Podcast 1: 21 January 2010
A decade, a lighthouse, a protest, a barber's
Click here for descriptionClick here for podcast
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Artangel podcast
Talking about sound and sound theatre, I have no much experience and knowledge in this area but I found this podcast by Artangel interesting. Very well edited. Also they talk about some idea that sound can take your imagination beyond the actual physical space where you are now. Sound can take you to another country or time. In this sense, there is a common idea between sound and what Maki Ueda explores with her smell. And this has something to do with virtual space and physical space...
Click here for podcast
Podcast 1: 21 January 2010
Click here for descriptionClick here for podcast
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Sound and space
We have been exploring some aspects of sound in the performance space and asking some questions about what is possible and how. While some of our discussions also concern psychological or metaphorical spaces I want to focus here on sound and physical space.
First of all it is important to understand that this topic is rather complex. You can read a useful introduction here with good illustrations and sound examples. (and it would be useful to also look up his entries on reverberations, echo, and soundwaves in general if you're not familier with the concepts).
I want present my thoughts on some of the ideas raised so far:
Can we turn the lights off(closed eyes? Yes I think we can achieve this effect at least momentarily. If we switch off the lights rappidly (not a gradual fade out) it will take people a little time to adjust to low light (and we are going to have quite a lot of low lights from computers, exit signs, etc.) which means that for a short time they would be listening to the sound (almost) without seeing.
Can sound float around, shift, move? Can it flutter and fly like the leaves? Yes, BUT
One way, of course, is to actually move a sound source (a speaker but also an acoustic source the way Caroline moves around the space while singing/playing). The result would vary a bit with different types of sounds but is mostly effective. The other option is to try and project the illusion of moving sound from static speakers. This can be done successfully but is a bit more complicated, and if we want to try it we need to consider the technical requirements and limitations. First of all we need at least a 4-channel setup. this means not just 4 speakers around the performance space but also a 4-channel mixer. We won't have that for rehearsals and we may or may not have it available when we perform. Even when you do use a good setup it works well only around the centre. So in our case, the performers should hear it pretty well but the audience, standing around them not so much. finally the illusion of movement works better with some sounds then with others (for all sorts of complex reasons like the precedence effect and others).
Two performers, mouths closed, faces expressionless (Yiorgos and Olu?) Their pre-recorded 'conversation' is transmitted via speakers that have a very different acoustic to the actual space. ( the 'inside room'). This type of disjunction between what we see and what we hear works very well in cinema but might be difficult to translate to performance. To understand why consider this: on the screen we see a character walking outdoors from afar while we hear his voice as if he is close to us in a small room. The disjunction between how the speech should sound as if it is in the scene and how it is presented to us is obvious and we accept these as inner thoughts. But if we try to do the same on stage the non-speaking charachter and the sound source (speakers) are in the same space - the stage. So this would not stand out as more disjunct than any other sound coming from the speakers during the show. If we add heavy reverb on the voices, suggesting they are very far or in a much more reverberant space than the actual one it would be noticible, or if they're having a conversation and the two voices are placed in two different acoustic environments. But I'm not sure we could effectively project an 'inner room' in the same sense.
First of all it is important to understand that this topic is rather complex. You can read a useful introduction here with good illustrations and sound examples. (and it would be useful to also look up his entries on reverberations, echo, and soundwaves in general if you're not familier with the concepts).
I want present my thoughts on some of the ideas raised so far:
Can we turn the lights off(closed eyes? Yes I think we can achieve this effect at least momentarily. If we switch off the lights rappidly (not a gradual fade out) it will take people a little time to adjust to low light (and we are going to have quite a lot of low lights from computers, exit signs, etc.) which means that for a short time they would be listening to the sound (almost) without seeing.
