At the onset of this project, I was faced with the challenge of finding the most effective method to capture and express the emotion of happiness. After much consideration, I decided to adopt a unique approach: I placed a box with a unidirectional microphone underneath to dampen the recorded sounds. This strategy was inspired by the desire to create an atmosphere of intimacy and warmth, which I deemed essential to conveying the essence of happiness.

Once I had set up the technical aspects of the recording, I turned my attention to choosing the source material. I browsed through an old video of myself and identified a moment where I was laughing and experiencing authentic happiness. This was the precise audio I needed.

My goal was to encapsulate the true nature of happiness using the muffled quality of the recording, which was achieved through the use of the box and unidirectional microphone. This added a layer of depth and intimacy, making the auditory experience more emotionally resonant. The suppression of the audio was achieved through both the box and the unidirectional nature of the microphone, creating a sense of closeness and warmth in the recording.

Relating to Wider Theories on Sound Art: ” They make much of the importance of listening to the ‘voices’ of people, but in practice they’re mainly interested in the communication of meaning, a fixation with writable words, a “linguistic imperialism that subordinates the sonic to semiotic registers” (Goodman, 2009: 82). Musical notions of listening at least acknowledge aurality, but still tend to privilege the expressive communication of human emotions. Sound art can open up a much more expansive sense of listening.“

in terms of intimacy – and the sonic relations to intimacy, the definition can often be vague. looking at different ways in which intimacy is portrayed in other sound works:

“US-based sound artist and vocalist Viv Corringham engages in intimate exchanges with relative strangers through her longstanding series Shadow walks, wherein she invites individuals to guide her on walks that hold personal significance to them. This method serves as a shortcut to intimacy, as participants divulge aspects of their lives, thoughts, and feelings to Corringham during the course of the walk. Walking together fosters closeness, with steps synchronizing and minimal eye contact reducing embarrassment. Corringham initiates conversations by asking about the walk’s significance, eliciting personal information. Despite not sharing much about herself, she listens attentively and encourages dialogue, noting that women tend to ask more questions about her. Through Shadow walks, conducted in various locations worldwide, Corringham has established almost immediate intimacy with approximately 120 individuals.

The conversations during these walks often include deeply personal disclosures, triggering memories and reflections typically reserved for close confidants. Corringham revoices her sonic memory of these exchanges during solitary retracements of the walk, channeling conversations and sounds encountered previously. This embodied memory facilitates the replication of the original walk’s mood and events. Corringham carefully considers the use of participants’ words in public performances, mindful of their potential reactions. Similarly, Corringham and Japanese artist Hojo both act as mediums, internalizing and revocalizing intimate exchanges. This process involves various degrees of physical intimacy, from listening to absorbing and retriggering sounds within the body. The resulting revocalizations retain traces of the original intimacy, as words and sounds transition from one body to another, reframed and re-sounded in the formality of performance.“

Lane, C. (n.d.). Encouragements, Self-Portraits, and Shadow Walks Gender, Intimacy, and Voices in Sound Art Chapter Outline. [online] Available at: https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/15298/2/final%20Bloomsbury%20page%20prof%20.pdf [Accessed 9 May 2024].

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Michaelgallagher.co.uk. (2013). sound art – Michael Gallagher. [online] Available at: https://www.michaelgallagher.co.uk/archives/tag/sound-art [Accessed 7 May 2024].

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Geophones are sensitive devices that pick up minute ground vibrations. They are frequently used in geophysical research and seismic monitoring. Within the framework of the sound art installation, this sensitivity allows the geophone to pick up audio cues of rage, including yells and vocalisations. Something that, in my opinion, truly brought out the bass of the vocal action was appropriate. From an abstract perspective, vocal expressions of rage may be compared to seismic activity, where the person experiencing the emotions causes tremors and vibrations in their body. The installation uses a geophone, a tool for sensing vibrations in the ground, to record this vocal physicality in a visceral and tactile way.

Artists may record a wider range of sounds, including low-frequency vibrations that are frequently felt rather than heard, by using geophones. Similar to seismic waves, these vibrations shed light on the physical responses that take place during powerful emotional situations. Through its use in an installation context, my intention is that individuals will be able to sense the sensation of anger as though it were a tangible sensation – cultivating a more profound sense of empathy towards the emotional matter being conveyed.

