The Verb project

is an introduction to editing audio and to the notion of “structured sound.” By focusing on the idea of Acousmatic listening that Chion describes (via Pierre Schaeffer) our goal is to create soundscapes that do not rely on traditional notions of music, but instead tap into the full range of sound terminology that we have been uncovering in this course in order to create an evocative sonic structure.

The project begins with a verb. 

As R. Murray Schafer said “Sounds are actions; they move and change. Sounds are verbs.” I will randomly assign a unique verb  (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.to each of you that will guide your sound constructions of this first part of the project: a 2 minute sonic texture.

Verb = Empty

Imagine a 3D space with all the perspective lines on it. Imagine yourself drawing an empty room, or imagine yourself designing a three-dimensional area. All the hidden lines that creates the depth, length and height of the room are actually right there. And you are one of those particles that is unseen in the room. Humans are unable to see or feel everything in a space however with usage of other senses we can imagine what can be the possible impact or the feedback that is going to be received by us. This audio texture conceptualizes the idea of moving particles in an empty room and the feedback that occurs when interaction happens between the particles and the plain walls.

Assignment; 

In this project you will propose a non-electronic object that heightens the awareness of your sound memory (the one you wrote about in the Aural History Memory discussion).

While this is a speculative (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. device, you should consider to some degree the feasibility of your proposal. For example, is it likely, given the nature of the materials you describe, that your idea can work? Why do you think it might work?

Aural Memory ;

When I look back to my childhood and focus on my aural memory, I can think of one distinctive sound which has always been a constant in my life. The sound of hollow steel pipes hitting each other. When I hear two pipes hit each other, the high pitch, loud noise starts echoing inside my brain, like it does in a factory with full of machines and steel goods. The range of the sound differs depending on the length and wall thickness of the pipes. The quality of the sound also allows you to imagine the speed of vibration that is happening in a really short period of time. This sound doesn’t only make my ears ring but also brings a metallic-industrial smell next to it. In addition to that, this sound helps me remember some moments and memories with distinct family members. The “Tinnnnnnnnn” noise that occurs right after the clashing of steel will always be an unforgettable noise for me.

Aural History Isolator ; 

AuralIsolator1-22rx23s (pdf can be accessed through this link)

 

Introduction:

In this project me and my classmates were assigned to analyze a source in a system. I picked “communication” as my system, however my source for communication was not words or gestures; it is COLOR.

In 2016, I worked on a Lightbox which was built in order to create a dream-reality in between state with colors and vibrations. The vibrations were sent to facial bones through haptic motors connected on the end of ear phones. The color scale was customizable according to 4 different feelings, and every feeling had it’s own color scheme. However, according to the feedback I received, I realized that colors do not create the same emotion in every person. Color and emotional output can differ in every different culture, every religion and many other daily life circumstances.

Color is not objective, color is really subjective. So when I was starting to work on my new project, I realized that I have to be communicating with as many people as possible, my first idea was to create a nature integrated communal seating area that can interact with people and give color as an output.

IDEA #1 The communal seating area idea, Rhino sketch :

While I was constructing this digital sketch, my main focus and inspiration was the color theory drawings that were done by Josef Albers. Josef Albers is a German color theorist who is most known for his work at Bauhaus design school.

Josef Albers Art Work: 

After designing the communal space and spending some time on thinking about the interactions, data input and output, I realized that designing a communal sitting area would not help me to achieve my main goal of understanding color and finding the relationship between COLOR-EMOTIONS and ENVIRONMENT. So I decided to change my idea.

IDEA #2 Pulse Check / the device :

For the design aspect of the device, I decided to transition Josef Albers’s color theory box drawings in to a stand alone Lightbox that separated in to 4 different divisions that has customizable LED strips integrated in it.

How does it work? 

Let’s say we are in a lecture hall right now, 100 people are participating in class. Teacher asks us…

“HOW DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW?”

