I’ve just got back from two wonderful weeks in Aldeburgh, Suffolk England. Working with my friends from Flat E, Mike Challis and Simon Limbrick we have created a Cymatic installation for the 61st Aldeburgh Music Festival. I’ll be uploading some video and more information soon, in the meantime here’s some photos and information on the process.
Click here to find out when and where you can view the installation.
Project Description
Inspired by the specular beauty of light reflections the creative team set out to explore the patterns that can be formed through resonating water. By recording and digitally synthesising sound, a library of patterns have emerged as musical notes within the water surfaces of the installation.
Using lighting controlled by sound, natural reflections caused by resonance create complex yet revealing and compelling projections on the surface of the physical standing wave. As the audience interacts with the water their movements are tracked by an infrared camera system that controls the sound and lighting in the space. The result is an installation that has emerged as a new audio visual instrument; not only for the audience, but controlled by audience.
Mmmm big speakers…
Peeling of the mirror polished stainless trays. Far more difficult and much more enjoyable than it looks.
Water gives life.
Life creates creatures. Such as this lesser spotted TraySucker.
Image from IR camera over installation and geeks processing it.
We’re using Ableton, Quartz composer, Max MSP and Osculator.
Running on x3 Mac’s with 12 independent channels of audio and 3,000 Watts of output power.
Our test candidates, there’s no better way to try and break something that to give it to kids.
