Author: Yusuf Mahmood

Exploring and Restoring the Secret Life of Ponds – UCL Culture & Ponderful

Thinking about the way in which I could apply movement to the image to create a multidimensional experience through exploration into audio elements and spatialized sound. The combination of sound and visual art in the digital sphere is often best demonstrated by the work of artists such as Ryoji Ikeda  who uses the convergence of sound and visual art through investigation of data-driven aesthetics, mathematical precision, and the immersive quality – which I feel would mesh well with the mathematical nature of the geometric visuals with which my project works with. I used a Kaleidoscope effect to mirror each division of the original geometric score – allowing for the possibility of diving the audio into more sections.

Farah describes “Dont listen to this” from my understanding – as a way of deconstructing ideas on form and genre in sound and defining the audio in its present form – in the moment in which it is heard by the listener, moving away from the hierarchical notions of the visual and transcending beyond into perspectives of disorganization and unruly experimentation.

Farah appears to be open to disarray and unrestrained experimentation in her approach, indicating a readiness to transcend the limitations of conventional genres and forms. This perspective supports an exploration of the infinite scope of sound and calls for a more dynamic and variable relationship between the listener and the auditory experience.

In this session, I decided to use the Abjad numeral system to map the audio to the multi-channel system. I experimented with seeing the ways in which the audio could be mapped and how it sounded when maps with the specific numeric values I didn’t have any specific sound decided at this point and just used basic sampled of audio to see what it would sound like. I wanted to look at the physical nature of the spatialisation in and of itself and project it as a tangible immersive experience by using the channels I planned on syncing it too (channels 7, 8 and 6)

I took into account the nature of the space in which the installation is being producer/ will be presented as well as the practice of bringing a very traditional narrative and context to a multi-channel sound system. I mapped the audio to channels 7-8 and 6 and was mostly just trying to figure out what it would sound like when spatialised.

“Through her intricate work she uses Arabic letters to create complex abstract works on paper, synthesising characteristic motifs from Islam with the rhythms found in calligraphy and geometry, transforming them into a new visual vocabulary“

For my portfolio project I have found the work of Lulwah Al Hamoud incredibly interesting, particularly her focus on creating a “visual vocabulary” using complex mathematical equations into visually detailed pieces. Through further research, i found the Abjad numerical system and began thinking about the way it could be used to specialise the audio for my piece.

“The common Islamic phrase بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm has a numeric value of 786“

This can be used to translate it to a multi-channel system, where specific numbers represent specific language phrases.

Al Homoud technique incorporates the Vedic square, a multiplication system based on a 9×9 grid, by departing from traditional numerical representations. Instead of following the standard 1–9 numerical sequence, Al Homoud includes the first nine phases of human creation – breaking down the use of the vedic scale into something personable, connecting her identity to each piece.

This break from convention yields a sequence of patterns that demonstrate the artist’s dedication to expanding the parameters of what is stereotypically understood and perceived – much in the same way it may be done for a multichannel piece and sound. Her use of turning language into visual geometry helped inspire my piece for turning language into sound.

Here I tryed to develop my idea from the previous sessions – this time engaging with the use of a Ney flute – In the mystical and spiritual practises of Sufism, a traditional flute essential to Sufi music, is of great significance. The use of the Ney has long been a crucial part of Sufi ceremonies, rituals, and musical expressions – important for communicating the mystical and divine elements of Sufi faith. I used layering to create an atmosphere and also engaged with using various octaves to create harmonies as different parts of audio interacted with and over each other. Basing the consideration of the space – i aimed to take into considerations ideas of the space and sound as defined by Maria Anna Harley as:

Music with a quasi-spatial structure defined by the composer in the score or in another medium of sound coding […]. This quasi-spatial structure can assume different forms, including ensemble dispersion specified in the score, the movement of sounds, performers and the audience, and the juxtaposition and interaction of real and virtual sound sources. (Harley Reference Harley1993: 128)

This method for composing music transcends conventional ideas of melody and harmony by adding spatial elements that affect how sound propagates within an ensemble as well as how the performers and audience interact with the actual place in which the Installation is viewed. In relation to the harmonious nature of the peice I think its important to define what harmoniousness means for the audience as well – however also what it means for the artwork itself, focusing on the theme of immersiveness & spatial sound perception.

“…As described in this mini-review, however, there are (potentially) large uncertainties associated with using headphones, underpinning the general consensus that external loudspeakers may create more immersive experiences, even in VR (Hruby, 2019). “

I think its important to think about why I am spatialising the sound and what it brings in terms of the immersion – in the quote above Hruby describes external loudspeakers as generally being more immersive, also mentioning studies that were conducted where the soundscape of a place and changes to it were evaluated remotely in a laboratory through an immersive experience designed to recreate the acoustical feeling of “being there.” (Chinmay Rajguru, Obrist and Memoli, 2020), showing that a recreation of a sonic environment can be necessary in creating a more defined sense of “immersion”.

