SOUND//NOISE

S /

O U N / N O

D / I S

/ E

MIRIAM BEAN

Fine Art Degree Show, University of Lincoln

miriambean.com

C O N T E N T S

1 M A N I P U L AT I N G F R E Q U E N C I E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 CAMILLE NORMENT .......................................................... 5 T H E T R I T O N E PA R A D O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 P I A N O I M P R O V I S AT I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 T H E G L A S S A R M O N I C A & A C O U S T I C R E S O N A N C E . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 C H A R L E S C U R T I S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 C Y M AT I C S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 S E T H C L U E T T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 F O U R ( B A R S ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 D A P H N E O R A M & PAT R I C K F E A S T E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 M O N A U R A L & B I N A U R A L B E AT I N G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

33 P R I N T I N G S O U N D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 K I M G O R D O N & L E E R A N A L D O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 O P E N S O U R C E T E C H N O L O G Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 M I N I E X H I B I T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 S O N I C S P R I N G B O A R D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Z I M O U N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 E D W I N V A N D E R H E I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 P R E PA R AT I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 J E M F I N E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 O V E R T O N E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 SOUND PORTRAITS .........................................................

MONAURAL & BINAURAL BEATING C A N O U R M I N D S B E A LT E R E D T H R O U G H B R A I N W A V E E N T R A I N M E N T ?

Turning Off Trauma by Billy Cox

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Therapeutic applications are based on a brain-

Beating is an acoustical phenomenon which occurs

Although I am sceptical of such claims, listening to

wave phenomenon, first documented in 1839,

when two or more sine frequencies of a similar length

pure sound waves is a markedly different experience

called binaural beats. A Prussian physicist

and amplitude are played at once, either through one

to listening to environmental sounds or music. Sine

discovered that when one ear receives an audio

sound source (monaural) or through headphones

waves pierce through space and resonate in such a

signal tone of, say 100 Hertz, and the other ear

(binaural). For example, if someone listens to a 200

way that makes you aware of the vibrations reaching

simultaneously is given a 120 Hz feed, the

Hz sine wave played through the left ear of a pair

your cochlea. It is a visceral, physical experience

brain hears the difference, a 20 Hz frequency.

of headphones whilst a 220 Hz wave through the

which some find challenging, especially when the

Nearly two centuries later, the exploration

right, a 20 Hz amplitude modulation (or ‘beating’)

tones are high pitched or dissonant. Conversely,

of binaural beats remains an infant science.

will be perceived, without the sine waves physically

bass tones can be soothing and therapeutic (see

But some mental health therapists claim that

interacting with each other. When the beats are

left). The jarring, shuddering vibrations stimulate

emotional scars created by acute trauma can be

monaural, the amplitude modulation displays as an

the nervous system, something which I wish to

targeted through acoustical neuromodulation.

irregular pattern on an oscilloscope (see right), but

interrogate further through indeterminate sound

- B I L LY C O X

binaural beats display as two steady waves without

installations: set ups involving unpredictable

any interference. There is evidence to suggest that

monaural beats projected into a space. By using

beats can alter one’s state of mind by tuning in to

synthetic sounds in an unprecedented manner, I

the same frequency as our brainwaves (something

am able to switch off my musical consciousness

known as entrainment), aiding concentration, sleep,

and allow the pure physicality of sound to be at

and apparently even our moods and creativity.

the forefront of what the listener experiences.

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MANIPULATING FREQUENCIES REFLECTIONS ON LAST TERM & INITIAL THOUGHTS FOR THE DEGREE SHOW Adobe Audition, Amplifiers, Bare Conductive Touch Board

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Reflecting upon my work from last term, there are

if the technology is unreliable or I run into more

of Four (Concrète), I was intrigued by how the sound

two ideas which I feel could be developed further.

problems, I'm wary of taking this all the way to

bounced off the narrow walls, and how it was almost

These are: the site-specific sound installation in

the degree show. This is why I intend on exploring

impossible to tell which sound was coming from

the stairwell, Four (Concrète) and the interactive

several different avenues of artistic practice this

which amp, even though they were spread across

sculpture, Threads. Both pieces utilised simple,

term, but at the same time focus my research on

four levels. The sound feels more physical somehow:

electronically-generated sound waves, but in very

pure tones and how they can be manipulated. The

the intensity changes dramatically when you turn

different ways. The sculpture, despite a few technical

reason I have chosen to narrow my interrogations

your head, almost as if the sine waves have a more

difficulties, invited the viewer to create live sound

of sound down to pure tones is down to two key

direct path to your ear drums. It is hard to explain

with unexpected materials: using conductive thread

reasons. Firstly, they are as neutral a sound can

through the medium of text, but the sine wave 'sits'

to trigger MIDI sounds which were then distorted

be, the simplest form of sound wave, far removed

in your ear more than other kinds of waveforms

using effects pedals and amplified for maximum

from natural 'found sounds' of our environment.

(see right), even at lower, less piercing pitches.

impact. Because the hardware was hidden inside

This means there aren't likely to be personal

The most notable points of resonance were when

a white box and behind the wall, unsuspecting

connotations or memories associated with the

the indeterminate notes came together to form

viewers would not realise it was a sound sculpture

timbre, allowing the pitch, volume and resonance

perfect, rounded harmonies, but then collapse into

until they touched it. I hope to experiment further

to be the most significant factors in the work.

harsh, beating dissonances. These are the key areas

with this idea, because the Bare Conductive touch

Secondly, I discovered that sine waves pervade

which I aim to expand upon during the course of the

board is very customisable and has potential to

spaces in a more unusual way to other kinds of sonic

term, forming an interconnected body of research

create a wide variety of interactive pieces. However,

phenomena. In the stairwell during the installation

relating to the phenomenological nature of sound.

TYPES OF SOUND WAVES Sawtooth, sine, square & triangle

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CAMILLE NORMENT ‘ T H E S PA C E B E T W E E N P O E T R Y A N D C ATA S T R O P H E ’ Verksted No. 19 - Rapture ( publication no.1) Office for Contemporary Art Norway.

This piece is not about things being

eerie timbre that was intertwined with soft

only the surface of Camille Norment’s sonic

destroyed or being torn apart, but it’s

sighs and hums of female voices. Despite being

interrogation. For my own installation I want the

about something being shaken up— just

unimpressed by the sporadic, minimalist staging

physicality of the sound to be at the forefront.

like getting goosebumps when you’re

of the installation, I was later informed that the

The philosophical, musical and historical

happy … or when you’re frightened.

empty space inside the pavilion acted as a stage

context will be the backbone, reinforced by the

- CAMILLE NORMENT

for performances throughout the year, involving

visceral resonance experienced by the listener.

the artist’s trio and notable guests such as David

By utilising musical hardware (e.g. guitar

Toop and Sofia Jernberg. Reading the catalogue

amplifiers) in unexpected ways like Rapture does

on the plane journey home, I was captivated by

(speakers shaped like oversized microphones),

the philosophies and texts relating to Rapture.

the objects will take on a new role, significant

This became the foundation of my dissertation

to the musical context the work resides in, but

research, exploring dissonance and semiotic

in such a way that doesn’t distract or confuse

rupture in relation to Rapture and historical

the listener. My hope is that viewers will be

accounts of musical subversion. Although the

able to re-evaluate their appreciation of sound:

subtleties of the presentation were a little lost

in a realm outside music, as well as showing

on me at first, it is because the installation is

how art can be perceived outside the visual.

Walking into the Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale last year, I was not overwhelmed by the sounds emanating from above me. I was intrigued; judging by the outer wall of smashed panes of glass, I was expecting the sounds to be vigorous and deafening, but instead the installation was delicate and fragile. Already familiar with Norment’s performances with glass armonica, I was able to recognise the

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RAPTURE

Installation, three-part publication and performances, 2015

norment.net

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THE TRITONE PARADOX ARE THE NOTES ASCENDING OR DESCENDING? Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks & Music Perception by Diana Deutsch The tritone—an augmented fourth (or, in jazz

Zone theme). Propounding the enigma further, a

the way we hear things, to the point where our senses

parlance, a flatted fifth)—is a difficult interval to

musical illusion was discovered in 1986 by Dr. Diana

register tones in a different way to someone else.

sing and has often been regarded as having an ugly,

Deutsch: the tritone paradox. This is when two tones

The historical superstition that led to the prohibition

uncanny, or even diabolical quality. Its use was

half an octave apart are played in succession, but the

of ‘the devil’s interval’ combined with the evidence

forbidden in early ecclesiastical music, and early

second note is doubled with the same note an octave

from Deutsch’s experiment suggests that the tritone

theorists called it diabolus in musica—

above or below (see fig. 1). When a group of people

is more of a physiological challenge for our ears

“the devil in music”.

are asked whether they hear the notes ascending

than other more harmonious chords and intervals.

- OLIVER SACKS

or descending, there is often disagreement, even

Due to Western musical conditioning, our ears crave

if they are trained musicians. However there are no

harmonic resolution: something the tritone does not

right or wrong answers, as it is down to whichever

offer on its own. Composers are able to take advantage

note one subconsciously picks out over the other.

of this, implementing the tritone and following it

Although it is primarily a scientific experiment, the

with concordant resolution. The tritone heightens

results pose a number of sociological questions.

the harmoniousness of the surrounding chords by

Dr. Deutsch conducted a study that showed a correlation

leading the listener in unexpected directions before

between answers given during the experiment and

it resolves. On its own, however, the tritone is widely

where that person is from. For instance, people from

regarded as an unpleasant dissonance, or can even

California were more likely to give the same answers

provoke a feeling of disgust (see opposite). This

amongst themselves, but they would disagree with

propels the subjective nature of aural perception

those from the south of England. This emphasises the

even further, posing the question of whether what

influence our upbringing and environment has on

we hear is indeed the same thing as someone else.

From ancient Gregorian Chants to Black Sabbath guitar riffs, the tritone is a distinctive interval often used to create a sense of foreboding in music. The eerie dissonance is difficult to rationalise, for what causes this sense of unresolved tension and uncanniness? Is it something psychoacoustically innate, or a product of social and cultural conditioning? Although it is simply two notes half an octave apart, it is a powerful musical device used to portray a wide range of sinister themes, from the morbid (e.g. Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns) to the mysterious (e.g. The Twilight

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Gian Beeli, Michaela Esslen, and Lutz Jäncke,

Minor second

Sour

researchers in Zurich, have described a professional

Major second

Bitter

Minor third

Salty

Major third

Sweet

taste on her tongue that is consistently linked to

Fourth

(Mown grass)

that musical interval.” In a 2005 article in Nature,

Tritone

(Disgust)

Fifth

Pure water

Minor sixth

Cream Low-fat

Major sixth

Cream

Minor seventh

Bitter

Major seventh

Sour

Octave

No taste

musician with both music-colour and musictaste synesthesia: “Whenever she hears a specific musical interval, she automatically experiences a

they detailed her associations:

An example tone pair used in Deutsch’s experiment.

Extract from p173 of ‘Musicophilia’ by Oliver Sacks.

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PIANO IMPROVISATION U S I N G T H E P I A N O A S A S O N I C S K E T C H PA D Piano, violin strings, tape, Tascam portable sound recorder

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When I approach the piano, it is almost the

where I will end up. This kind of meandering

Because the piano is upright rather than open

same process as when I sketch an abstract

was a test for my ears and memory, as I have

like a grand piano, I was unable to rest or

drawing. A doodle can be absent minded, or

never been able to fully grasp music theory, or

slot objects in between the strings by means

it can be a more structured interrogation into

which order chords are meant to be played in

of gravity, however I used a mixture of tape

how to compose lines, shapes, and tones.

order to form progressions. My playing relies

and string to slide in-between the strings

Sometimes the music I play is simply a doodle

on my intuition and my influence of what I

and accentuate the raw twang of the strings

which ends up a chaotic mix of chords, and

listen to on a regular basis. Although it is short,

themselves, letting the hammers hit a cluster of

sometimes I carefully pick out keys (of the

I intend for my sketch to be a brief insight

strings attached by tape. I used discarded violin

keyboard) which I think will give shape and

into my musical subconscious, whilst also

strings to 'bow' the bass piano strings, scraping

form to the overall improvisation. In a quick

acting as a way of analysing which tones and

against the textured surface creating a scratchy,

recording of one of these sketches, 2:08, I sat

harmonies work without needing technology

discordant ring. Once I had collected these

down at the piano for the first time in months

or forward planning. I was especially inspired

sounds, I was able to piece together a small

and began to play. The improvisation was

by the ringing of the piano with the pedal, as

sampled composition by layering the textured

intentionally constrained; I slowly and carefully

the overtones bleed into each other as time

resonances together. If I had the funds, I would

tried to make harmonies and dissonances

goes by. Influenced by John Cage's prepared

buy a piano and dissect the different parts of its

around tritones and their relative intervals,

pianos, I opened up my family's piano

body to interrogate the mechanism and utilise

whilst at the same time not knowing exactly

back home to expose the interior workings.

its materials to create more complex recordings.

P R E PA R E D P I A N O Piano interior with violin string

soundcloud.com/miriam-bean

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THE GLASS ARMONICA & ACOUSTIC RESONANCE T H E P H Y S I C A L F O U N D AT I O N O F S O U N D , T R A V E L L I N G T H R O U G H S PA C E The Power of a Musical Instrument: Franklin, the Mozarts, Mesmer, and the Glass Armonica by David A. Gallo and Stanley Finger Many people became fearful that the sounds of

status, superstition arose after players reported that

to believe in a musical instrument capable of causing

the armonica could affect nervous physiology and

the instrument made them ill. Some of them believed

sickness, it would be unwise to underestimate the

mental status, causing fainting, convulsions,

the piercing vibrations were linked to the supernatural,

physical power of acoustic resonance. The human ear

illness, marital disputes, and perhaps even death.

invoking dead spirits, causing sickness or driving

can usually hear between 20 Hz and 20kHz, but very

Among others, both Marianne Davies and

listeners mad. The sound created by fingers and

low frequencies such as 19 Hz (which is the resonant

Marianne Kirchgassner, two early masters of the

water on the surface of the glass is remarkably close

frequency of the human eye) played at high volumes

armonica, had succumbed to health problems.

