in so so many ways.
Z Baldwinikas
Very excited to see what your store has to hold! I just celebrated the 1 yr adoption anniversary of my pup! She's also much better behaved and she has me well trained...
Lisa
Your posts always sound so authentic and wholesome. The small things are as important as the big news. I just love reading them.
ben hengst
So much awesome news 🎉🎉🎉
Daniel Delaney
I’m not a fan of the “incomplete white puzzle” but also I want one
starbreadus
so excited about all of this!
Greg Smith
What a profoundly Yetchy concept! I love it! I look forward to the new Yetch-Pop music genre taking Spotify by storm in 2023!
Pensive Primate
You go Simone!
Tree Carcass Mangler
Awesome news! And I'm glad you are improving your mental health as well - that sounds like its a tough battle for creative people, generally. I can't wait to see the Yetch Store! Striking out on one's own is something I never had the guts to do, and I'm glad you are. You're living the dream!
Allison B
Glad to hear you are feeling better. Your posts always brighten my day too. Thank you for being you. Xx And yay to the Yetch Store !!
Paul Kinzer
I'm so glad that things are looking up for you!
Blitzar Whistle-Stop
there's a fidget toy that simulates bubble wrap - if you could mimic that, you'd have reusable poppers
Anton Steenken
Amazing project again and so refreshing in a world where engineering mostly is constraint by cost and mass manufacturing, already excited to see this come to life!
Alicia P.
I appreciate that one of the store categories is 'Items you didnt know you didnt want' lol. I am very excited to see what's in there XD
Kathrin Leppek
love +he logo ;)
TomT
BY JOVE! I think she's GOT IT!
Tessa
"I was met with complete silence from the music industry" What about that LOVE HULTÉN recreation of your work?! That counts!
James Morehead
Congratulations on the imminent launch of your store - so much ice under the iceberg to make that happen! And bubble wrap... whenever I get a package with bubble wrap I lay it out on the floor and leave it there to walk across until there are no bubbles left to pop. ASMR for me feet and ears.
Matt Schwoebel
It is IKEA furniture.
Gary Sullivan
Simone, so good to hear that you are feeling better. BTW, that is an awesome photo of you, very nice!
Simone Giertz
Glad it's working out for you! I've always pictured myself as a highly functional person and didn't think I was ever down enough to warrant meds. But having so much uncertainty in my job and in my health has made it really hard to enjoy my life as much as I think it deserves, so I figured it was worth a shot. I'm only two weeks in, but I really hope this is what it's like. Has definitely made things more manageable and enjoyable!
Kristian
So stoked to hear YETCH store is going to happen!! You made it! I am so happy for you and very excited for the launch. You've put so much work into everything you have achieved so far (probably more than we can imagine) so you deserve it so much to reach your goals. Even better when it comes with a more relaxed personal life. I have the greatest respect for you regarding both your business and personal progress. And as always, thank you for sharing!
Simone Giertz
You are not the first person to say that! It seems to be its destiny.
Tom Kelly
I think it’s amazing you’re willing to discuss such private and vulnerable topics such as mental health. I started a low dose (10mg/day) prescription of fluoxetine (generic Prozac) and it’s made such a massive impact on my life. I feel exactly the same as I did before, but the lows are only 5% of what they used to be. It was a last resort after years of therapy. Hopefully people reading this hear your story and realize it’s not a display of weakness to need a little bit of help from time to time. Very excited about the video though! Sounds super fun. I’m 100% here for weird instruments with massive engineering problems to tackle!
xPir8x
All good things to hear. Especially the anti-anxiety. Ego vs meds is such a hard fight for so many. Congrats on that. And friends! Well done. You sent me a Truckla tag for a funny slogan and I named CNCeilia during a livestream, so we've basically been besties for, like, ever...and you weren't even trying! 😛 Keep at the hard work, lady. 💪🏼
Alan Mackie
I feel like the music machine is destined to play popcorn, and that will be awesome.
Dennis Weddig
You really are an inspiration. 😃 Can't wait to hear the lovely melodies of plastic popping!
Simone Giertz
I respect this so much.
Eveline Eisschiel
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Edgar Ernst
I see potential for a wrap album🙃 Yay, thanks for the news and the very personal insight, Simone. Glad for you that you have such challenging but interesting new projects. Also, how cool is that your store will be accessible soon! I'm so excited to see the final design and concept! And I'm proud of you, if that makes sense.
Eric Friedman
Maybe Hip Pop instead or or in addition to Bubble Rap?
Matt Schwoebel
Arnor, adopted 2 months ago, is not allowed to gnaw on chair legs. His new workaround is placing a toy on the chair leg and then he 'accidentally' chews the leg as well.
Taylor Pridgen
Happy to hear about all the positives! It sounds like you're doing great. Between Scraps and projects that sounds like a lot! If we get a fan vote, I definitely vote funerals.
Simone Giertz
Ps. I'm planning to make a waffle iron type of contraption so I can turn the used bubble wrap into paint gloves! Since it doesn't get recycled here in California.
