The Symphony of the Hearth is a project that explores the effects of the hearth beat and various images on our brain waves and the cardio-vascular system.
With the use of multi-channel sampling, the hearth is used as an instrument. These get modulated in real time and thus become the basis of the audio performance. “I will also use an Arduino pulse sensor to trigger the visuals and to control the tempo of the composition, the tempo of the sampler and the effects.”
Juan Manuel Escalante will explore the intersections of field recordings, mappings, graphic notations and concrete sound explorations using a modular synthesizer.
“I plan to record different sounds at different locations and map them accordingly on my sketchbook. Based on those sounds, a graphic notation will be generated and used as a tool to arrange sounds in time. Sounds might be remixed using a synthesizer (either at the camp or back home). Either an OP-1 or an eurorack modular synthesizer.
The result could/might be shared online as an interactive map or browser piece similar as our previous “Radical Listening” exploration.”
Ina Thomann will be turning the camp area into a sonic ecosystem.
“I will build and program sensors around the area which will control effects and filters that in turn will manipulate the captured sounds of the camp.
So, don’t be irritated if you see me sitting anywhere in the camp with a little microphone, trying to catch the sounds all around.
As I’m trying to improve my skills on live coding in Supercollider I’m looking forward to a week full of live manipulating the sounds around me.
You can feel free to interact with the sensors. (In fact, you will be involved anyway just by passing the sensor.) I would appreciate if you just have fun with manipulating the sensors and taking part in my sound installation.”
Project by Juan Duarte consists of sound devices that enable an experience of Augmented Listening of wind forces. It focuses on subtle changes in an outdoor environment to create generative soundscapes. Wind-sensitive systems are used to detect orientation and speed of the wind. These create acoustic events, that are registered and processed as a generative sound piece by a network of sensor networks.
The work takes as a reference an ancient instrument that is known as the Aeolian Harp (cf. Kircher, A ca 1650.). The mechanism used the aleatoric forces (wind) to self-play the strings and resonators. This enabled holy spaces, such as mountains and temples, to “speak” to humans.
“I am specifically interested in creating a series of devices that depend on wind forces to transmit a generative sound piece over FM radio. I will bring electronic components to build a number of devices with PIFcamp participants, based on previous experiments I’ve done recently. The device includes an FM radio transmitter and a micro-controller with environmental sensors.”
Here is some project related documentation.
Designed to be an environmental wearable MIDI controller that can connect to a variety of WiFi-enabled devices, the MIDI Jacket Controller plays an integral part in a digital modular synthesizer system that is in the process of being built at a DIY art space in Atlanta, GA, USA called The Bakery.
The physical construction of the jacket mimics that of a scientist’s lab coat. The jacket’s design is derived from the environmental features of the space that it will mainly control, which is an old electrical closet in a decommissioned commercial bakery. When we first discovered this room, we were convinced that a mad scientist had occupied it and performed torturous experiments on people based on what we found in there, which included chains hanging from the ceiling, exposed electrical panels, and empty shell casings – among other things – that we found on the floor. The ravers who previously occupied the old bakery space told us that there was a box in the creepy electrical room that was still live with electricity and would kill anyone who touched it – so the room’s aesthetic and raver lore inspired the name of the room, which we’re calling Deathbox Records.
The primary purpose of Deathbox Records is that it will function as an affordable livestreaming, podcasting, and overall experimental recording studio that artists in Atlanta, GA, USA can rent by the hour. We’re offering equipment rental options, and one of those options will be an interactive synthesizer wall that they can use for performances and/or recordings. The primary controller for the synth wall will be the wearable MIDI jacket controller that people can also use to connect to their own WiFi-enabled devices that accept MIDI signals.
Over the course of PIFcamp, the main goal of the project is to finalize the design of the electronic circuit that will be embedded in the jacket, build n sew the circuit and jacket together, and test its capabilities as a MIDI controller.
If you’re interesting in connecting about the project before PIFcamp, feel free to send me an email at im@streetcat.media to say hi!
