Metal Mang Orkaestra / Roy F Culbertson III

Metal Mangs, String Things & Other Delights

The Metal Mang Orkaestra is an ensemble of sound-sculptures designed by Roy F Culbertson III. The number of players has varied from one to eight. Not exactly a culmination, but rather a high-water mark of the MMO took place last January, when designed by Roy F Culbertson III presented a number of sculptures for a diploma project at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

Roy F Culbertson III about the Metal Mangs: “Not only do they function as sculpture, but also as sound producers. I hesitate to call them instruments, but they do make sounds/music. Over the years I have come to promote audience interaction with the MMO as well, often playing a concert and then opening up the floor to anyone interested in trying their hand out at interacting with the sculptures.”

Metal Mangs are made of steel, have their own resonant bodies and can be played with sticks, bows, mallets, rods, etc. If there are multiple players, small percussion and self-made wind instruments are added to fill out the sound and add more flavor to the rhythm and texture.

Amplification is also an interesting avenue of presentation, because with guitar pickups, piezo mics and geophones, the Metal Mangs can be not only amplified, but also modified through typical guitar effects, live computer processing, magnetic tape delay, and synthesizer filters.

References for Roy F Culbertson III’s creative process in constructing the Metal Mangs include, among others, Harry Partch, the Bachet Brothers, Harry Bertoia, and Memphis Design.