adriana  sá
trans-disciplinary   music

HOME PROJECTS INSTRUMENTS AUDIO SCORES VIDEO PUBLICATIONS BIO

THRESHOLDS

'THRESHOLDS' is an installation structured by the SOUNDING LIGHT INSTRUMENT (custom-made light sensors, i-cube and Lisa software), which translates light gradients into sound variations. It (re)establishes relationships between the site and its environmental context. The sound architecture and physical mapping specified in this URL concern an installation at Eyebeam, within the NIME - Conference on New Interfances for Musical Expression 2007, NYC. Conference info

Natural and artificial light as well as body shadow affect sound behavior in real-time according to previous programming. Sound-source materials relate to personal site-specific memories and perceptions; they are collected on-site.

SOUNDSCAPE builds upon loops of previously prepared samples, whose transformations depend on the sensors' PHYSICAL SETUP AND MAPPING. Their resulting mix is unrepeatable as the day unfolds. The inconstant behavior of light also guarantees a certain range of unpredictability, which is framed during the site-specific work process.

The set-up offers different performative possibilities. Along the day, people are shown an orchestra of slow daylight changes playing within massive sound density; the site is here maestro. When it is dark outside, the installation invites for inter-acting on the soundscape; shadows play upon the sound-pictured city. By twilight, both sorts of playfulness overlap while soundscape features its peak behaviors.

The poetic logics underlying this work play with subtle SHAPES. Technical components like cables also assume the value of physical raw-material, while drawing volumetrically in space.

LIGHT SENSORS IN SPACE:

view

 

closeups

 

playfulness

windowsensors

 

Above: sounding light instrument set-up with light sensors both attached to windows and suspended indoors (ACAC, Japan)

The physical set-up of the SOUNDING LIGHT INSTRUMENT is ajustable to almost every spatial situation, although the minimum visual interference is preferred. Otherwise, its visual strenght can get enhanced by the use of water-pipe segments.

.
Below: light sensors in an outdoor-installation for the Luzboa Biennale and in a performance (Lisbon, Portugal)

 


META(LOCAL)MORPHOSE installation

VIDA OU_VIDA performance

 

Bellow: pictures from THRESHOLDS at NIME - Conference on New Interfances for Musical Expression, Eyebeam, NYC, '07

 

SOUND ARCHITECTURE

 

Soundscape is unrepeatable as the day unfolds within the THRESHOLDS installation. Sound changes tend to develop very slowly during the day and quite quickly by twilight; at nighttime sound qualities shift according to people's intervention.

Original looping source-samples in the Lisa software buffer last minimum about 30" and maximum about 3'5". These loops are re-sampled and processed in real-time according to parametric values. Re-sampled loops might get as short as 1' if sample length or sample start are audio-parameters mapped to a controller (light sensor). Likewise, if tuning is one of these parameters then the sample will stretch and contract.


BRIGHT  OUTDOORS (*)

 Slow daylight changes play massive sound density (water + field ambients); soundscape controlled by LIGHT SENSORS 1 and 2; click HERE for a 3' re-mix and technical explanation

DARK  OUTDOORS (*)

 Interactive shadows play upon NYC audio-pictures (field ambients + people); soundscape controlled by LIGHT SENSORS 3 and 4; click HERE for a 3' re-mix and technical explanation

TWILIGHT  OUTDOORS (*)

All LIGHT SENSORS 1, 2, 3 and 4 active in the soundscape; click both HERE and HERE , and please read the notes concerning audio peak-behavior;




PHYSICAL SET-UP AND MAPPING (*)

diagram
 

LIGHT SENSOR

PLACEMENT
LIGHT SOURCES
PHYSICAL VARIABLES
SAMPLE SOURCES
EFFECT ON SOUND
FRUITION
LS 1 (ctrl) attached to glass window natural light (bright and twilight) realative earth / sun position + local weather + local architecture bass-tending ambient field recordings
parametric processing: volume (silent = dark), tuning, panning, sample lenght, ressonance frequency		 contemplating: soundscape changing as slowly as daylight

LS 2 (ctrl)

 water parametric processing: volume (silent = dark), tuning, panning
LS 3 (note) natural light NYC field recording mix (people + environments) half-bright / dark = ON
bright = OFF
ON-OFF-ON = playback overlap

LS 4 (ctrl)   suspended in-doors  

natural light (twilight) + hanging fluorescent lamp (can also move)

  faint of day and/ or people interacting through body shadows and moving lamp 
(**)		     parametric processing: tuning, panning, sample length, sample start   contemplating or playing the soundscape with body and lamp shadow

(**)  people's degree of intervention on the soundscape is proportional to the absence of natural light;
likewise, the controllable range of light-shadow gradients captured by SL 4 tends to increase after sunset


(*) This specific sound architecture and physical mapping concern the installation presented at NIME- Conference for New Interfaces for Musical Expression, NYC, 2007.

THRESHOLDS at NIME was supported by:

INSTITUTO DAS ARTES / MINISTRY OF CULTURE PORTUGAL
CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION
FUNDAÇÃO LUSO-AMERICANA