Song of the Still is an interactive musical installation designed to play a layered audio composition based on user presence. Inspired by the quiet contemplation of churches and cathedrals, the project uses pressure-sensitive seating to trigger individual instruments—each played from a dedicated speaker. When all seats are occupied, the full musical arrangement is revealed, encouraging group interaction and shared stillness through sound.
The installation was built using an Arduino Mega 2560 connected to four piezoelectric sensors, each embedded under a seat to detect when someone is sitting. Each sensor was linked to a DFPlayer Mini and dedicated speaker, routed through PAM8406 amplifiers and stabilized with a KI0 capacitor to manage voltage fluctuations. When a sensor was activated, it triggered an instrumental track specific to that seat. All DFPlayers were synchronized to create a seamless audio experience, with the Arduino coordinating playback once all users were seated. The bench structure and copper pipe backdrop were designed to reflect acoustic instrumentation, enhancing both visual presence and spatial sound quality.