Can sound float around, shift, move? Can it flutter and fly like the leaves? Yes, BUT
One way, of course, is to actually move a sound source (a speaker but also an acoustic source the way Caroline moves around the space while singing/playing). The result would vary a bit with different types of sounds but is mostly effective. The other option is to try and project the illusion of moving sound from static speakers. This can be done successfully but is a bit more complicated, and if we want to try it we need to consider the technical requirements and limitations. First of all we need at least a 4-channel setup. this means not just 4 speakers around the performance space but also a 4-channel mixer. We won't have that for rehearsals and we may or may not have it available when we perform. Even when you do use a good setup it works well only around the centre. So in our case, the performers should hear it pretty well but the audience, standing around them not so much. finally the illusion of movement works better with some sounds then with others (for all sorts of complex reasons like the precedence effect and others).
Two performers, mouths closed, faces expressionless (Yiorgos and Olu?) Their pre-recorded 'conversation' is transmitted via speakers that have a very different acoustic to the actual space. ( the 'inside room'). This type of disjunction between what we see and what we hear works very well in cinema but might be difficult to translate to performance. To understand why consider this: on the screen we see a character walking outdoors from afar while we hear his voice as if he is close to us in a small room. The disjunction between how the speech should sound as if it is in the scene and how it is presented to us is obvious and we accept these as inner thoughts. But if we try to do the same on stage the non-speaking charachter and the sound source (speakers) are in the same space - the stage. So this would not stand out as more disjunct than any other sound coming from the speakers during the show. If we add heavy reverb on the voices, suggesting they are very far or in a much more reverberant space than the actual one it would be noticible, or if they're having a conversation and the two voices are placed in two different acoustic environments. But I'm not sure we could effectively project an 'inner room' in the same sense.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Audio Visual demos
Back in Japan we recorded some sounds Katsura could make with the leaves. I started exploring the possibilites of transforming these to replace the not-so-great-sounds Katsura was activating through the touch sensor. This is just a start but I put together two short demos of how these might work.
The first one is fairly close to the original sounds. Imagine that these are activated by Katsura:
In this version the leaf sounds are transformed (becoming somewhat like thunders). I tried to place these as if they are triggered by Katsura. I also kept some of the original soundtrack for the sound the leaves make as she is walking through them. But you also hear the original triggered sounds try to ignore those.
These are just illustrations of two possibilities. If I have more time I will try to create more.
The first one is fairly close to the original sounds. Imagine that these are activated by Katsura:
In this version the leaf sounds are transformed (becoming somewhat like thunders). I tried to place these as if they are triggered by Katsura. I also kept some of the original soundtrack for the sound the leaves make as she is walking through them. But you also hear the original triggered sounds try to ignore those.
These are just illustrations of two possibilities. If I have more time I will try to create more.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Reflection on improv. at Symposium on 9th Dec
Since we worked intensively in Tokyo, already almost a month has passed. My memory is becoming vague. Before the experience is washed out by other more recent experiences, I have to leave something here, hoping this would lead a thread that I can grab to recall what I was working on in the days when I was completely soaked in the creative process of Ukiyo.
In terms of my character making, the last improvisation I did there was at the symposium on 9th December.
The only and the most important thing I have to hold onto is LEAVES.
The sound of leaves.
The texture of leaves.
The smell of leaves.
..and what do I associate from them as personal experience?
(cf. My entry on 8th Dec)
In G-sec where we had the symposium, there were no leaves. Only the virtual leaves on screen, which we cannot touch, and which don't smell.
How can I transform the virtual leaves more sensorial by my performance so that the viewers can share my sensations I had experienced?
This was my big question. What can I do apart from relying on the virtual information on the screen?
A minute before performance, Oded, the sound expert, suggested to use a piece of paper to create similar sound that leaves would make.
This, totally makes sense to me.
This, kind of transformation is essential in art.
This, is even better than having actual leaves.
This, would add another layer of meaning and interpretation on top.
I also had an idea of tearing the paper into pieces during the performance, which, I imagined, would present pieces of leaves, many many of them.
These are enough idea. I was ready to perform. The focus is sensory experience of the viewers. My body movement is no more important than the sound I make or yellow leaves they see on the screen. The light must be off.
The paper must be hidden from the eyes of the viewers, so that they can connect the sound to more dominant visual information, leaves. I stand as near by the yellow leaves as possible, holding a piece of paper in front of me, showing the back to the viewers.
