The Da Vinci Sound | Sawomir Zubrzycki | TEDxEmbassySchoolKrakow
The speaker suggests that while modern technology provides much, discovering forgotten historical crafts, such as the Korean-style grand piano, can reveal overlooked areas of inspiration for contemporary artists. The central argument is that understanding past passions, exemplified by the piano's engineering, can guide the creation of new artistic technologies. This is supported by the speaker's personal journey attempting to replicate 17th-century music on a modified instrument. ## Speakers & Context - Unnamed speaker; pianist. - Presents his own narrative journey to illustrate overlooked areas for discovery and inspiration. - References the audience's general awareness of modern technology and education, while pointing out knowledge gaps. - Addresses the audience at a point where he was asked to continue his talk. ## Theses & Positions - The current technological and educational landscape still contains "white spots" where things are not fully described or known. - Historical crafts and forgotten techniques—like the piano—offer rich sources for contemporary discovery. - A deep understanding of past passions and talent can serve as a model for current creative endeavors. - There is a "technology of time," which is distinct from the technology of power or physical machinery. - It is never too late to pursue a passion, citing his own first recital at age 15. ## Concepts & Definitions - **White spots:** Areas in knowledge or description that are not fully illuminated or explained. - **Grand piano (Korean style):** A type of 19th-century piano described as having sounds that mimic string instruments or folk guitar music. - **Technology of time:** A concept distinct from the technology of power or material capability. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Piano modification:** The speaker spent hours researching how to achieve a sustained, long sound from the piano's strings, moving toward a sound reminiscent of polka or folk guitar music. - **Instrument Combination:** The speaker conceptualized mixing keyboards with stringed instruments to create an "Eastman" effect, allowing for sustained, longer sounds. - **Historical Research Cycle:** Process involved searching for historical incidents, studying 17th- and 16th-century instruments, and devising mechanisms to make modern instruments emulate that past sound. ## Timeline & Sequence - **19th century:** Period associated with the development of the Korean-style grand piano and the life/work of a noted painter/engineer. - **17th and 16th century:** Periods the speaker focused on researching for musical instrumentation. - **Five years ago:** A pivotal moment in the speaker's private project when he realized the need to share his work after receiving significant feedback. - **Age 15:** The speaker's first recital, noted as the beginning of his passion. ## Named Entities - **Poland:** Location where the 19th-century tuna/piano was built. - **Krakow:** City where a painter was noted for painting *The Last Supper* on a fresco. ## Numbers & Data - **19th century:** Century of the grand piano and the painter mentioned. - **200:** Number of people who might be informed about a niche historical detail. - **2,000:** A large number the speaker found it difficult to imagine. - **17th and 16th century:** Eras of instrumentation the speaker studied. - **15:** Age of the speaker's first recital. ## Examples & Cases - **The Polish Piano:** A 19th-century grand piano capable of producing sounds like string instruments or polka music, which required significant engineering effort to sustain. - **The Painter/Engineer:** A "very great man" who was an engineer and researcher in fields like mathematics, biology, and physics, noted for painting *The Last Supper* fresco. - **Blueprints/Stitches:** Drawings mentioned are *not* actual plans for building instruments but mere "stitches" illustrating ideas. - **Bach's work:** One piece found was originally written for seven instruments in the 18th century, noted as being similar to Sebastian Bach's style. - **The Revelation:** The moment the speaker presented his project to a friend/colleague who reacted strongly, signaling the turning point for public presentation. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Korean-style grand piano:** The central technological artifact inspiring the discussion. - **Fresco:** Medium used by the painter to depict *The Last Supper*. - **Instruments for combination:** Keyboards and stringed instruments; modification concepts applied to existing instruments. ## References Cited - **Sebastian Bach:** Mentioned in connection with music pieces originally written for seven instruments. - **Da Vinci:** Mentioned in the context of invention, suggesting the speaker knew how to replicate energy/functionality. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The speaker noted the need to correct the narrative: "These are not exactly plans for building instruments." - The speaker acknowledged the difficulty of sharing his work, stating, "It's quite difficult." ## Methodology - Self-narration/Storytelling: Using his personal musical pursuit to guide the discussion on historical gaps in technology and art. - Historical Synthesis: Combining knowledge from disparate eras (16th-19th century) to theorize on instrument composition. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - Everyone should try to understand and think about the past to find inspiration. - Look into the past to find people who were young, passionate, and talented. - Passion for an art form can emerge at any time in life. ## Implications & Consequences - The discussion implies that art and music are fields where technological innovation can be driven by cultural observation rather than immediate military or power needs. - The concept of "technology of time" suggests that historical context fundamentally shapes creative limits. ## Verbatim Moments - *"it's called modern technology great education everything possible but there are still white spots that not everything everything is described"* - *"how to make the sound of the piano which disappear very quickly after strike how to make make it more seen more like a folk guitar music playing polka music on piano"* - *"if I give the sun-god love strings which are very long I can press the key and then I can get beautiful long long long time"* - *"he found one day enough okay so I said music what kind of music I'm talking of if he didn't write down with music just call it here notes were written by a Hispanic"* - *"the world which surrounds him"* - *"these are not exactly plans for building instruments"* - *"the day in my 15th birthday so it's always remember this is never too late for your passion for your"*