Secure Shell is a remote outpost, a [sort of] autonomous installation, an attempt at public art; consisting of a Raspberry Pi, a solar powered wireless access point, an always on e-ink display and it emphasises an introverted experience.
Introverts or persons who occasionally experience shyness can feel insecure by being in situations involving many people which demand social skills on a higher level. Secure Shell offers a shelter to those and all participants the chance to rest alone by communicating with the device at a remote location.
On the first days of the PIFcamp the installation will be built. Alongside the making of the device, this process will also incorporate creating a small “shell-like structure” [IRL] to make the device weather proof, as well as providing its participant a safe and comfortable experience. The building of the terminal/installation will be a process, which will encourage contribution from PIFcamp’s participants.
The second step will be installing the Secure Shell on a -relatively- remote location. After its installation it will be open for participants.
Participants can have access to the device via SSH protocol with their smartphone or laptops (or any other device with wireless connection and SSH capability) and executing predetermined commands they will trigger random outputs on the screen. Their relationship with the Secure Shell will be based on mutual trust, since they can have full administrator access to it, thus making the Secure Shell hackable and vulnerable at the same time. The textual and visual content which will be visible on the display will be created/curated by the artists.
Our wild herb food expert Dario Cortese and Kristijan Tkalec from BioTehna Lab will test old and new ways of fermentation from East and West Asia.
They have set two goals:
They will produce traditional fermented food like tempeh, water & milk kefir, and kimchi. These will head to the kitchen/table and become part of the PIFcamp menu.
The second part of fermenting work will take place in the form of daily workshops – foraging for herbs and test unpredictable combinations. Can we make nettle tempeh? How many participants dare to try the natto? How does the morning kefir prepared with wild yeast taste like? What is the taste of pancakes made of the naturally acidified batter?
The plan:
Setting the incubators -> foraging for wild herbs -> fermenting -> tasting -> foraging -> foraging -> fermenting -> tasting -> foraging -> foraging -> fermenting -> tasting
We use our computers a lot to make repetitive tasks. And we feed them with loads of examples in order to teach them to distinguish between different situations. But how about letting them do (part of) the creative job? What if we let them create new and unique music?
One of the neat ways to make that happen is by imitating the nature (according to Darwin). We can consider pieces of music as individuals which can mix, mutate and compete to delight our ears. In this game, there is no “best” music, what we aim for is a “more different” one.
At the end, during the Open Saturday, this evolution will be steered by the public to make it fit their desires.
At first I would want to introduce you to fun examples of how an Evolutionary Algorithm works. Then we can start with the project in a simple way. And start playing with it. After the basics are covered, we can continue making it as elaborate as we want to. Many parts of the project can be discussed in order to find a more interesting way to think about it. We can even implement a feature just for the sake of it. Amongst the topics are: the best way to represent a piece of music, the building blocks we wish to start with, how to put them together, an ingenious way to define the difference(s) in music(s), the various ways to modify/tune them …
Making our Computers Music-Lover is a project by Nicolas Toussaint.
Lovrenc Košenina will be working on a weather station and a robo-arm, which will use the data collected to cater to the plants. The weather station will have temperature, moisture, UV, air pressure and wind sensors and anyone will be able to access the collected data through the open-source network of the Weather Underground. The robo-arm will be made of laser-cut pieces, and will use Arduino-controlled servomotors for movement. Initially, the robo-arm will be game-pad controlled, but will be upgraded to automation after PIFcamp.
Lovrenc also plans to throw a workshop in which participants will make generic pliers for a large range of use and design modular add-ons.
The project Audible Healing Pressure Points is a continuation of Lavoslava Benčić‘s work in e-textiles and follows her collection of interactive gloves (2016-2018) made at Rampa Lab. In the project Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is combined with research in e-textiles. The project proposes to position electronic acoustic devices on the healing points which lower or heal pain, usually massaged or pressed on by a therapist. The results of the project will be a series of e-bio textile elements made of fungi with an integrated circuit, which creates sound upon applying pressure.
The purposes of the project: