X

Film composer cooks up music in the kitchen (video)

What do you do when you're "bored and curious"? You build a synthesizer and turn everyday kitchen tools into musical instruments, of course. At least that's what Stephen J. Anderson does.

Anne Dujmovic Former Senior Editor / News
Anne Dujmovic was a senior editor at CNET. Her areas of focus included the climate crisis, democracy and inclusive language. She believes in the power of great journalism and art, and the magic of tardigrades.
Expertise Editorial standards for writing about complex topics, from climate change to politics to misinformation. Credentials
  • Extensive journalism experience in digital media.
See full bio
Anne Dujmovic
Bowled over: Success! After spending all day wiring cereal bowls and other kitchen bric-a-brac for sound, composer and synthesizer tinkerer Stephen J. Anderson puts his setup to the test. Not only does he avoid getting electrocuted, he also manages to produce a pleasant electronic "bonk." Watch the video; Anderson cooks up quite the aural dish. Screenshots by Edward Moyer/CNET

It's inevitable. Whenever you throw a party, it might start in the living room, but it always ends up in the kitchen.

Film composer Stephen J. Anderson created a party of sorts in his kitchen recently. He crafted a synthesizer out of old electronics and then attached various objects--bowls, a cheese grater, a whisk--to it to compose music. (Or, as he puts it, "to make noise using amplified static electricity.") In this YouTube video, watch him transform cans of Pam cooking spray, among other things, into a musical instrument. This is what happened, Anderson said, when he got "bored and curious" at the same time.

Related story