Experimental composer John Cage made an extraordinary mark on 20th-century music, contributing new ideas to musical conception and performance that continue to ripple through culture today. An early pioneer of sampling, Cage also blurred the lines between what were traditionally considered "musical" and "non-musical" sources, and introduced elements of chance and unpredictability to the compositional process.

It's in this spirit that Puremagnetik founder and sound designer Micah Frank created two new Live Packs. Based on samples of an amplified cactus and a prepared piano, the instruments trace their lineage directly to similar experiments conducted by Cage. We spoke to Micah about Cage's influence, plucking a cactus, and inserting objects into a hotel piano. Listen to "Hotel Prepared Piano" below, and read on to learn more.