Tag Archives: Music

Just like many other artists, LEGO builders find inspiration in the music they listen to as they create the wonderful models you see here on The Brothers Brick. It’s no surprise, then, that music inspires many LEGO models more directly, from minifig musicians to album art recreated with bricks.

Playable Life-size 88 Key LEGO Piano Keyboard

Tickling the ivories is clearly a hobby for alanboar. Combine that with a love of ABS and you have this beautiful full-size, 88-key soft-touch piano keyboard which he has meticulously reconstructed out of around 5,000 LEGO elements. At first glance, you may be forgiven for thinking this was real — as it looks much like a genuine, life-size, real piano keyboard. Measuring 1.4m by 30cm (4.5 feet by 12 inches) this amazing replica is even playable!  My favorite feature is how Alan has customized it with his own name emblazoned across the top. A beautiful piece of equipment that would not look amiss set up on stage with a world-famous keyboardist and supporting band.

LEGO Piano (Life Size 88 Keys Playable)

 

Tiny legends: Freddy Mercury and Brian May, BrickHeadz style

Thanks to this LEGO tribute to the legendary rock group Queen by Krzysztof J, I’m singing softly to myself, affirming my role as a champion and contemplating Galileo. Tiny Freddy is resplendent in his iconic yellow jacket, rocking that mic like no other, hand raised. The suave hairstyle is genius, much like the inspiring persona. And Brian? That hair. Positioning all of those 1×1 round plates must have been mind-numbing, but the end result is spectacular. His guitar is perfect. It’s a little detail, but man: those bases are lovely. I would love to see LEGO’s BrickHeadz line use those!

Freddie Mercury and Brian May

I feel my luck could change

Celebrating the 20-year anniversary re-release of a 1997 Radiohead record, Anthony Wilson presents a LEGO rendition of OK Computer. Subdued color choices and good line placement using plates and tiles make Anthony’s build a great representation of the album cover.

Ok Computer

And I think to myself, what a wonderful build!

BrickHeadz is a genre determined by some strict guidelines. However Krzysztof J does an awesome job of building beyond any rules. A ridiculously huge and funny trumpet and a wide glowing smile are what making a little figurine of Louis Armstrong instantly recognizable. Bonus points for such a smart one-piece classic bowtie.

Louis Armstrong 2

Shake a tail feather and head to Ray’s Music Exchange

When two brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues, reform their band in the movie The Blues Brothers, they have high hopes of saving the orphanage in which they were raised from financial ruin. One slight issue is the requirement for musical instruments, and this leads the brothers to Ray’s Music Exchange where R&B genius Ray Charles has a cameo as the store owner. Nate Flood has built a perfect LEGO version of the infamous store, complete with a fantastic ‘LEGO-ized’ version of the famous mural.

LEGO Ray's Music Exchange

Nathan’s build is not just an exterior though, as inside we can see Jake and Elwood strutting their stuff, with Ray Charles at the piano and the guys shaking some tail feathers with their guitars and saxophones.

LEGO Ray's Music Exchange

 

Party girls don’t get hurt

As the craze for building custom Brickheadz continues to work its way inexorably through every corner of popular culture, a few gems are popping up. Here Johnnie “Brick” Xavier has recreated young dancer Maddie Ziegler as she appeared in the 2014 music video for Sia’s breakout hit Chandelier.

The unconventional style of the Australian singer required an unconventional video, and this visceral performance by then the 11-year old Zielger delivered: 1.5 billion views later it is now one of YouTube’s most watched videos. While sticking to the Brickheadz pattern, Johnnie’s LEGO rendition is immediately recognizable, helped by the addition of a prop and pose lifted perfectly from the video itself. All that’s missing is a Brickheadz version of Sia herself – her back turned toward us, naturally.

Don’t play the saxophone – let it play you

A little photo editing has been used to great effect in this bustling scene by legomeee, making the saxophonist stand out against the washed out surroundings. It creates the feeling that the busker is bringing vibrancy and color to an otherwise drab and dour market scene. The builder has chosen the perfect expression for the musician’s face as he plays his sax, and the motion blur of the people in the foreground helps complete the illusion of a lively flea market.

Flea market?

Bringing music to the masses

The beginning of the 20th century brought music to the masses with the invention of mass market gramophone records, allowing for the reproduction of sound and radio broadcasts. Jazz and Blues were the first new-age genres to form entire cultures around them. Sven Franic‘s entry to the 2017 Brickstory contest in the History of Music category captures the essence of that category’s description. I particularly love the ingeniously designed treble clef and musical notes,  but the scene is completed by the gramophone and a singer—presumably singing some bitter-sweet blues into the mic.

Twentieth Century Music

Who needs a time machine when you can have the 80’s come to you?

With the rise of high-powered pocket computers (also known as smartphones), listening to music has become very clinical and almost too easy. It is just not quite as rewarding to listen to your favourite song if you don’t need to put in the effort of carrying a large, clumsy box around everywhere. This retro 80’s radio by Chris McVeight captures that long-gone era well, with multiple realistic functions like a flip-up handle and exchangable cassettes with a working ejecting mechanism. There are some non-functional elements here that make for great details too; most notably the seamless speakers and the great tuning display.

Pump Up The Volume!

While non-LEGO elements are generally a detrement to a LEGO photo, 1:1 scale creations are an exception to that rule. Chris’ addition of 80’s-looking background and table decoration really makes you take a second look to be sure this is in fact a LEGO creation.

All you need is love (and a few LEGO bricks)

This Beatles tribute by Singaporean builder Tan Kok Mun features the Fab Four in a colorful and imaginative collage featuring several key themes that the legendary band was known for during its heyday. The symbols of peace and flowers asre universal, with a guitar and musical notes floating to the echo of the familiar music that plays in our minds. With the added touch of a heart over the guitar’s sound hole and the headstock playfully replaced with a tiny yellow submarine, what’s not to love about this charming tribute?

tkm-TheBeatles-PeaceLoveMusic-01

Lead the charge with a sick metal tune

How does one person go from creating How I Met Your Mother vignettes to building an epic Mad Max: Fury Road Doof Wagon? We may never know, but the fact is, Speedyhead did it. I have yet to meet a person who did not like the latest Mad Max film, be it for the insane vehicles and action or the underlying theme of equality and freedom. The Doof Wagon is many people’s favourite “character” of the film. I can’t imagine many things more awesome than a metal concert riding into battle on a huge postapocalyptic truck.

Doof Wagon

All the details are in the right places and the whole thing is just like in the film. It has everything from the weird guitar-flamethrower player to the huge speakers. The base adds a lot to the presentation too, and even some sense of motion and power.

Doof Warrior

Needs more cowbell

This nifty little creation by Ordo is a simple idea that has been well executed. The builder has created the perfect snapshot of a recording session. And while the room is decorated minimally with a couch and some golden records, there is plenty of clever part usage in the recording area. The sound board is represented with a brilliant assortment of printed tiles. Tires are used for the speaker cones and stool. And a feature that I only noticed after repeated viewing are the black cheese slopes making up the back wall of the sound booth.

At the studio