Beer brand invention turns weather into music

Tasmanian beer brand James Boag has unveiled a groundbreaking instrument that turns live environmental and meteorological readings into music.

The meteorphonium, which measures 1.7m in diameter, features nine bronze ‘singing bowls’ and a central steel tongue drum (Photo: Dominic Loneragan)

Named the meteorphonium (pronounced ‘meet-e-or-phone-ium’), the unique, electro-mechanical instrument was invented by the award-winning British composer, sound designer and audio specialist Nick Ryan.

Measuring 1.7m in diameter, the instrument features nine bronze rin gongs, or singing bowls, and a central tongue drum, all housed in a handcrafted oak frame. It uses data inputs from a weather station, including those for wind speed, humidity and atmospheric pressure, to stimulate mechanical movements which create a symphony of drumming and chiming, its creators explained.

The main instrument structure is surrounded by eight independent satellites known as meteorphones. The highly sensitive meteorphones respond to changes in light – such as the sun disappearing behind a cloud – and react with mechanical movements to produce tinkling and clinking sounds, complementing and building the symphony.

At its world premiere in Tasmania’s Ben Lomond National Park, the specially-commissioned instrument captured local live weather information to create a symphony unique to the conditions of its debut performance. The resulting Boag Symphony can be heard at boagssymphony.com.au.

“As a composer, I’m fascinated by the idea that technology can translate the behavioural patterns found in natural phenomena into the language of music,” Ryan said. “So when I was approached by James Boag to work on a project to transform Tasmania’s dramatic landscape into music, it was the perfect chance to invent a very special instrument that would do just this.”

“Months in the making, we had no templates to work from – every part of the instrument was painstakingly built by hand by myself and team of world-class engineers. Building it, deep in the wilderness of Tasmania, then hearing the symphony unfold as it was conducted by its own surroundings, was truly magical.”

The meteorphonium was specially commissioned by James Boag to reflect its beer which, it says, transforms the rugged Tasmanian environment into something “smooth and refined”.

“James Boag Premium Lager is born of the purest ingredients from Tasmania’s rugged environment, which are transformed into a smooth, refined, premium beer,” brand director Jack Mesley said.

“We wanted to celebrate the amazing journey of our beer from rugged to refined in an abstract and unexpected way.”