MR-808, a mechanical robotic installation by Moritz Simon Geist, uses programmed robotic structures to create sound. It is a replica of the famous 1980s electronic drum machine TR-808 and the first robotic installation that transfers and presents the electronic sound of this most influential electronic drum computer. By using robots to create sound, the artist operates the installation in his live performance so as to highlight the origin of sounds in a way no conventional media would be able to. This is done via physical movements of the drum robot parts, and lights that synchronize with the sound. Thus, the installation introduces a physical error into the music: a drum beaten by a mechanical robot arm can never be as predictable as a computer-generated sound.
MR-808Moritz Simon Geist (DE)
performance and interactive sound installation
Moritz Simon Geist (DE)
Moritz Simon Geist is a music producer and researcher working with sound, robotics, and algorithms. He began his academic career in semiconductor sciences as a PhD student but later shifted his focus to art and music, merging sound with robotics and algorithms. In 2012, Geist's first work, the Drum Robot MR-808, went viral. Over the years, he has collaborated with renowned artists, including Mouse On Mars, Tyondai Braxton, Robert Lippok, and Thieß Mynther. His work has been showcased at international venues and events such as the Venice Biennale, South by Southwest (SXSW), the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Geist’s contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous awards, including at the ISEA Conference 2024, the Working Grant ZER01NE Seoul (2023), the German Pop Music Prize (2022), and the VIA VUT Award (2019).
