Alloy/ESS Prepared Piano Studio Offer
In collaboration with the Alloy Prepared Piano Project, ESS is offering clients the option to record and/or rehearse with access to various individual ‘prepared piano’ tools and objects, as well as dozens of tailor-made setups of music styles ranging from J Dilla to Young Miko, Frederic Chopin to John Cage (see lists below).
Thanks to grant funding, this offer comes at no additional charge for bookings at ESS through June 30, 2026. Access to this equipment and services would need to be scheduled in coordination with Shi-An Costello, the Alloy Project leader. Mention interest in this resource with your booking inquiry.
List of Available Tools and Setups
- Various materials free to use in open-ended exploration:
- Metals: Screws (Brass), Bolts (Brass), Washers (Various), Nuts (Various), Aluminum Foil, Paper Clips
- Woods: Skewer Sticks (Bamboo), Toothpicks (Birch)
- Fabrics: Felt (Sheets, Pads), Leather (Sheets, Lace), Cotton
- Plastic: Pencil Grips (Various), Thin Tubing, Pony Beads, Toy Trolls
- Rubber: Gasket (Neoprene), Reusable Straws (Silicone), Rubber Bands, Balloons
- Original Prepared Piano Setups for Beats & Samples
- “Come Down” by Anderson. Paak / DJ Hi Tek (5 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” by Bad Bunny (5 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “Timeless” (Instrumental) by Illa J / J Dilla (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown) Here’s how it looks.
- “Life” (Instrumental) by J Dilla (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown) (Demo video coming soon)
- “Dillatronic 36” (Instrumental) by J Dilla (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “DD.012” (Instrumental) by J Dilla (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “Everything I Am” by Kanye West / DJ Premier (5 mins setup, 1 min breakdown) Here’s how it sounds.
- “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar / Mike WiLL Made-It / Pluss (10 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “Mamushi (feat. Yuki Chiba)” by Meg Thee Stallion / Koshy (5 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “Arcoíris” by Young Miko / Mauro (10 mins setup, 1 min breakdown) Here’s how it sounds.
- “Know Your Enemy” by Rage Against The Machine (10 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead (5 mins setup, 1 min breakdown)
- Original Setups WITHOUT Drum Kit or Percussion
- “LA TURiSTA” by Bad Bunny (10 mins setup, 1 min breakdown) Here’s how looks. (Demo video coming soon)
- “The Brutalist” OST, by Daniel Blumberg (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown) Here’s how it sounds.
- “Battle of Trees” by Tori Amos / Erik Satie (1 min setup, 1 min breakdown)
- John Cage: Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano. This historic 75-piece prepared piano setup is used in the iconic 1948 work the Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano by John Cage. (10 mins setup, 5 mins breakdown) Here’s how it looks. | Here’s how it sounds.
- Frédéric Chopin: 12 Etudes, Op. 10. Original prepared piano setups for each Etude of the set. (5-15 mins of setup, 1-5 mins for breakdown, depending on which Etudes are selected) How it sounds.