to the sound of electronically generated sine waves,

can cause spots in one's vision. Some frequencies can

Davies was bedridden for more than a year,

but back in the 18th century this was bound to have

even cause a person to have difficulty breathing, due

and Kirchgassner’s death “was attributed to

sounded unearthly and unusual. Sound Waves and

to vibrations impacting on the lungs. For example,

deterioration of her nerves caused by the unusually

Their Sources, an educational programme from 1933,

the Long Range Acoustical Device (LRAD) is a sonic

piercing vibrations of the instrument”.

describes how sound waves travel, illustrating how

weapon capable of producing enough sound to

- D A V I D A . G A L L O & S TA N L E Y F I N G E R

most sounds are made up of several different modes

cause physical pain, and The Mosquito is a youth

of vibration, differentiating it from other sources and

deterrent designed to emit frequencies so high that

giving the instrument, or voice, its unique timbre. The

only younger people can hear its piercing alarm.

sine wave, however, is regular in shape, making the

Standing waves (where sound waves are reflected

sound unwavering and relentless. The glass armonica

back and forth upon itself repeatedly) can

therefore, must propagate a very regular sound wave

generate enough energy to levitate objects in

for it to sound so pure. Although it may seem irrational

the air which, even now, appears unearthly to us.

The glass armonica is a musical instrument which was originally invented by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. It was a popular instrument at the time, notably for its pure, ethereal tones that resonate strongly in the surrounding space. However, despite its fashionable

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THE GLASS ARMONICA Camille Norment playing the instrument

oca.no

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Resonance is one of the few acoustics concepts that has worked its way into the public consciousness, and a certain mythology has risen up around it. Resonance allows sound to do surprising things, like shatter a wine glass, and vibrational resonance is to blame for the dramatic collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940, driven only by a strong wind.

Some have extrapolated out from these sorts of events to conclude that everything has a resonant frequency, and need only be exposed to a sound at that frequency to be destroyed. But if so many objects have resonances, why can’t we shake them to pieces?

- A C O U S T I C S T O D AY. O R G

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Although the aforementioned examples show the

listeners are aware they are not listening to a musical

immense power of sonic vibration, I do not wish to

instrument or recording of a performer. By eliminating

discourage listeners of my work by putting them

the need for a performer or fixed composition, the

through an unpleasantly loud or uncomfortable

stripped down presentation of the work should allow

experience. Instead, I wish to suggest its power

the sound waves to be at the forefront, creating an

through subtle spatial intervention, using simple

immersive experience that highlights the power

methods to project sound waves into a space, keeping

of resonance by exaggerating the every day, rather

the timbre of the work as neutral as possible so

than push sound to its absolute physical limits.

Images sourced from 'The Minisonic2 Analogue Sound Synthesizer' at pcbunn.cithep.caltech.edu

SYNTHESISER WAVEFORMS 1. Range 'C'. Sweep 1Khz - 100Khz. Input signal 150mV p-p triangle. Resonant frequency 37Khz. Intermediate 'Q'. Output 100mV/div.

2. Range 'A'. Sweep 0.5Hz - 300Hz. Input signal 150mV p-p triangle. Centre frequency 27.5Hz. Low 'Q'. Output 100mV/div.

3. Range 'C'. Sweep 1Khz - 100Khz. Input signal 150mV p-p triangle. Mid-range resonant frequency.

High 'Q'. Note interference pattern and peaks caused by changing harmonic relationships at different points of resonance. Output 100mV/div.

4. Range 'B'. Sweep 10Hz - 1Khz. Input signal 50 mV p-p sine. Centre frequency 100Hz. Low 'Q'.

Roll-off 3dB - 1st Octave; 6dB - 2nd & subsequent.

Output 50mV/div.

- DOUG SHAW

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The frequency of a vibrating string depends upon the material it is made of, and its density, tension and length. Different instruments produce sounds of different tonal quality, even when playing the same basic frequencies. Each vibrating string is made to produce different tones.

When the string vibrates its full length it produces its longest possible wavelength. This is the lowest, or fundamental frequency of the string, sometimes called the first partial. If the SOUND WAVES AND THEIR SOURCES Television programme, 9'38" 1933

archive.org

string vibrates in two segments, it produces a wavelength that is one half of the fundamental.

This is the first overtone, which may be called the second partial. -

N A R R AT O R

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CHARLES CURTIS ‘ S U B L I M E F O U R PA R T S I N E T O N E S Y M P H O N Y ’ The Wire Issue #192 February 2000 As well as vibrating the sine waves, Curtis also

The prolonged tones allowed me to slip in and out of

four different versions of the album to be played at once.

employs sustained electric guitars, bass, drums, cellos

conscious listening, whereas the voice interrupted this

On the front cover it has the following warning label:

and speech into his invention. The result is a work

slightly. I believe the text would be better achieved in

"This is a unique recording. These eight compositions are

which resonates loudly with LaMonte Young’s

a printed format to accompany the sound, rather than

to be played using as many as four compact disc players,

minimalist teachings [...], but one that miraculously

being read out loud, but I can understand that the tracks

and have synchronized start times. This recording also

resists pale imitation in favour of fresh exploration.

would potentially become indistinguishable without the

contains frequencies not normally heard on commercial

change of instrumentation. The gradual change within

recordings and on rare occasion has caused the

the tracks allows for temporal contemplation, especially

listener to become disorientated." In both releases, the

in the second track where the drone's movement is

compositions are stripped of strict patterns of harmony,

barely noticeable across nineteen minutes. This is almost

melody and rhythm in order for the tracks to be enjoyed

like the background hum of a generator, or the friction

on their own or mixed together in such a way that they do

of tyres on the motorway whilst on a long journey: you

not become disjointed. Having four different sources of

are hearing it constantly, but you hardly ever give it

sound allows for a more immersive listening experience,

recognition. The most intriguing element of Ultra White

which is why I have chosen to use multiple amplifiers in

Violet Sleep however, is its ability to be played all at once

my installation. The way in which the sine tones weave in

on multiple stereos. Any combination of two, three or all

and out of each other in Charles Curtis' album is similar

four sides of the vinyl can be heard at once. This is the

to what I intend to occur in my work, however I want

same technique that has been used by numerous artists,

to push the drone notes further by duplicating them,

the most famous probably being The Flaming Lips'

adding more layers over time that become dissonant

Zaireeka, which was released as four separate discs with

and grow in complexity and intensity before subsiding.

- EDWIN POUNCEY

Using the purity of sine waves as a 'musique concrète' base, cellist Charles Curtis gracefully weaves around the steady tones using slow, bowed glissandos that gradually unravel over time. The chromaticism emphasises the close harmonies between the sound of the cello and sine waves, teasing out monaural beating whilst slipping between microtones. The minimalist outcome is best achieved on sides A & C on the release. Although speech adds an extra dimension of philosophical reflection to the work on B & D, I found it too prescriptive to listen to, distracting me from the musical interchange between digital sound wave and classical instrument.