While attempting to capture the audio, I discovered the microphone’s sensitivity. In response, I decided to cover the microphone with my jacket in order to reduce interference from background noises and focus on the voice as the most essential aspect of the recordings.

Integrating Jez Riley French’s research into the project helps incorporate the relevance of the recording. French’s use of geophones to explore auditory environments uncovers previously typically unheard acoustic phenomena. By paying close attention to small vibrations inherent in the surroundings, French unlocks and infuses the unheard viscerally into his work – providing an avenue for the exploration of the typically unhearable.

Drawing on French’s observations, the sound art installation attempts to capture the intensity and vocality of anger while also placing them in the larger context of concealed sound. By contrasting human emotion with an apparatus such as a geophone, this section of the project encourages reflection on emotion as something that is not always acoustically or visually evident. It encourages thought on the interconnectivity of all things, from the earth’s seismic upheavals to the turbulent depths of the human brain. Using a geophone in sound art installations allows for a deeper exploration of the relationship between sound and emotion.

In relation to contextual research: Jez Riley Frenches work revealed the subtleties within recording with a geophone. It’s surprising and interesting to hear previously inaudible nuances exposed via geophone.

“my work with specially adapted geophones has allowed me to listen in to some immense but subtle sounds caused by planetary movement or the resonance of locales being vibrated by activity. “

https://engravedglass.bandcamp.com/album/room-tone

I recorded using different styles and vocal tones trying to capture the emotion as best as i could:

An experimental exploration into non-verbal communication to convey complex emotional states, specifically in this session – focusing on the visceral experiences of disgust, fear, and surprise.

In terms of my method, I positioned a contact microphone around my neck to record the small vibrations and resonances caused by my throat and vocalisation. I recorded in two different ways – one with my throat and one on the back of my neck to see if the recording would be different and it was – using the back of my neck provided a more muffled sound so i continued to do that.

I recorded many takes – utilising my personal narratives documenting my experiences with each emotion, trying with different voice styles and cadences to genuinely portray and identify subtleties within the core of each emotional state.

Despite the lack of linguistic articulation, I discovered that the recordings conveyed a tremendous spectrum of emotional subtleties, from visceral disdain to dread. I felt that tiny differences in tone, timbre, and cadence acted as powerful carriers of emotional depth, overcoming language barriers to elicit a visceral reaction in the listener.

My objective is to challenge established concepts of communication by demonstrating tone’s potential to transmit complex emotional states without the use of conventional forms of language or articulation. Furthermore, it emphasises sound’s transformational capacity as a vehicle for portraying the depth and complexity of human experience, encouraging greater investigation into the interaction of sound, emotion, and personal narrative.

Chion, M. (1994). Audio-vision. [online] Columbia University Press. Available at: https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/michel-chion/audio-vision/9780231078993 [Accessed 9 May 2024].

The sample digs into the complexity of describing and understanding sounds, emphasising the delicate relationship between their content, source, and meaning. It stresses the intrinsic difficulty of describing the substance of sounds in isolation from their context or importance, highlighting language’s inherent ambiguity in conveying auditory experiences. Participants in sound exploration face the constraints of language expression while navigating the complexities of perception and interpretation.

The extract discusses how individuals behave when they try to interpret sounds without any other information tied to them. Some may simply give up and claim that noises are caused by minor issues. Others may utilise technologies such as machines to measure sounds, even if these equipment cannot fully reflect how humans hear. Some individuals argue that because everyone perceives sounds differently, understanding them is impossible.

In the context of the project, this reveals the intricacies of connecting with aural experiences, as well as the difficulties in describing their fundamental essence. Participants may encounter comparable responses and defences as they observe the exhibit, dealing with language’s inherent ambiguity and the complexities of a common purpose. Through this investigation, the exhibit invites people to participate in reduced listening, building a better awareness for the objectivity that results from intersubjective knowledge.