I step back gradually towards the viewers, start teaing the paper, and throwing smaller pieces of paper.
After finishing the paper, my tactile memory of leaves comes in. It tend to be on floor, as leaves tend to be on floor- but it is something I can challenge in future to change the dimension. Perhaps leaves could be not on floor, then how do I react and play with them?
Another thing, actually I was determined in advance was to use my voice. Thanks to Caroline's voice warm ups during the period, my body was more ready to utter some sound. In fact, just before this performance, I was more conscious about releasing tension around my jaw, neck and throat. Usually I would have same consciousness towards the spine, hips and feet.
From my observation, at the moment I have an assumption that the voice is effective when it brings something that I am not expressing with my movement. And unless I want to create top high energy, voice and movement do not need to happen together. They complement each other and they are like two lines of waves.
I used scream-like high pitch voice in this performance, which for me means the peak of emotion.
To finish up, I copy and paste some comments from email correspondence among us. Hope Johannes and Michele do not mind...
------
Katsura started her final demonstration with the (acoustic rustling sound) of leaves (paper), and perhaps the materials, once again, can push you to do more
So i am suggesting that Katsura continue to work with the character she has found, the Mutant Woman in Red, and then explore the transformation to LeavesWoman and the effects this has on her white runway. . And also keep in mind that the fragility of life, of the body, is here mirrored by the leaves. they will rot. The sleeve created by Michele with plastic matter/contours will brittle away, as Michele already implied, to dust. What does such transformation mean in your imagination, Katsura, trails of dust? sounds of dust? ephemerality and evanescence of Ukiyo-e?
Johannes 14/12/09
-----
Katsura, I think I am quite in touch with in terms of leaf dance but wonder what we should design here and what is possible to design now our leaves begin to crumble. Of course I like the crumbling too and I like the partial states of garment for you.
Michele 15/12/09
----
And here is my response to them.
I would like to remember that the leaves idea came when we went for a walk. The purpose of the walk for me was to find similar qualities and textures of the red sleeves. Now the conversation sounds like that I have two separated characters- red mutant woman and leaves woman, but it is important for me to keep the link between them. Red sleeve transforms itself into leaves. And now I am looking into the possibility to transform the leaves into something else since leaves seem too obvious expression for me and also I see the difficulty to keep them in shape. In the final demonstration at G-sec Johannes mentioned, I did not have leaves and just a moment before the performance Oded suggested to use a piece of paper to make some leaves-like sound. The performance was 100% improvisation as my usual so perhaps I did not make use of all the potential the paper has, but I see this as very possible transformation from leaves. Here we still have to remember the progression from red sleeve - yellow leaves - a piece of paper that is torn into small pieces during performance. If we want we can keep the carpet of yellow leaves and I will keep the tactile sensation of leaves, but I think the garment does not need to be made with leaves.
Katsura 28/12/09
----
This is where we ended. I will remember to start from here in the next lab on 31st January.
In terms of my character making, the last improvisation I did there was at the symposium on 9th December.
The only and the most important thing I have to hold onto is LEAVES.
The sound of leaves.
The texture of leaves.
The smell of leaves.
..and what do I associate from them as personal experience?
(cf. My entry on 8th Dec)
In G-sec where we had the symposium, there were no leaves. Only the virtual leaves on screen, which we cannot touch, and which don't smell.
How can I transform the virtual leaves more sensorial by my performance so that the viewers can share my sensations I had experienced?
This was my big question. What can I do apart from relying on the virtual information on the screen?
A minute before performance, Oded, the sound expert, suggested to use a piece of paper to create similar sound that leaves would make.
This, totally makes sense to me.
This, kind of transformation is essential in art.
This, is even better than having actual leaves.
This, would add another layer of meaning and interpretation on top.
I also had an idea of tearing the paper into pieces during the performance, which, I imagined, would present pieces of leaves, many many of them.
These are enough idea. I was ready to perform. The focus is sensory experience of the viewers. My body movement is no more important than the sound I make or yellow leaves they see on the screen. The light must be off.
