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Re: [microsound] laptop performance / locative media



Hi Chad,

chad vollrath wrote:

The MapHub application also has the ability to record the location that the sound came from (given that the person who records it is able to identify the location and enter it into their phone/PDA/or other mobile device). But I don't know if this would be useful for a performance.
What do you all think - any ideas? Feedback? Does anyone know of any similar projects?

Sounds very similar to a project I am developing for PDAs and webserver for STEIM right now:


http://www.umatic.nl/projects_pandev.html

I'll have a deeper look at your project a bit later and maybe we can swap notes!

best,
derek

***

The PANDev "Psycho Acoustic Navigational Device"

PANDev is intended to be an sound-gathering and processing application written for PDAs and other portable devices running Linux. Its purpose is to assist psychogeographers, phonographers and sound artists in the collection and arrangement of environmental sound material for research and creative purposes. PANDev is conceived to remove the isolating intentionality of the specialist--the artist, the geographer, the ecologist, the phonographer, the biologist, the ethnographer, the sociologist, etc--and replace it with a more accessible and holistic method of gathering sounds. When activated, PANDev will take random sound samples at random lengths and intervals. A simple interface or command line can be given to specify approximate times, but all specific recording is left to the application. Connected to the PDA will be a set of binaural microphones hidden inside quite normal-appearing walkman headphones. The microphones will reproduce exactly the acoustic conditions around the wearer, including such important psychoacoustic spatial cues as front, back, left, right, above, below and relative distance.

Using PANDev

To use PANDev, all the user need do is input an approximate length of time to record and an approximate level of randomization. The application does the rest, and the user is free to travel through their environment or carry out their day-to-day life. Whether the user chooses to seek out acoustically-interesting settings or even perform for the microphone is of little relevance simply because they will not know exactly when PANDev is capturing sounds. Thus, a more "natural" approach is recommended. The resulting sounds may be as banal as they are sublime or exciting, but they are absolutely guaranteed to provide a unique insight into the user's acoustic environment.

Optional Extensions to PANDev

Remixing Experience
PANDev has several other optional extensions. The first would be the ability to "remix" the sound material gathered at the end of the session, with a number of general subjective parameters including "rhythmic", "drone", "jagged", "smooth", "quiet", "loud", "linear", "disassociated", etc. An algorithmic composition can then be rendered and exported in WAV, AIFF, OGG, or MP3 format. It is important to keep in mind the extremely limited computing possibilities of a PDA [no floating point processor, for example, which most audio processing applications depend on!], therefore these algorithmic compositions must be considered as both pushing the hardware to the limits of its capabilties as well as an excercise in getting the most out of very little. Additionally, they provide a new way of remixing daily existance, with the aim of highlighting previously unnoticed details.


Cartographical Visualization
The second requires the use of a GPS unit attached to the PDA, from which PANDev would determine geographic coordinates to tag all sound samples gathered. These GPS-tagged sound samples could then be exported to a cartographic mapping system, either in realtime via a network [see below], or locally when each session is completed. For public exhibition, a running audio/visual display of the sounds gathered in the area could be maintained in a public or online space in collaboration Sara Kolster, a graphic and video artist from the Umatic group. See the following for an example of cartographic representation:


http://berlin.soundscpae-fm.net

Network Awareness
The third involves the using the built-in WIFI of the PDA to activate the network potential of the unit. PANDev will regularly scan the local area network of the WIFI card for other units operating the same software. If another PANDev is located, the two seperate units could exchange audio data, thereby expanding each individual's realm of experience. The unit could also upload sounds gathered, along with cartographic data, to a central server in order to provide either rela-time monitoring, or the possibility for a sound artist to make a performative live-mix of the action in progress.


--
derek holzer ::: http://www.umatic.nl
---Oblique Strategy # 149:
"Take a break"

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