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U LT R A W H I T E V I O L E T L I G H T / S L E E P, V O L . 1 78’08”, 2000

thewire.com

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CYMATICS V I S U A L I S I N G B A S S T O N E S W I T H W AT E R For the Record: Adorno on Music in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility by Thomas Y. Levin Chladni’s experiment consisted in spreading

and 70 Hz, I was able to use the monaural beating

where the pure tones are activated by the player’s

quartz dust on various plates that were then

to vibrate the water on a perspex tray above. The

hands dipped in water. Because the sine waves are

made to vibrate. Depending on the rate of the

sound caused a regular pattern of ripples to form

so regular in frequency and amplitude, the patterns

vibration, the sand distributed itself into lines,

on the surface of the water, changing in shape and

that form on the surface are very regular which

curves and hyperboles, gathering in those areas

intensity depending on the volume and positioning

is simultaneously intriguing and unsettling. The

that were free of movement. Here, for the first

of the subwoofer. This experiment, whilst simple, is a

mirrored base reflects the patterns from underneath,

time, one could associate acoustic phenomena to

highly effective example of cymatics emphasises the

transforming the water into something that looks

specific graphic figures which, most importantly

sculptural properties of sound, and how the vibrating

silvery-white and metallic, almost like liquid mercury.

were “drawn” by the sounds themselves!

sound waves are powerful enough to create liquid

When Chladni first discovered his ‘tone figures’, it

- T H O M A S Y. L E V I N

waves. The simplicity of the work means that when

must have been difficult for people to comprehend

the sound is not being played, the objects are left

the scientific reason behind what was causing the

redundant. It showcases the transience of sound,

images to form, and not believe some unearthly

activating and animating the water, manipulating

miracle was occurring. The complex and strikingly

it to behave in uncanny and unusual ways. I chose

decorative patterns uncovered is akin to discovering

to use water instead of other liquids because of its

an invisible, ancient language which is finally

neutrality and transparency, but also because of the

translated into something our eyes can perceive:

connection with my research into the glass armonica,

an extraordinary moment of sonic discovery.

As sound is invisible, we often forget it is a physical phenomenon. Cymatics is a term in physics describing the study of visualising sound waves, especially as they interact with physical substances such as water, sand or powder. By placing a subwoofer underneath a plinth and playing low sine wave frequencies of 60

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LIQUID RESONANCE Perspex, subwoofer, water

miriambean.com

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SETH CLUETT 'ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS THROUGH THE LENS OF EMBODIED LISTENING' onelonelypixel.org

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The name of the piece refers to cloud-to-air

Combining

music,

Objects of Memory is a compilation of five of Cluett's

lightning, where an electrical discharge takes place

Cloud-to-Air is a multi-sensory work combining

atmospheric recordings from 2006-2009. In a similar

between a build-up of one type of charge within

elements of classical performance and acoustical

fashion to Charles Curtis' album, the recordings utilise a

a cumulonimbus cloud and an opposite charge

interrogations of weather. The central component

mixture of sine waves and musical instruments to create

present in the surrounding atmosphere that never

is the physical visualisation of the sound waves

a slow build and release of simple harmonies, with the

touching the ground. The work consists of a single-

(cymatics): a large tray of water where low frequencies

added dimension of using everyday objects to collect

channel video of raindrops on a roof projected

(derived from thunder) are used to vibrate the

textures. Unlike the tranquil drone of cellos, however,

from above onto a large tray filled with a thin

tray from underneath, causing patterns to erupt

Cluett's recordings are much more enigmatic. Dark

layer of water. The tray is outfitted with a tactile

like fireworks all over the surface of the water. By

undercurrents underlie the minimalist soundscapes,

transducers (a vibrating motor) on the underside

combining this installation with a projection and live

with only the odd glimpse of light throughout. The

whose oscillations cause patterns to appear in the

performance from three clarinets, the work becomes

final track, Untitled (Objects of Memory), is a barren

water and small water droplets to break on the

less about the event happening in front of them, but

expanse shaped by the drone of sine waves and

surface in counterpoint to the video. The work

about bringing ordinary experiences of weather into

controlled feedback. Its long, bleak stillness flecked

aims to highlight shifting experiences of time and

a collective experience that is extraordinary. Bringing

with moments of grainy creaking resounds in my

memory in the context of a visceral, immersive,

the weather from outside to inside, there is a stark

ears as it unfolds over twenty-six minutes. It is not

but disjointed experience of weather.

contrast between the familiar sounds and materials

easy-listening by any means, but Cluett managed

- SETH CLUETT

as they are presented in a very unfamiliar way.

to draw me in with its simplicity and ambiguity.

performance,

video

and

C L O U D -T O - A I R 3 clarinets, steel tray, water, video projection, light, sound, vibration transducer, multi-channel audio 2013

onelonelypixel.org

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OBJECTS OF MEMORY

68’ 41” 2006-2009

onelonelypixel.org

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These works occupy a position between an expanded notion of composition and a gallerybased art practice. The content of the works presented on this disc produce a slow series of gestures that give the illusion of stillness amidst a texture of continually developing material. Like much of my output, I am interested in providing the listener with material that allows for an active agency of perception and that affords the ability to move through the sound autonomously. Whether the work is gallery-based, conceptual, or created for a concert hall, I am interested in viewing simple, everyday actions at extreme magnification, acknowledging failure by amplifying impossible tasks, and exploring the role of memory in forms that respect the contract between the composer, performer, and listener.

- SETH CLUETT

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FOUR (BARS) V I S U A L D O C U M E N TAT I O N O F A R E C O R D I N G miriambean.com Overtones go far in explaining why certain

One of the most intriguing discoveries I made last

beating, harmonic overtones and the excitation

intervals are consonant or dissonant.

term was during my initial experiments for Four

of the room's resonances, otherwise known as

The tones that form consonant intervals

(Concrète). I put four amplifiers in a small, sound

the room mode. To understand the beating and

have many overlapping overtones. Tones

proofed room, and played different tracks of the

change of amplitude felt in the room, I created

of dissonant intervals are less well aligned.

composition through each one. Even though the

a simple visualisation of the audio recording

Intervals that bring about both a clash of

sound wasn't live (like plugging in an electric

using Adobe After Effects. In this minimal video,

critical bands and a riot of beating overtones

guitar, for instance), the sound went from being

the monaural beating is emphasised by the

that are particularly jarring.

soft and steady to jittery and distorted. For years

shuddering lines, as the volume changes the

I believed certain kinds of sonic interference was

length of each line. Rather than create a visualiser

due to unwanted vibrations at the source (like

with layers of detail, I wanted to make the most

a guitar pickup), and not from the sound waves

basic interpretation of the sound, allowing the

interfering in the air. But when the amps began

lines to 'dance' on the screen: a choreograph

to play each track in the small space, a mixture of

of indeterminate dissonance in real-time.