The paper must be hidden from the eyes of the viewers, so that they can connect the sound to more dominant visual information, leaves. I stand as near by the yellow leaves as possible, holding a piece of paper in front of me, showing the back to the viewers.
I step back gradually towards the viewers, start teaing the paper, and throwing smaller pieces of paper.
After finishing the paper, my tactile memory of leaves comes in. It tend to be on floor, as leaves tend to be on floor- but it is something I can challenge in future to change the dimension. Perhaps leaves could be not on floor, then how do I react and play with them?
Another thing, actually I was determined in advance was to use my voice. Thanks to Caroline's voice warm ups during the period, my body was more ready to utter some sound. In fact, just before this performance, I was more conscious about releasing tension around my jaw, neck and throat. Usually I would have same consciousness towards the spine, hips and feet.
From my observation, at the moment I have an assumption that the voice is effective when it brings something that I am not expressing with my movement. And unless I want to create top high energy, voice and movement do not need to happen together. They complement each other and they are like two lines of waves.
I used scream-like high pitch voice in this performance, which for me means the peak of emotion.
Photos by Anne-Laure Misme
I have no idea how the viewers perceived my performance, but for me there are some useful findings that probably I can keep and work on more towards more structured performance.
I have no idea how the viewers perceived my performance, but for me there are some useful findings that probably I can keep and work on more towards more structured performance.
To finish up, I copy and paste some comments from email correspondence among us. Hope Johannes and Michele do not mind...
------
Katsura started her final demonstration with the (acoustic rustling sound) of leaves (paper), and perhaps the materials, once again, can push you to do more
So i am suggesting that Katsura continue to work with the character she has found, the Mutant Woman in Red, and then explore the transformation to LeavesWoman and the effects this has on her white runway. . And also keep in mind that the fragility of life, of the body, is here mirrored by the leaves. they will rot. The sleeve created by Michele with plastic matter/contours will brittle away, as Michele already implied, to dust. What does such transformation mean in your imagination, Katsura, trails of dust? sounds of dust? ephemerality and evanescence of Ukiyo-e?
Johannes 14/12/09
-----
Katsura, I think I am quite in touch with in terms of leaf dance but wonder what we should design here and what is possible to design now our leaves begin to crumble. Of course I like the crumbling too and I like the partial states of garment for you.
Michele 15/12/09
----
And here is my response to them.
I would like to remember that the leaves idea came when we went for a walk. The purpose of the walk for me was to find similar qualities and textures of the red sleeves. Now the conversation sounds like that I have two separated characters- red mutant woman and leaves woman, but it is important for me to keep the link between them. Red sleeve transforms itself into leaves. And now I am looking into the possibility to transform the leaves into something else since leaves seem too obvious expression for me and also I see the difficulty to keep them in shape. In the final demonstration at G-sec Johannes mentioned, I did not have leaves and just a moment before the performance Oded suggested to use a piece of paper to make some leaves-like sound. The performance was 100% improvisation as my usual so perhaps I did not make use of all the potential the paper has, but I see this as very possible transformation from leaves. Here we still have to remember the progression from red sleeve - yellow leaves - a piece of paper that is torn into small pieces during performance. If we want we can keep the carpet of yellow leaves and I will keep the tactile sensation of leaves, but I think the garment does not need to be made with leaves.
Katsura 28/12/09
----
This is where we ended. I will remember to start from here in the next lab on 31st January.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Leaves Woman vs. Metal Woman
7th Dec
An improvisation between Anne-Laure and Katsura.
Without having talked beforehand, a brief narrative of battle has emerged.
Metal Woman invades and try to occupy the Leaves Land. Although once it seems that the attempt of Metal Woman is successful, she looses her power as being suffocated by the sleeve of Leaves Woman.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Touch sensor manipulates sound
8th Dec
A short footage to show Oded's sound manipulated by a touch sensor on Helenna's thumb.
Doros's Virtual Ukiyo
8th Dec
A clip of Doros's virtual Ukiyo.
The leaves going up is triggered by a touch sensor designed by Eng Tat.
The world rotates with a signal from a bend sensor although you cannot see it on this video.
Is that right?
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