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After acquiring the skill to add audio to p5js, I have been experimenting with ways to use it to modify the generative art that appears on the canvas. Currently, I am focusing on the pitch data from the audio file “muffling.” This particular mp3 file features me speaking while wearing a contact mic on my neck, which results in a muffled sound.

By utilizing this pitch data, I can manipulate the generative art on the canvas in a way that is synchronized with the audio. For instance, I can change the shape of the art based on the pitch of the audio at any given moment. This will result in a unique and immersive experience for anyone viewing the artwork.

I am excited to explore the possibilities of incorporating audio in my generative art and to continue experimenting with different techniques to create innovative and captivating visuals.

function setup() {
createCanvas(400, 400);
angleMode(DEGREES);
}

function draw() {
background(220);
translate(width / 2, height / 2);
stroke(0);
strokeWeight(2);
noFill();

let numPetals = 10;
let angleStep = 360 / numPetals;

for (let i = 0; i < numPetals; i++) {
let x1 = 100 * cos(i * angleStep);
let y1 = 100 * sin(i * angleStep);
let x2 = 100 * cos((i + 5) * angleStep);
let y2 = 100 * sin((i + 5) * angleStep);

line(x1, y1, x2, y2);
push();
for (let j = 0; j < 12; j++) {
  rotate(30);
  line(x1, y1, x2, y2);
}
pop();

}
}

In creating my work “Sonic Unification,” I researched and used Turkish metres and usuls to provide the piece with a complex rhythm firmly rooted in Turkish musical traditions. I used many usuls, such as Yürüksemâî, Sengin Semaî, Ağır Semai (6-), Devr-i Hindî, Devr-i Turan (Mandra), Devr-i Aryân (7-), and Düyek, Ağırdüyek, Katakofti (Müsemmen) (8-), to communicate the theme of the sentence “786-165-545.”

This endeavour entailed a conscious examination of each usul’s distinctive rhythmic patterns and structures, with special emphasis on their alignment with the number sequence inherent in the phrase. By intentionally moving between metres and usuls, I hoped to convey a feeling of rhythmic variety and development that mirrored the phrase’s numerical progression. Through this formal and academic approach to rhythmic composition, I hoped to emphasise the importance of Turkish metres and usuls in shaping the sonic narrative of “Sonic Unification,” as well as their potential as expressive tools for conveying phrases like unity and spirituality within a spatialized sonic environment.

Beginning with a careful investigation of recordings documenting a variety of Islamic practises, such as the call to prayer – or adhaan, and the rhythmic recitations of dhikr circles, I attempted to distil the profound feeling of spiritual connection buried in these aural representations. During the month of Ramadan, I captured a soundscape of individuals breaking their fasts and communal moments of dhikr.

After determining the best way to portray the notions of oneness and spirituality, I opted to remain with traditional instruments like the ney, oud, and daf. While recordings of adhaan and dhikr were culturally significant, I realised that the simplicity and beauty inherent in instrumental compositions would allow for a more concentrated and polished expression of my conceptual framework. The Arabic phrase “786-165-545,” which translates to “Bismillah hirahman uraheem,” was crucial to my endeavour since it served as a focal point symbolising oneness and divine favour, allowing me to focus each syllable on a certain instrument.

With my selection made, I began  arranging and spatializing the soundscape within the octophonic configuration, manipulating the sounds and rhythms to create a unified audio narrative. The ney’s plaintive melodies interwoven with the oud’s resonant chords, while the daf supplied a steady rhythmic basis, giving the music a sense of vibrancy. Finally, my decision to focus on instrumental compositions proved to be a resonant and transforming one, allowing me to analyse the technical aspect of the piece in a more subtle and pronounced manner.

“Dan Pani is an installation comprising of sound being played through water to visualise patterns on the surface. Set in a darkened room, the water bowl sculpture is illuminated by a single blue spotlight, revealing the patterns resembling a cosmic soup. The otherworldly atmosphere and science-fiction aesthetic references the Sufi idea of using music to obliterate time and space, creating the experience of travelling through the cosmos.