- ROBERT JOURDAIN

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DAPHNE ORAM & PATRICK FEASTER SOUND TO PICTURES, PICTURES TO SOUND daphneoram.org & dust-digital.com/feaster In many ways, it has become too easy to make

have the synthesiser read the shapes and generate

them, touching up any anomalies and then uses

electronic music, and I think some of the most

sounds with varying amplitude, timbre, frequency

a computer to read the image and convert it into

interesting areas in electronic music are where

and duration. It is hard to comprehend the amount

sound. From this technique, we are able to listen to

people are trying to reintroduce some constraint

of technical knowledge of electronics, engineering

inscriptions that predate audio recording, all the way

- reintroduce some difficulty - where they're

and sound needed to build such a device, especially

back until the year 980. This is hard to comprehend

sampling sounds, changing sounds, and building

in a time where most things were analogue (such as

as science was undeveloped in understanding

new sounds from the ground up.

vinyl). Not only was she a pioneer of the audiovisual

the physics of sound at that point, but there are

- TIM BOON

technique, but she was a woman in the 1950s in a

examples of inscriptions that predate traditional

very male-dominated field of work, for she found

manuscript that can be automatically played straight

"they wanted my work, but they didn't want me."

off the page, even though it was not written for that

Only in recent years has she been recognised for

intention. Much of his recordings are fuzzy and

her remarkable work in the field. Patrick Feaster

the examples of speech from the 1800s is hard to

works with audio visual translation but in reverse

discern at times, but this adds to the fascination. The

to Oram, decoding and 'resurrecting' old and

way in which Feaster has been able to use technology

forgotten pictures of sound, some of which have

to have a glimpse into historical records of sound is

never been heard before. He takes spectrographs

commendable, giving the listener a direct portal

(visual representations of sound waves) and scans

to audio that was otherwise lost or never recorded.

Daphne Oram, creator of Oramics, is a lesser known figure in British electronic music, yet her work was seminal in shaping the synthesised music we take for granted today. Known for being the co-founder and director of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, she left her role in 1959 to pursue her own projects, notably her Oramics Machine. This machine allowed her to paint graphic scores directly onto tape, and

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THE ORAMIC MACHINE

Converting painted film to electronic sounds, 1957

daphneoram.org

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When tape did come along, in the early 1950s, Oram was quick to realise that it could be used not simply for recording existing sounds, but for composing a new kind of music. Not the music of instruments, notes and tunes, but the music of ordinary, everyday sound.

After Oram had finished her day's work, and everyone had gone home, she trundled tape recorders the size of industrial gas cookers from empty studios, and gathered them to experiment late into the night. She recorded sounds on to tape, and then cut, spliced and looped them; slowed them down, sped them up, played them backwards. It must have been like working in a laboratory, or inventing new colours – a new world almost impossible to imagine now.

- ROBERT WORBY

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PICTURES OF SOUND

CD packaged in a 144-page hardback book, 2012

dust-digital.com

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SOUND PORTRAITS T R A N S F O R M I N G D I G I TA L D ATA I N T O P H Y S I C A L I M A G E S miriambean.com

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Continuing my research into glitch art last term, I have

the 'glitchy' patterns generated by the computer;

By translating computer's fundamental language

found ways of translating audio data into image data.

the high contrast lines are not too dissimilar 'Op

into either sound or light, one can read a recording

The sine wave compositions based on John Cage's

art' prints (the work of Bridget Riley, for example).

or listen to an image. The contextual link with binary

Four that I used last term were exported as raw data

The act of warping was not like drawing however,

doesn't end there, however. The ancient Chinese

(see right) which I imported into Photoshop as an

but more like sculpting; I shaped the material until

'I Ching' is arguably one of the main predecessors

image. This output is unremarkable on first glance,

I was happy with the form, but I tried to keep my

of the binary system, but it was also a huge

almost like static that occurs on television screens.

alterations to a minimum. Because the sounds were

influence in John Cage's methods of indeterminate

However, looking closely you can begin to see the

not recorded but computer-generated, the lines are

composition, from which Four (Concrète) is based:

differences in frequency (and the silence between

clear cut and unaffected by environmental noise. The

tones) have a direct correlation with the frequency and

aim was to challenge what we view as 'digital' data

I use chance operations instead of operating

density of the lines. The aesthetic of the images is not

and 'physical' form, as well as emphasising how

according to my likes and dislikes. I use my work

particularly engaging, leading me to almost discard

both sound and image can be reduced back down

to change myself and I accept what the chance

them completely, but after changing the threshold

to its raw binary code before being transformed back

operations say. The I Ching says that if you don't

levels and using the 'liquify' tool on Photoshop, I

into light waves or sound waves. Though analogue

accept the chance operations you have no right to

found that the data was transformed into something

microphones and cameras capture the world in very

use them. Which is very clear, so that's what I do.

organic, almost like knots in wood or ripples in

different ways, with digital technology there is a

- JOHN CAGE

water. At the same time the images clearly show

fluid exchange between the two disparate modes.

F O U R ( D ATA ) Data from individual sine wave tracks

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PRINTING SOUND SILKSCREEN PRINT ON PERSPEX miriambean.com

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Following on from my four 'sound portraits', I

pixellation or distortion occurring, allowing me

Portrait of Sound documents the journey I have taken

decided to use a recording of all four tracks playing

to print the image clearly on a much larger scale. I

this year, connecting my initial experiments with

at once to see if the data would cause the image

originally wanted the screenprint to be over a metre

my final piece by using an original recording as the

to look different. Although there was slightly

in diameter, but due to the size of the screens and

historical document for which the image is made. I

more visual noise than the others, the pattern was

squeegees I was limited to printing an image up

am contemplating whether or not to exhibit this print

surprisingly distinct. I wanted the print to have a

to 60 cm in diameter. I enjoyed the methodical

alongside my final piece. On one hand, it would act

correlation with the physical nature of the original

process of screenprinting; it was refreshing to craft

as a contrasting counterpart to the sound installation,

sound from which the image data was from, and

something in the print workshop after working with

where viewers won't necessarily be aware of the

paper, card or any opaque surfaces seemed too

a lot of digital and electronic mediums. Making the

connection at first glance but will then be able to link

formal and two dimensional. Transparent perspex,

final print was a little nerve-wracking, as it was such

the two. On the other hand, it might be a distraction

however, allows the ink to almost 'hover' in mid air,

a large area and heavy squeegee to handle, plus

from my main work, overcomplicating the overall

emphasising the invisible yet sculptural properties

I had no prior practice attempts on paper. Despite

experience. If it works in situ, the image should provide

sound possesses. Transforming the image into a

this, I am very pleased with how well it has printed,

an insight into my development and progress whilst

vector means the size can be adjusted without any

especially with how well the tiny details show up.

illustrating the physicality of sound in a visual form.

WORK IN PROGRESS Cleaning the screen ready for printing

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WARPED SOUND A recording of Four (Concrète) translated into image data, which was digitally altered in Adobe Photoshop.

This is the square image used to create the circular 'portrait'.

