Wired Lab Residency #3 26.08 - 01.09 2009-09-03
Another wonderful week spent at the Wired Lab! Thanks, as always, to Dave and Sarah for their warmth and flawless hospitality as well as their enthusiasm and insight into what is a really substantial and important project in Australian sound.
It was great to sit and listen to the wires again, they sang beautifully everyday and somehow, over time, the sonority seems to be getting richer, particularly in the long wire system. I was unable to attend a previous residency at which a new wire (lovingly named the ‘gully wire’) was installed further down the paddock. The gully wire uses a different wire tension and density and, therefore, has a completely different sound quality. I noticed listening to recent recordings of both systems that the gully wire tends to act as a more literal ‘microphone’ to the wind, catching the howling and sharp cuts of the movement of air…..beautiful! I also really enjoyed the more recent rain recordings, incredible audio.
My main brief for this residency was to devise a laser based performance for the Wired Lab open day later this year. During the second residency, Dave and I were casually visualizing some cellular automata files. It began pouring with rain outside! Dave suggested that we shoot the laser out of the window to see how it would look in the rain….the results were stunning!! When the laser is producing a vertical ‘wall’ the light articulates the length of the raindrops resulting in a thick and organic complex of water based imagery. When the plane of light is horizontal, only the width of the raindrops is illuminated creating a carpet of fine particles. Alan arrived the next day, and in the absence of any rain, we arced up a rotary sprinkler to give him a sense for the possibilities, again, it looked incredible. So, since then I have been thinking at length about articulating the laser light with water rather than smoke…..water is much better suited to the great outdoors as it’s heavier and less susceptible to the whim of the wind!
Suffice it to say that it was freeeeeeeeezing and…..we got wet…..nice work with the hose though Dave! So the results were promising and with a few pumps something should definitely be possible in October. What I like about working in this way in the Wired Lab context is that the combination of the laser and water is effectively articulating wind patterns or the same turbulence that activates the wires themselves.
I have been inexcusably slack in realizing the wire visualizations mentioned in my post on the second residency. This will be remedied! I made further progress with the oscilloscope visualizations over the course of the week and am keen to make the recordings as soon as possible. I will, of course, post them here when they are done.
While Alan’s absence was sorely felt, a highlight of this residency was having Oren Ambarchi on board. The relationship between the wires and Oren’s work is obvious to those familiar with his unique ability to produce incredible sounds from much smaller wires (guitar strings). His interest in resonance and very low frequencies suits the wire project perfectly. It was a treat to observe his experiments (facilitated of course by the ever present resident genius Dr. Burraston!). They ranged from playing sound directly onto the wires, applying motoric stimulus to various parts of the system and causing the wires to feedback on themselves!!!! All showed various degrees of promise. I’m looking forward to the October show!!!!!
It was great to sit and listen to the wires again, they sang beautifully everyday and somehow, over time, the sonority seems to be getting richer, particularly in the long wire system. I was unable to attend a previous residency at which a new wire (lovingly named the ‘gully wire’) was installed further down the paddock. The gully wire uses a different wire tension and density and, therefore, has a completely different sound quality. I noticed listening to recent recordings of both systems that the gully wire tends to act as a more literal ‘microphone’ to the wind, catching the howling and sharp cuts of the movement of air…..beautiful! I also really enjoyed the more recent rain recordings, incredible audio.
My main brief for this residency was to devise a laser based performance for the Wired Lab open day later this year. During the second residency, Dave and I were casually visualizing some cellular automata files. It began pouring with rain outside! Dave suggested that we shoot the laser out of the window to see how it would look in the rain….the results were stunning!! When the laser is producing a vertical ‘wall’ the light articulates the length of the raindrops resulting in a thick and organic complex of water based imagery. When the plane of light is horizontal, only the width of the raindrops is illuminated creating a carpet of fine particles. Alan arrived the next day, and in the absence of any rain, we arced up a rotary sprinkler to give him a sense for the possibilities, again, it looked incredible. So, since then I have been thinking at length about articulating the laser light with water rather than smoke…..water is much better suited to the great outdoors as it’s heavier and less susceptible to the whim of the wind!
Suffice it to say that it was freeeeeeeeezing and…..we got wet…..nice work with the hose though Dave! So the results were promising and with a few pumps something should definitely be possible in October. What I like about working in this way in the Wired Lab context is that the combination of the laser and water is effectively articulating wind patterns or the same turbulence that activates the wires themselves.
I have been inexcusably slack in realizing the wire visualizations mentioned in my post on the second residency. This will be remedied! I made further progress with the oscilloscope visualizations over the course of the week and am keen to make the recordings as soon as possible. I will, of course, post them here when they are done.
While Alan’s absence was sorely felt, a highlight of this residency was having Oren Ambarchi on board. The relationship between the wires and Oren’s work is obvious to those familiar with his unique ability to produce incredible sounds from much smaller wires (guitar strings). His interest in resonance and very low frequencies suits the wire project perfectly. It was a treat to observe his experiments (facilitated of course by the ever present resident genius Dr. Burraston!). They ranged from playing sound directly onto the wires, applying motoric stimulus to various parts of the system and causing the wires to feedback on themselves!!!! All showed various degrees of promise. I’m looking forward to the October show!!!!!
Comment
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Comment by Alan Lamb on September 15, 2009 at 11:45pm -
Hey you guys
Good to see all that's happening. Looking forward to the Great October Fest.
See you there, glass in hand, cheer in the other, ear to the pole
x Alan
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Comment by Jase on September 10, 2009 at 3:18pm - "casually visualizing some cellular automata files" :)
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Comment by Robin Fox on September 7, 2009 at 12:21am - Hey! Thanks Pip. Will be good to see you up there again! Pray for good weather! Dark and dry!!!
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Comment by Pip Shea on September 7, 2009 at 12:03am - Incredible imagery Robin. I cannot wait to see this in the flesh.
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Cootamundra Accommodation
Created by sarah Oct 21, 2009 at 10:32am. Last updated by sarah Oct 26.
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Created by Pip Shea Apr 17, 2008 at 7:21pm. Last updated by Pip Shea Apr. 19, 2008.
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