MUSIC MAKING for All!

HARMONIC DRIFT is a mobile, participatory sound installation built from gongs, percussion, and found objects — designed for festivals, celebrations, and creative gatherings.

Built with reclaimed and reused materials, HARMONIC DRIFT centers sustainability, expression, and collective play.

What is Harmonic Drift?

A woman with a straw hat and glasses, wearing a colorful shirt, is playing a steel drum percussion instrument on a mobile setup at an outdoor event. A small child with a tie-dye t-shirt and green pants is standing nearby, looking at the instruments. Another woman with a pink umbrella is in the background, also observing.

Multiple simultaneous Sound-Makers w/o Amplification

Night scene on a city street with people gathered around a large, mobile percussion instrument. One woman is striking a large gong, and others are dressed in eclectic fashion, including a person with a floral headpiece and fringed shawl. Bright lights and a Ferris wheel are visible in the background.

DESIGNED TO MOVE, ADAPT, AND PARADE

Children and adults gather around a mobile musical instrument cart decorated with purple flowers and green foliage. The cart has metal lids, sheet metal panels, and a variety of percussion instruments. The setting is outdoors with trees in the background, on a sunny day.

INTERACTIVE, PARTICIPATORY, AND EXPLORATORY - FOR ALL AGES!

PAST COLLABORATIONS & Presentations

  • Gardens of Golden Gate Park

  • Joshua Tree Music Festival

  • San Francisco Dia de los Muertos

  • New Music Bay Area (Garden of Memory)

  • New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival

  • SF Decompression

  • SF Salon Music

  • Spire the Church

  • Gamelan Sekar Jaya

  • Burning Man

  • YOUTOPIA

  • SF Night of Ideas

  • Ace Makerspace

FOOTPRINT & LOGISTICS At a glance

  • Mobile / modular: Yes!

    • Transportation to the venue by vehicle, then easily pulled by handcart once on-location

  • Total footprint: 10’ x 16’

    • This includes the size of the installation + required interactivity space for participants to move freely

  • Power & lighting needs: we bring our own!

    • We bring our own nightime power & lighting

    • No daytime power & lighting needed

  • Sound type: acoustic / controlled

    • We are powered by mallets. Music stops when we collect mallets from participants.

  • Crew size: 2-6

    • depending on the terrain & size of audience

  • Setup / strike window: ~ 1 hour

    • We have a very minimal setup and arrive to the venue already constructed.

The cart has metal lids, sheet metal panels, and a variety of percussion instruments. The setting is outdoors with trees in the background, on a sunny day.
People gathered at a nighttime outdoor event, observing a colorful display of musical instruments, including cymbals and drums, illuminated by vibrant lights.

See (and Hear) Us in action!

Children and adults gather around a mobile musical performance setup with percussion instruments and metal plates, outdoors under a tree with a sunny sky.
People dressed in costumes resembling historical or theatrical outfits stand inside a wooden structure with ornate carvings on the ceiling. The scene appears to be part of an event or performance, with various decorations and items displayed.
Night scene at outdoor festival with a performer in a Halloween costume playing bagpipes, decorated with orange lights and ornaments.
Group of people participating in a wood chipper game at an outdoor event, with children and adults holding mallets, surrounded by trees and forest setting.
Children and adults gathered around a mobile musical instrument stall at a park, with kids playing banging metal instruments, and a woman standing nearby, on a sunny day with trees and more park activities in the background.

Let’s Make Music Together!

Prefer to connect via email? Reach out to us at info@harmonicdrift.org.

Children at night surrounding a musical instrument cart with gongs and drums, illuminated by colorful purple and blue lights, with trees in the background.

Meet our Team

  • A man with dark hair and a black t-shirt, standing in front of a red wall and metallic equipment in an industrial setting.

    Dan Bales

    FOUNDER and DIRECTOR

    Dan is the visionary artist behind Harmonic Drift. A true renaissance man, Dan wears multiple hats as an instrument builder, composer, musician, and an all-around creative extraordinaire, committed to sharing the transformative power of music with all walks of life. His passion lies in the realm of improvised music, where he uncovers the boundless joy that arises from the act of collective creation.

  • A woman dressed in colorful, patterned winter clothing, wearing a beanie and ski goggles, sitting inside a mechanical clock tower, surrounded by wooden gears and metal mechanisms.

    Katie Harrell

    CO-DIRECTOR

    Professionally, Katie Harrell is an executive assistant with extensive experience supporting complex events, projects, and teams. She brings strong organizational systems, clear communication, and on-the-ground problem-solving to Harmonic Drift’s planning and execution.

    In addition to her professional background, Katie is an artist and performer whose work spans improvized musical and comedic performances and interactive installations.