Working with Brian Duffy, an experimental musician specialising in the mathematics of sound, Bashir sampled and repeated a single breathy utterance by Khan, “Hu”, which is repeated over a 40 minute cycle. Taken from the exhibition title, “Dam”, meaning breath, refers to a Sufi belief in the power of an exhalation, from the mythology of God creating man through breathing into clay, to the heelers who breathe on water as a holy blessing. By playing the sound of Khan’s breath through the water, Bashir creates a sense that the water is blessed by Khan, or that Khan’s spiritual energy could return from the cosmos. The installation creates an intense, meditative space that immerses the audience in both the sound and sight of Khan’s energy.

Dam Pani uses abstracted forms to test what defines Qawwali and its spiritual essence, taking a seemingly scientific approach to exploring something as intangible as belief. It asks us question: is it still possible to have an emotional response to Qawwali if the text and format are unrecognisable? Removed from the context of a shrine, it asks, how can a Qawwali potentially transform a gallery space?”

Dam Pani” uses abstracted forms to explore the core of Qawwali, a kind of devotional music in Sufism. The artwork calls into question conventional beliefs of Qawwali and its spiritual importance by using a supposedly scientific approach to investigating the often perceived “obscure” notion of having faith. It presents thought-provoking concerns regarding the nature of emotional reaction to Qawwali when its customary language and format are stripped away, implying a reevaluation of the sensory and emotional qualities of the music.. Moreover, by removing Qawwali from its usual context within a shrine and placing it within a gallery space, the artwork prompts reflection on the transformative potential of Qawwali in different environments.

This ties in with the previous posts of Sufi ritual adaptation in contemporary situations, namely the investigation of how rituals might transcend their conventional surroundings and resonate with a wide audience. “Dam Pani” is a visible example of this research, allowing audiences to reevaluate their perception of Qawwali and its spiritual relevance beyond its traditional confines.In the larger context of the passage, the artwork contributes to the continuing discourse concerning the adaptation, translation, and transmediation of religious and cultural practices, stressing the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation in producing contemporary manifestations of spirituality

Jarre’s purposeful divergence from his standard sonic reference points in Oxymore demonstrates a focus to build and create a self-contained “sound universe”. using new methods such as granular synthesis and Dolby Atmos, Jarre aims to create a contemporary auditory experience that breaks down conventional barriers by pulling influence from French electro-acoustic music. From my perspective – Jarre creates a space with the use of technology in tandem, using both his identity and technology to produce environments. His research of 360-degree sound is a unique endeavour, free of preconceived assumptions and external influences, resulting in an original auditory perspective.

Furthermore, Jarre’s description of the composer’s position in the artistic process emphasises the dynamic relationship between individual innovation and communal expression. While accepting the inherent subjectivity of creative interpretation, Jarre believes that personal identity permeates every aspect of artistic creation, shaping the uniqueness of each piece. This is very similar to the quote:

•“It occurred to me that we always bring our identities and our experiences of “where we come from” to bear in the places where we meet. Later, I would think of place as this dynamic network of situated identities”

•Ouzounian, G. (2008). Sound Art and Spatial Practices: Situating Sound Installation Art Since 1958. [online] University of California, San Diego. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/7166588/Sound_Art_and_Spatial_Practices_Situating_Sound_Installation_Art_Since_1958 [Accessed 7 May 2024].

Jarre believes the environments he creates impose his own self-identity whether he wants to or not. the emphasis on the fusion of sounds within a three-dimensional space illuminates the transformative potential of spatialization in music. By manipulating textures and evolving soundscapes, a sense of immersion and engagement is fostered – transcending the confines of traditional stereo recordings.

“Immersion and the immersive are terms commonly used within discussions of virtual reality; they refer to ” … being surrounded in an engrossing total environment” (Store, 2009, December 9). This definition can easily be applied to the relationship between viewer and artwork, with a viewer being surrounded by an engrossing constructed experience.“

Recommended Citation Williams, B. (2010). Sound art and the gallery: Material, body and space. Edith Cowan University. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/1425

In essence, the interview with Jean-Michel Jarre offers a profound glimpse into the intersection of sound, space, and identity, unveiling the intricacies of artistic creation and innovation. Through Oxymore, Jarre continues to push the boundaries of sonic experimentation, forging new pathways in the realm of electronic music and spatial soundscapes.