ོ࿐˖✶⊹₊𖦹 W.3 START MAKING 𖦹₊⊹✶ ࣪˖࿐ོ







IDEATION MAP

This week I begin sketching some random ideas that are relevant to my topic as I find myself getting stuck because Synaesthesia is a rare condition and the concept itself is too specific. One of the feedbacks I received during consultation was to try not to focus specifically on synaesthesia to get out of the design block. My ideas can start from the understanding of Synaesthesia but it will eventually branch out to other closely related topics.

I stumbled across a Cymatics music video and was inspired by Chladni plates. Thereafter, I tried to DIY a Chladni plate using materials that I have. Even though I had failed to make visible patterns of a cymascope, I find the experiments enjoyable and interesting.

Making Ideation Brainstorm Mindmap
01 CYMATICS
I wanted to observe the relation between a small part of sound, focusing mainly on how vibrations react to sound to produce visuals. During this process, I also extended to explore how water reacts to different genres of music. Some of the music I’ve played are Electronic-Dance, Funk, Bossa Nova, Rock and Neo-Soul genres.The materials I used in this experiment includes: speakers, cut up straws (as an ink syringe), watercolour ink, salt, sesame seeds, peppercorn (to see if the movement varies in water), Starbucks plastic concave cap (so water will flow back in), Aluminium foil (metallic surface, good conductor of sound) and lights for effects.

I wanted to observe the relation between a small part of sound, focusing mainly on how vibrations react to sound to produce visuals. During this process, I also extended to explore how water reacts to different genres of music. Some of the music I’ve played are Electronic-Dance, Funk, Bossa Nova, Rock and Neo-Soul genres.



    • I came across a cymatics music video and got really inspired by it

EXP.1 - VIBRATIONS

Here are the set-up and results for the aluminium-salt experiment.

✲ I think one problem that I am facing here is because I am making use of DIY scrap materials, the outcome isn't what I wanted to achieve.

✲ I can look into getting a vibration speaker and a bigger one because bigger speakers produce lower frequency which results in nicer patterns, as compared to smaller speakers like the one I used which produce higher frequency, which might be why the patterns are less obvious.

✲ I can also look into different ways of audio reactiveness (focusing on the multisensory aspect), either the analog or digital ways that are able to replicate the motional aspect of the Chladni Plates.



Also found another method where you make your own noise to generate patterns
However, this setup would probably achieve better results


    • EXP. 1: Salt and Aluminium Steps
  • Step 1: Paper atop bass speaker
  • Step 2: Small drips of ink using cut-out straws
  • Step 3: Use different colour ink to see effect



Here are the set-up and results for the watercolour ink experiment.

✲ I definitely see a more interesting outcome in this experiment by using ink instead of salt to visualise vibrations.

✲ It is observed that different genres of song creates different patterns. For example songs that are more upbeat and as more bass naturally creates more splatters, whereas songs that are slower makes ink flow and blend into each other as seen in neo soul and funk. I find it funny how the ink looks like a fish at the end after playing electronic dance. I also find it interesting how some of my classmates like this experiment the most, compared to the others.



Playing different genres eg. (Funk 4/4)
    • EXP. 1: Ink Steps
Here are the set-up and results for the water ripples experiment.

✲ I will rank the experiments by ink, salt and lastly water, based on how interesting the results were.

✲ Even though I enjoyed conducting these experiments, I began to feel they lacked depth and substantive value, prompting me to reflect on how to enhance their purpose and meaning.



Determinants of Faraday Wave-Patterns in Water Samples Oscillated Vertically at a Range of Frequencies from 50-200 Hz







    • EXP 1 - Water Steps





FEEDBACKS FROM ANDREAS

✲ Another important area I had to think about was how to make these experiments more accessible to audiences who are not very aware of my topic? I can perhaps look into collaborating with others (people who have musical background vs those who don’t) to go out of my comfort zone? What if I reimagine a music notation and give my score to a pianist, can the pianist understand my score sheet? By thinking whether my project is valuable or not, might help me shape my direction better. Even though it is not optional, it might be good to think about it.

✲ I can branch out to different genres of sounds or artists as ‘soundscapes’ covers quite a big area. I should also ask myself what I want my focus to be for the ‘visual communication’ aspect of sound. Do I want it to be an abstract VJ aesthetic or something deeper?

Week 3 Feedbacks Notes















INSPO 1: CLAUDE MONET

Gardens by the Bay
Multisensory Exhibition

  • ✲ every colour has a certain Hz (hertz)

  • ✲ music is made up of sounds that are generated by waveforms = Hz

  • ✲ "Colour is vibration like music; everything is vibration" - Marc Chagall

  • ✲ As an art form, music is abstract. It’s a concept which inspired many painters to use colour and shapes to represent their reality.

  • ✲ It all started with the impressionists - (Impressionism movement developed in France in the 19th century, based on the practice of painting spontaneously 'on the spot' rather than in a studio from sketches.)

  • ✲ They used light and colour, to depict not only how something looked, but how it felt to them at that very moment. The artist paints a scene entirely how they perceive it, which blurs the line between what’s reality and what’s abstract.

Deeper Insights
What if I use the same concept but replace light with sound? Using sound and colour, to depict our visualisation and emotions on the spot, based on our spiritual perception. This also blurs the line between reality (our memory) and abstract (fragmented parts of memory).
Me admiring the audio-visual projections in the exhibition





INSPO 2: SG LIGHTS FESTIVAL

Aesop - ‘Scents of Being’

✲ An immersive olfactory installation that mimics a mystic forest, featuring light and smell. This project encourages us to connect with our spiritual self on a deeper level by transporting our minds to places through scent.

✲ I thought it was a multisensory exhibition at first where more interactions will take place other than smelling the 'trees', but it’s definitely still interesting. However, it was not very inspiring for my project, not sure why they used light, but all I can say is the place smells heavenly.

It wasn't really related to my project but it was surprisingly
an engaging and therapeutic olfactory experience









INSPO 3: Singapore Light Festival

Chijmes Projection - ‘Art of Play’

✲ This was the other showcase that was more closely related to my project as it features projection mapping.

✲ ‘Between Threads’ inspired me as I found their concept very cohesive. It involves interaction with cloth-like layered visuals to explore the texture and complexity of beaded art.

✲ They also have an additional interactive segment where you can transform the patterns projected through buttons on a touch board and gestures at another area where they react to your movements.

✲ People are able to collaborate to create a unified, full-scale artwork that weaves intricate threads and beads into a cohesive piece. This allows audiences to learn about the patterns beaded art can create which I’ve never seen before, hence interesting.





This installation features 2 different interactive areas: buttons to project different patterns on the building & motion detector to generate animations based on silhouette movements.









Moving Forward to Week 4

After visiting numerous places and immersing myself in diverse works, I feel more inspired than ever to dive into hands-on experimentation and bring my ideas to life :D