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PORTRAIT OF SOUND Finished work, 70 x 70cm

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KIM GORDON & LEE RANALDO ‘ WA S S O N I C YO U T H A N A RT P R OJ E CT I N T H E F O R M O F A R O C K G R O U P ? ’ Online articles - Kim Gordon: life after Sonic Youth & New York Noise: Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo creates art that strikes a chord

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When I first came to New York, I worked in

By featuring work from artists Gerhard Richter,

own music, the band have done a cover of Steve

a private art gallery. I was interested in men

Raymond Pettibon and Mike Kelley on their

Reich’s Pendulum Music. I believe this situates

playing guitar: the homoerotic aspect of it. I

album covers, it is no surprise that members of

them in an unusual place between experimental

thought if I was in a band I could be more

noise rock band Sonic Youth have backgrounds

sound art and popular music, all whilst trying to

than just a voyeur.

in visual art. Often labelled as experimental,

juggle the established protocols of being in a

post-punk and avant-garde, the band is one

renowned rock band. Black Noise is a series of

I came to New York from art school, as a

of the most successful and well known acts to

drypoint prints made from vinyl records, an object

printmaker and painter and guitar player. It’s

come out of the underground music scene.

which lends itself as a compelling alternative to a

kind of fascinating with a lot of people, when

Members Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo have a

standard drypoint plate. The decision to use vinyl

you know them for one thing and then you

multitude of projects between them, including

for something that it was otherwise intended

discover that they do a lot of things. I find that

painting, printing, performance and sound. My

(and deconstructing it in the process), is a simple

I like artists who are working in a multitude

understanding is that Gordon's main reason for

yet fascinating one. Ranaldo has appropriated a

of areas. -

joining the band was for a conceptual art project

musical object laden with cultural and historical

she was working on at the time. With a family

associations to enhance the aesthetic of an

background in the arts and work experience in

otherwise basic print. The fragility of the material

galleries, you could say Sonic Youth was in fact

means the prints are of a limited run, reflecting

an art project first and foremost. Along with their

the limited but coveted status of vinyl today.

- KIM GORDON

LEE RANALDO

BLACK NOISE

By Lee Ranaldo Drypoint on vinyl record, 2008

leeranaldo.com

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THE SONIC YOUTH

By Kim Gordon Acrylic on gessoed canvas, 2013

303gallery.com Last autumn, Kim Gordon held a retrospective exhibition of her visual art at the New York gallery White Columns.

One project, Noise Painting, featured the names of experimental rock bands written in thick, dripping black paint. Most of them hung on the wall, as you’d expect, but one was scrunched up on the floor as if it had been torn down in a rage. That one said Sonic Youth. You don’t have to be an art critic to appreciate the symbolism.

- THE GUARDIAN

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DE/COMPOSITION FOR JOHN (CAGE)

By Lee Ranaldo & Zeger Reyers Mushroom boxes with graphic score, 2012

leeranaldo.com I remember John talking about how he didn’t like to listen to a record more than once. What was the point? If one gave oneself over to the experience the first time, then why repeat? He didn’t really care for the idea of music as ‘fixed in time’ on a black platter. He said he’d rather open the window and listen to the trucks rolling by, or whatever else was coming in-the constantly changing music of now rather than a packaged simulacra of ‘then’.

Of course that’s the real idea behind 4’33”–it’s not a silent piece at all-there is always sound! Those comments have long stayed with me, in spite of the fact that I love both making records and playing records-often the same ones over and over again.

- LEE RANALDO

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OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGY G L O B A L P L AT F O R M S T O S H A R E I D E A S A N D R E S O U R C E S vtol.cc/filter/works/turbo-gusli & makezine.com/projects/make-33/optical-tremolo-box Over the years Arduino has been the brain of

to everyone, websites such as instructables.com,

urges us to create and interact with physical objects,

thousands of projects, from everyday objects to

makezine.com and bareconductive.com have given

showcasing how not all innovative technology is

complex scientific instruments. A worldwide

both amateurs and professionals alike a platform

restricted to a screen. The Optical Tremolo Box is

community of makers - students, hobbyists,

to showcase their projects and share them globally,

another instance of inventive application of simple

artists, programmers, and professionals - has

as step-by-step tutorials. Arduino, the technology

electronics to make a visually striking kind of

gathered around this open-source platform, their

behind the Bare Conductive touch board, make

guitar pedal. By using a light sensor to control the

contributions have added up to an incredible

a variety of other circuit boards which can be

resistor, which in turn controls the tremolo, one can

amount of accessible knowledge that can be of

programmed in infinite ways to create interactive art.

use unique designs to control the sound created.

great help to novices and experts alike.

One particular example that uses the Arduino Uno

The frequency of the light is altered by detachable

- A R D U I N O. C C

board is Turbo-Gusli by Dmitry Morozov, a 'Russian

spinning disks, which can be printed with any

folk bot' that can be played by a headset that picks

pattern you like. The straightforward tutorial allows

up electrical signals from the brain (technology

a complete novice to make something that only

known as Electroencephalography, or EEG). This

trained professionals would have had access to in the

advanced application of the technology illustrates

past, and the supportive online community allows all

how limitless the hardware is, and how it can be

kinds of artists, designers and programmers to work

combined with acoustic elements in order to fuse the

independently and share their experience, without

traditional with the futuristic. This sort of technology

having to rely on specialist technicians for help.

From printing your own 3D violin at home to sound triggers made of electric paint, open source technology bridges the gap between the digital world and the physical, but without a huge amount of investment. As computer hardware and software has become cheaper and readily available

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TURBO-GUSLI

By Dmitry Morozov Arduino Russian folk bot, 2014

vtol.cc

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OPTICAL TREMOLO BOX

By Sean Michael Ragan Guitar tremolo using a light sensitive resistor, 2012

makezine.com

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THE MINI EXHIBITION E L E C T R I C PA I N T, T O U C H B O A R D , A M P L I F I E R , F X P E D A L S miriambean.com

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Whilst customising my Bare Conductive Touch

from an unrelated, past event in order to trigger

heard my thought processes behind the work. It

Board last term, I discovered I was able to turn it

live sound. The print would have had impact

was generally a success, as their responses showed

into a MIDI theremin. This meant that the pitch of

visually, but because the paint is water soluble,

how much fun they had interacting with it. Most

the sound changes using the proximity sensor as

participators may have been too cautious to go up

of my feedback was regarding the interactivity

opposed to the touch sensitive electrodes. When

to it and touch it, or they may just think the work is

of the work and how it often takes the viewer by

you attach conductive material to the board, the

simply just a screenprint on the wall. By removing

surprise due to the hidden equipment and lack of

sensor is extended. I worked out that if I drilled

the illustrative image and replacing it with a

signage. However they did not comment on the

holes through a wall and piped through electric

minimal painting of four square corners, I hope

quality of the sound itself, or how the sound made

paint to the other side, I would be able to hide the

to emphasise that the work is not simply a visual

them feel. It made me realise that the work was an

hardware behind the wall whilst having a clean

piece. The empty space indicated by the corners

interactive installation first and foremost, leaving

wall to frame a painted sensor. Initially, when

tells the viewer that must be something within

the sound as a secondary counterpart to enable the

I planned to use electric paint as my sensor, I

that space on the wall, but doesn't explicitly say

overall experience. This confirmed my decision to

wanted to screenprint my Portrait of Sound image

what. During the week of the mini exhibition, I

move forward with a sound installation that does

with it, but after further discussion it became

had a silent crit with a different group of students.

not require audience participation, rather than

apparent that I was using the documentation

I found this very useful as they had not seen or

continue making works with the touch board.

PROXIMITY Interactive sound wall

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SONIC SPRINGBOARD 1 x L A R G E B E N D I N G S P R I N G , 2 x M E TA L E Y E S C R E W S , P L A N K O F W O O D , C O N TA C T M I C S miriambean.com Simple shapes like strings, tubes, and gongs make

instruments that bypass the select group that are used in

of drums and percussion instruments, but each one is

beautiful sounds because they vibrate in simple ways.

orchestras or bands. Although musicians can exploit the

played at a slightly different speed. The instruments are

Consider a guitar string. When it's plucked, the

countless types of electronic guitars, synthesisers and

introduced one at a time until it becomes a barrage of

entire string swings back and forth at a particular

effects units that are continuously being developed and

cacophonous banging and clapping that is completely

frequency - say, 100 cycles per second. If you hold

refined, the introduction of electronic music changed

out of time. However, over the course of four minutes

down the string at midpoint so that it's divided into

both the way we play and the way we regard acoustic

each instrument gradually changes its tempo until

two segments half as long, each segment vibrates at

instruments. Starting from scratch, I realised that some

the bpm (beats per minute) is uniform across all the

a frequency that's twice that of the whole string, or

of the most interesting and unusual sounds come from

tracks until they become in sync with each other. It is a

200 cycles per second.

simple sources. The 'sonic springboard' is pretty self

piece which has heavily influenced my fascination with

- ROBERT JOURDAIN

explanatory, but the sound it produces is surprisingly

pattern and phasing since first year, so I wanted to try

loud and resonant for such a basic instrument. Influenced

and record my own version of the piece to get a sense of

by the handmade inventions of Eric Leonardson and

how the process worked. Because I don't have a group

the online shop ElectroLobotomy.com, I created my

of percussionists at my disposal, it was obviously going

own springboard and recorded the sound by attaching

to be difficult to accurately maintain a steady tempo.

contact microphones to different parts of it. Convergence

But by using a selection of click tracks I put together,

is a piece by Jonny Greenwood which uses a phasing

I was able to record myself play the springboard

technique similar to the work of composer Steve Reich.

several times, showcasing its varied timbre whilst

A simple beat is played over and over again on a variety

simultaneously putting my sense of rhythm to the test.

There is a well established, unequivocal hierarchy of musical instruments that are used in orchestras and other Western music. However the diverse collection of string, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments did not begin as the refined objects they are now. We often forget that instruments have evolved over the years, and that there are countless of unusual percussion and world

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CONVERGENCE 5:00 min

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ZIMOUN H O W R E P E T I T I O N T R A N S F O R M S S I M P L E O B J E C T S I N T O S T U N N I N G S PA C E S zimoun.net & thewire.co.uk Inside, a massive cardboard tower

objects. A common method for turning the

the devices are so small, the sounds are not

installation by Zimoun dominates the space,

ordinary into the extraordinary, Zimoun is a Swiss

intrusive on their own. But when they are put

with each of the boxes that make up the

artist who uses this technique in his own work. The

together, the subtle sounds swell into a wall

structure equipped with a motor and plastic

difference is, he uses the objects to create sound

of noise. Although I do not have the resources

ball that thwacks the outside of the box

installations. He uses a hundreds of motors to

to create such large-scale installations for the

repeatedly. The warmest part of the building

bring mundane objects to life, often animating

degree show, my hope is that the number of

is inside the tower, where you're surrounded

materials such as cotton balls, packing paper,

amplifiers I use will have a presence in Project

by soft, insistent phase patterns.

plastic bags, and cardboard boxes (to name a

Space Plus in a similar way Zimoun's sounding

few). By multiplying the simplest mechanical

objects take over other architectural spaces.

components over and over again, Zimoun

Contrast to his style, my installation will be

orchestrates a multitude of tapping, clicking,

far from uniform, as each amplifier will be a

buzzing and hissing sounds that coalesce into

different size and make. Despite this, the pure

one continuous soundscape. The immaculate

sound emanating from each speaker should

curation transforms unusual architectural spaces

unify the collection of differing objects with

into sonic chambers, immersing the listener in a

the space, rendering the appearance of the

an almost tangible form of resonance. Because

piece as trivial compared to the aural aesthetics.

- THE WIRE #364

Whether it is Doris Salcedo's monumental chair installation between two buildings (Istanbul Biennial, 2003) or Chiharu Shiota's labyrinth of hanging keys (Venice Biennale, 2015), it is difficult not to be mesmerised by large-scale installations that use the repetition of everyday

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3 2 9 P R E PA R E D D C - M O T O R S , C O T T O N B A L L S , T O L U E N E TA N K Permanent installation. DC-motors, cotton balls, filler wires, power supply, lighting system, bench foundation, toluene tank (1951), 9.4m x 12.8m, 2013

zimoun.net

Probably the earliest very clear memory about sound I have was this furnace room at my grandparents’ place. An old oil heater, a big machine which had its own personality somehow. I was passing by this room very often when playing outside. Apart from this huge machine as an object, it was also very exciting in there related to the sound and smell.

The heater was working and making an intense drone – deep, dark and very, very physical.

A massive sound - the whole space was vibrating.

After a phase, the heater turned off and the hot machine slowly cooled down. In doing so it produced many tiny clicking sounds (since the materials were changing temperature) which reflected off all around the walls in this small room – it was super beautiful and a fantastic contrast to the strong drone produced during the heating process. For me different interests are coming together in my work somehow and sound is one of them for sure. -

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ZIMOUN

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EDWIN VAN DER HEIDE 4 0 C H A N N E L S O U N D I N S TA L L AT I O N evdh.net

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In December 1998 Edwin van der Heide

Edwin Van Der Heide is an established sound artist

of sound, analysing how and why the body and mind

realized his sound installation ‘A World Beyond

that has been working in the field since the mid

react to sound. An earlier work, A World Beyond the

the Loudspeaker’. The installation consists of a

nineties. Considering the term 'sound art' only began

Loudspeaker interrogates the 'spatial propagation'

surface of 40 individual loudspeakers. The use of

to emerge in the eighties, sound installations were far

of sound waves by using a multitude of loudspeakers

this number of loudspeakers with a relatively small

from common, and sound art was still in its infancy. Van

to create a wall of sound. Unfortunately there is only

spacing creates the possibility to not only ‘simply’

Der Heide usually works on an ambitious scale, often

a visual record of his work which is frustrating; video

create vibrations in the air but also to control the

collaborating with architects and engineers in order to

documentation is something I will be certain to do

spatial shape of the produced waves. Together the

create installations within vast structures. For example,

once my work is installed. Earlier this semester before

loudspeakers form one large spatial wave field

his work named Pneumatic Sound Field had a large,

I encountered his work, I had the idea of stacking

synthesizer. To record the sound material for the

curved white and pink pavilion dedicated to it whilst it

amplifiers on top of each other to create an overbearing

installation, an identical surface of 40 microphones

was exhibited in Beijing, 2008. The artist describes the

wall of my own, but I soon realised that I wanted the

was used. This surface has the same qualities as the

work as a continuum between "rhythmical perception

sound to be directed at different angles, allowing

loudspeaker surface; The grid of microphones is able

of sound, spatial perception of sound and the

it to bounce and reflect off different walls in Project

to record the spatial propagation of the sound waves

perception of pitch". By questioning the fundamental

Space Plus. In addition, the surface of 40 speakers is

in the air. The playback of the final composition

characteristics of sound and the way is perceived, the

streamlined and specially designed for the purpose of

happens from a 40 channel multitrack system. -

artist is implementing a philosophy that is not too

the installation, whereas my installation will have a range

EVDH.NET

dissimilar from my own. His phenomenological point

of different amplifiers which I believe will work better

of view is compounded with an interest in the physics

aesthetically by occupying the empty space on the floor.