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“What would a traditional Islamic pattern sound like if interpreted as a rhythm or melody? How would Western contemporary music look if transposed into the visual realm? 

‘A Hidden Order’ is the culmination of several years of collaboration between composer Lee Westwood & geometer Sama Mara, exploring the relationship between music and geometry. Through the development of a rigorous set of principles whereby sounds are translated into visual patterns and, in turn, imagery is interpreted as music, compositional decisions in both mediums have been guided in order to find a space where the two worlds meet harmoniously. And so, a hidden order is revealed..“

A culmination of Islamic Art and Sound, Sara Mara interprets Islamic Art into musical form – although I am not sure of the exact specific technique used, the outcome seems extremely musical in nature which is enlightening. The art is described as being translated into realtime graphics through bespoke computer programmes, creating the geometric patterns seen.

Musicalforms.com. (2020). A Hidden Order | Musical Forms. [online] Available at: http://musicalforms.com/a-hidden-order/ [Accessed 26 Nov. 2023].

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“…On the other extreme is the circle. This is the perfect shape. All its points are equal distance from the center – which represents equality and perfection. …

So, as a human (square) strives to be more godly and seeks perfection, he (or she) strives to emulate a circle. Now in your minds eye, imagine a square turning into a circle. The corners begin to get rounded more and more. Perhaps the square begins to turn and with every turn it’s corners get more and more rounded – one degree at a time. The square will begin to resemble an octagon and then eventually a circle. 

This transition can be seen in old minarets which start with a square/rectangular base. They then transition into an octagon in their trunk and are topped off by a domed top which is semi-circle. Thus the masjid or mosque turns more and more godly as it reaches higher and higher into the heavens. 

This transition of shapes and the meaning behind them gives a new perspective of looking at Islamic art and architecture.“

I found this blog post on the significance of shapes within Islamic Art very interesting – especially in relation to the emphasis on the circle denoting perfection – with a contrast to the human square implying imperfection. This also relates to the idea of the geometric shape of the circle is a representation of the ultimate source of all diversity in creation as well as the primordial symbol of unity in Islamic art. (Artofislamicpattern.com, 2023). In terms of the square shaping into an octagon – then to a circle, I believe this could be used as a visual aesthetic to represent sonic changes within the work itself in similar ways to an exhibition I saw at the Now Museum.

Qamar, I. (2016). In Sufi tradition, basic geometric shapes show mans struggle and quest to reach God (Allah) and his perfection. To explain this struggle, we need to look at two basic shapes. [online] Linkedin.com. Available at:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/concept-shapes-sufi-tradition-imran-qamar#:~:text=The%20point%20here%20is%20that,which%20represents%20equality%20and%20perfection. [Accessed 24 Nov. 2023].

Using Lulwah Al Hamouds Vedic system I used the table to help develop my ideas and further research patterns of geometry that i could use to create a sonic geometric spatialisation piece.

• * “Its (the vedic square) properties were known to the people of Northern India
  many centuries ago and it was the basis of a whole
  mathematical system. In AD 770 the Muslims incorporated
  it into their system of mathematical knowledge. It is from
  them that our knowledge has developed. Some of the
  properties of the square led to the discovery of systems
  which formed the basis of the intricate patterns and designs
  which are now familiar to us as examples of Islamic Art.”

It consists of a 9×9 grid where numbers from 1 to 9 are arranged in such a way that each row and column contains each of these numbers without repetition. The Vedic Square has various applications, and one notable application is in geometry and the construction of “Magic Squares.” A Magic Square is a square grid of numbers where the sums of the numbers in each row, column, and both main diagonals are the same. The Vedic Square serves as a foundation for constructing these Magic Squares. In a circular form however we can translate the numbers of the vedic square 1-9 as shown in the video below allowing for complex geometric patterns.

I used this technique to translate the above into multi-channel points for my piece allowing me to translate numeric values from the Abjad number system into the Vedic system – using it as a map in which to place MIDI instrumentation.

786 – 165

(Jstor.org, 2023)

*Jstor.org. (2023). Mathematics and Islamic Art on JSTOR. [online] Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/30214622?seq=1 [Accessed 6 Nov. 2023].

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My initial plan began with the concept of image to sound – how image can be translated into sound and whether or not it was possible, leading me to various software that allowed for its fruition. The alchemy synth within Logic Pro allows one to input an image and then play it on the synth and this technique is similar in many other forms. I kept researching until I came across something that would allow me to translate the pixels within an image into sound. eventually, I found an app on my phone that did this very thing.

you could put any picture, however, I found a correlation between the cubic nature of the synthesizers interface and Kufic calligraphy. I realized essentially any image could be put into it, creating sound, however, using cubic art coincided with the pixels allowing for further development. I also want to use Spatialisation with an Octophonic system – but don’t have any clear cut ideas as of yet – I have an idea of what I want but not much development to it. I think a focus on the exploration into Sufi Music as installation for a audio visual piece will be a consistent theme that I may stick too.