Networked Sound Ecologies
OVERVIEW
For this project each member of the cohort engineered two distinct sounds using SuperCollider, an audio synthesis and algorithmic composition platform. First, I developed a background sound which is meant to mimic the low rumble of running water and wind, with a light rain. Next, I created a foreground sound meant to mimic a flock of gull like birds. Together, my sounds, along with eight other members sounds were performed in the Wind Tunnel gallery to contribute to an overall jungle or rainforest atmosphere. This was achieved as a cross collaboration exhibition over the wireless network using a series of Raspberry Pi 3 micro computers and a SuperCollider GUI.
Networked Sound Ecologies from David Chan on Vimeo.
WALKTHROUGH AND PROCESS
The background sound I developed went through several transformations. Bits and pieces of all of the iterations came together to form what I think of as: the distant low rumble of running water and wind, with a light rain. Initially I built up and over complicated the sound. This drowned out some of the elements that first attracted me to it. This was a pleasant mix of frustrating and enlightening as I learned more about how different UGens in SuperCollider combine and can be microscopically tweaked. Stripping the sound back down little by little eventually landed me at a place I wanted to be. Previous directions that contributed to the final background texture include searching for a “bee-like swarm” sound, a hollow wind sound, and a general chaotic static sound.
For the foreground sound, I knew I wanted to try to achieve a bird-like sound. From this starting off point I experimented with the SuperCollider help files until I found a couple different things that could be put together to get a good base sound. From there, much like with the background sound, I ended up overcomplicating the sound. It was no surprise that this dramatically altered the sound to the point where it was no longer “bird-like”. It had turned into more of a generic wounded animal sound. As I went through the process of simplification back down toward the starting point I hit a sound where it called to me as a seagull. From there I tweaked it to refine and to make sure there was a level of variation and duration that I felt good about. There is a stark contrast between the foreground and background sounds. So much so, that I almost find the shrill nature of the seagull sound distracting and harsh. This was a success as, to me, this is just like a real flock of seagulls.
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
SuperCollider
OpenSoundControl
Raspberry Pi
External speakers and cables
PROJECT BRIEF
Each student will create 2 sounds: a background sound and a foreground sound. The background sound should productively contribute to an overall jungle or rainforest atmosphere. The foreground sound should mimic an animal or other being that is heard above or in addition to the jungle/rainforest atmosphere. Students are challenged to create a unique background sound that blends well with the group sound as well as a foreground sound that exhibits some distinct personality (for example: a scared pig, a sleepy bird). Students are further challenged to design a structure for rate of message sending that promotes the desired environment (i.e. does not result in pure chaos).
Students will deploy their foreground and background sounds to Raspberry Pi 3 and control them via a Graphical User Interface (GUI) from their laptops over the network (using Open Sound Control). We will demo, or perform, the environment in the gallery as part of our final critique.
CLASS
Creative Technology II, Networked Ecologies (Sound)
INSTRUCTOR
Casey Anderson