A WORLD BEYOND THE LOUDSPEAKER

Installation with 40 channel wave field recording and wave field synthesis, 1998

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The prospect of sourcing multiple amplifiers was

duration, amplitude and even the overtones of each

on whether there are acoustic interferences in

more difficult than I initially thought. Even though

sound track created. Most importantly, however, it

Project Space Plus (buzzing caused by the resonant

I work in a music shop which sells amplifiers and

allows me to 'sweep' the tone from one pitch to

frequency of the room for example), I may have

know lots of guitarists and bassists, many of them

another. At this stage, I do not want to decide which

to alter my audio tracks to accommodate this.

were unable to lend me their equipment, as they

frequencies I will be using until I am working in

Unlike a static piece, however, I am eager to hear

frequently use them for gigs and work. However,

the space, for I want the space to be an influence

the finished work in its unpredictable entirety,

several tutors and other friends from Lincoln were

on which tones I choose. I will, however, aim to

as I will have the benefit of hearing the sounds

very generous, and I have since been able to source

create a mix of frequencies that have the potential

together for the first time during the exhibition.

all sixteen needed for my installation. My current

of creating a mixture of tritones and monaural

Rather than feel like I am the 'creator' of the piece,

concern regarding my work for the exhibition is

beats. Because of the indeterminate nature of the

I like being in the position where I am merely

that I will not know exactly how it will look or sound

work I cannot be certain of when this will occur, or

someone that has organised a something to

until I begin installing it. To try and combat this

whether the acoustics will enhance the dissonant

occur, but the overall composition is out of my

worry, I have been testing versions of the audio

sounds created or create unwanted feedback. In

control. Despite the fact that I will undoubtedly

on a smaller scale, through a couple of amplifiers

theory, it would seem most practical to have four

be a perfectionist and find fault with my work,

at a time. The 'generate tone' function in Adobe

groups of four tracks to make up the sixteen. Four

I want to experience the phenomenon from a

Audacity allows me to customise the frequency,

bass tracks, four mid-range, and so on. Depending

listener's point of view, and not from a composer's.

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JEM FINER ‘ Y O U ’ R E S U R F I N G O N T H E E D G E O F T I M E , A N D T H I N G S A R E U N R A V E L L I N G .’

The Wire Issue #243 May 2004

63

Towards the end of being in The Pogues, I’d

Longplayer is an ambitious aleatoric composition

world is changing at an exponential rate? The fact

been thinking about this whole thing of time

which will play continuously for a thousand years.

is that it does not matter, for the concept of time is

and how weird it was, wondering how you

The composition consists of six short pieces of

only truly comprehendable in relation to our own

could use time. I think a lot of that comes from

music, but they are combined in such a way

experiences. When we stare into the night sky we

playing music - you’re surfing on the edge of

that no combination is repeated until midnight

are looking at light emitted from stars hundreds of

time, and things are unravelling. The catalyst

December 31st, 2999. In the likely situation that

years ago is an almost abstract idea; space and time

was my petulance, really, with reading all

it ceases to play for this unfathomable length of

so vast that it is impossible to relate to. In my own

this rubbish about the millennium coming up.

time, the fact that it has been playing during

exhibition piece, I want to make it so every person

The only sense I could see was that there were

sixteen years of dramatic technological change

that walks into the space will hear a combination

these 1000 year long spans of time which no one

is an impressive feat on its own. The question

of tones unique to that moment in time, never to

seemed to be engaging with at all, which were

is, 'how does one keep a piece of music playing

be repeated again. Although Apex will only last a

arbitrary in themselves. To me, the interesting

across generations?' The rapid and unceasing

week and seems insignificant compared to Finer's

thing would be to make something that long, to

development of technology means that since

monumental work, my intention is for the work

make it tangible in some way. -

Longplayer's launch, the way in which we share

to be playing continuously during the exhibition.

and communicate has dramatically changed.

Including the private view this equates to 59

What is the future of Jem Finer's work when the

hours. No one, not even I, will hear it in its entirety.

JEM FINER

L O N G P L AY E R

One thousand year composition, 1999-2999 Live performance at The Roundhouse, 2009

longplayer.org

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OVERTONES A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON MY PRACTICE AND THE UPCOMING SHOW Neuromusicology or Musiconeurology? “Omni-art� in Alexander Scriabin as a Fount of Ideas by Lazaros C. Triarhou How do sound, light, odour, and touch engage in

definite one. Despite the fact that my first personal

practice. I have decided to name my final work

tandem to produce a multisensory experience in

project revolved around The Rite of Spring, a

Overtones. The reason I have chosen to call it this

the logic of the human brain, and what neural

piece of classical music, my interest in people's

is because overtones are partly responsible for

circuits underpin such an integrative sense of

perception of dissonance remains. Although my

giving instruments their unique timbre. Ironically,

beauty? Are such occurrences commonalities or

modes of art practice have varied drastically, my

single sine waves are lacking in overtones, but I

differentiations among individuals, based on

motive for creating work about sound and how

hope the harmonies emanating from the amplifiers

cultural prehistory, musical training, exposure to

we perceive it has not changed. The more research

will draw the listener's attention to the diverse

the visual arts, among other variables?

I do, the more I realise there is to know, and the

qualities of sounds that are possible, by being

more I want to continue developing my ideas and

presented with the antithesis of natural sound.

realisations. Although it has been a challenge

Sine waves are the smoothest, simplest waveforms

trying to balance all my personal studio work with

we know, stripped of all other characteristics

the promotional work for Apex (logo, promotional

that give other sounds their unique voice. Using

graphics, posters, online catalogue and postcard

synthetic frequencies is not a trascendent attempt

book), I have found that I have thrived under the

to romanticise sound but instead thrusts us

pressure, and become more confident in both my

towards the reality of what surrounds us; the

professional graphic design work and my personal

sound that is present in every second of our lives.

- LAZAROS C. TRIARHOU

Since my first year at the university, I have experimented with painting, drawing, printing, sculpture, video, installation and sound. Before September 2013 I would never have believed sound could be part of contemporary art practice, and that the line between music and art was a very

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OVERTONE o·ver·tone / 'ōvər tōn/

' 1. a musical tone that is a part of the harmonic series above a fundamental note and may be heard with it.

- P H Y S I C S a component of any oscillation whose frequency is an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency.

2. (often overtones) a subtle or subsidiary quality, implication, or connotation: the decision may have political overtones.

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MIRIAM BEAN

Fine Art Degree Show, University of Lincoln

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