We go to our phones and connect to the IP address that our teacher gave us. When we open the website, we will see different colors and checkboxes next to them, and we see a input box with submit button right next to it. What we need to do is…

“CHOOSE ONE COLOR AND TYPE DOWN HOW WE FEEL” 

And we submit it.

After the instructor gathered the data, few minutes later, the input data will turn in to a pie graph chart. The most picked color will get the center box and the least selected one will be on the outer square.

How is this helpful? 

Color theory, color studies, emotions, feelings, weather, environment and location everything matters while we are picking a color for our mood. By getting mass input from multiple audiences, the connection between color-feelings and environment can be analyzed. We can all put some salt in to the soup of color theory. We can analyze the brilliant connection between color and our brain.

What am I using? 

Arduino 

It is the brain of the physical device. Arduino gets the data from IP address over personal computer and converts the output in to a ASCII numbering system and communicates with the LED strip arrays.

p5.js

Javascript sketch is running on our IP and coded with p5.js. The javascript sketch is the only form of connection to the arduino. We gather the data over p5 and send it to arduino over p5serial.js.

Work in Progress

The project is in progress, it is going to be my final project as well. Thank you. Emre.

 

 

Project #3 Work in Progress

     In this project I am willing to work on “Color” as a source of a system. Color is the source for many systems. Emotions, labels, memories and many more. Color is the main key element for multiple systems that we face in our daily life. Color theory principles were highlighted for the very first time in the writing that were written by an Italian architect called Leon Battista Alberti. His explorations later on proceeded by the well known Leonardo Da Vinci. However, from personal experience and modern look of color, in my project I will be transitioning the Bauhaus color theory in the LED lightings. As my main focus the two artists I initially looked in to was, Kandinsky and Josef Albers. Two great painters of The Bauhaus school. Their work portrayed the undeniable connection between shapes (geometric) and color.

Kandinsky:

Josef Albers:

 

Object details:

      In my project, I am looking forward to create a product, which can be sold as a piece of accessory or furniture. The product itself will be based on creating Josef Albers’s square color study in to a physical piece. The piece will be made out of a wood frame with steel sides.

MATERIALS:

• Wood
• Steel
• Plexiglass
• Wires
• Arduino
• LED’s
• Switch

sources to be used:

• Laser-Cut
  • “In order to shape the wood and plexiglass”
• CNC
  • “In order to cut steel / big pieces of wood (if needed)
• 3D Printer 
  • “In order to model the piece”

EARLY SKETCHES + PLANNING:

Work In Progress for Project #2

Inspirations – MoMa trip + Photos 

 

For a second project, we were assigned to create a piece which contains elements of a broader system. Such as education, transportation, parks and recreation and many others. Transportation was my first choice of interest because I’ve been traveling to Vermont most of the weekends. It is a crucial part of my life, because I spend at least 6 hours on transportation everyday.

First Idea – Sculpture of Transportation

As my first idea, I was planning on examining the transportation paths I go through every weekend. Starting with walking and ending with a car ride. One way ride to Vermont takes around 3-4 hours. Walking – Subway – Amtrak – Drive, I was thinking about using wood and visualizing my journey with sketches that I developed as my own style. However, this project did not seem like a strong concept, I felt like I will not be able to bond with the audience.

Second Idea – Tell me a Story

My second idea was based on transportation again. However, this time instead of examining the act of transportation with just visuals, I thought about adding sound and lights to my project, and direct myself to Vermont with a narrative which us vocalized by me and my girlfriend. I was planning on having 13 sketches (7 half paper size and 6 full paper size). Sketches of the visuals I see while I’m traveling from a POV. Locations and movements I considered were – Kerrey Hall Dorms – Union Square – NQR UPTOWN train sign – Penn Station – Penn Station Train Board – ALBANY TRAIN SIGN – Girlfriend in station – Drive route to Vermont – Driving – Map Visuals – