VOA慢速英语：音乐家打造机器人乐队

Machines Play Instruments to Create ‘Robot Orchestra’

音乐家打造机器人乐队

Two musicians from Germany are using robotic equipment to add sounds to their performances.

来自德国的两位音乐家开始使用机器人设备为他们的表演伴奏。

The two-man band performs with a robot that can play several musical instruments at the same time. The robot can sound like a guitar, keyboard, drum or other percussion instrument.

这支双人乐队与一种可以同时演奏几种乐器的机器人同台表演。这个机器人可以发出像吉他、键盘、鼓或其它打击乐器的声音。

When performing, members of the band provide many of the sounds, but others are controlled by a computer. Once connected to wires and set up, instruments such as a xylophone, drum or cymbal can play on their own.

当表演时，乐队成员发出其中多种声音，但是其它声音则由电脑控制。一旦通电并设置好，木琴、鼓或钹等乐器就可以自行演奏。

Another instrument was created from a long, self-turning wooden stick that sits on top of a microphone stand. The stick contains long strings. They are tied on each end. The strings are connected to a small wooden ball. As the stick turns, the ball hits a block on the floor, creating a sound.

另一种乐器是用安装在麦克风支架顶部的可以自行旋转的长木棒制成。这根木棒含有长弦，它们两端被绑在一起。这些琴弦被连接到一个小木球上。当棍子转动时，球击中地板就会发出声音。

The two-man band, called Joasihno, recently performed at the South by Southwest Conference and Music Festival in Austin, Texas. They describe their electronic sound as "psychedelic machine" music.

这支名为Joasihno的双人乐队最近在德克萨斯州奥斯汀市举行的西南偏南音乐节上进行了演出。他们将这种电子声音称之为“迷幻机器”音乐。

"Actually, we call it a psychedelic robot orchestra," said Cico Beck, one of the creators of the group. "It's a combination of acoustic instruments, but also very trashy robot instruments," he added.

乐队创始人之一的西柯·贝克(Cico Beck)表示，“实际上，我们称之为摇滚机器人管弦乐队。这是原生乐器的组合，但是也有非常蹩脚的机器人乐器。”

The computer can react to changes to voltage signals, so the robots are controlled by an electrical current, Beck explained.

贝克解释说，电脑可以对电压信号的变化做出反应，所以这些机器人是由电流控制的。”

The group's other member, Nico Siereg, says playing in an experimental band with robots is not the same as playing in a traditional one. "It's a little bit different because you also have in mind that there are machines playing around you, so there's no reaction from them," he said.

该乐队的另一位成员尼克·斯雷格(Nico Siereg)表示，与实验性机器人乐队同台演出跟传统乐队不同。“这有点不一样，因为你脑子里想着身边是机器在演奏，所以它们不会有回应。”

But Siereg said that in some ways, the robots actually help him improve his performance. Since the self-playing instruments are programmed, he sometimes feels freer to center on what he is playing, and at times to even improvise.

但是斯雷格表示，在某些方面，机器人实际上有助于提高他的表现。由于自行演奏的机器经过了编程，他有时能更自由地集中在他正演奏的内容，有时甚至即兴创作。”

The musician says he can imagine similar technology having a greater influence on many different kinds of music in the future. "Technology is like a very important tool that even, very often, it's also a very important part of inspiration," he said. But he also expressed hope that "real music won't die."

这位音乐家表示，他能想象类似技术将来会对多种类型的音乐产生影响。“科技就像是一个非常重要的工具，它也是灵感非常重要的组成部分。”

In addition to performing recently in Texas, Joashihno has been busy putting on shows in Europe and in Canada. The band hopes its high-tech music "experiment" will keep reaching new people and pleasing the ears of its fans.

除了最近在德克萨斯州表演，Joashihno乐队一直忙于在欧洲和加拿大进行演出。这支乐队希望它的高科技音乐“实验”能够不断吸引新朋友，并让歌迷们耳目一新。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

布莱恩·林恩报道。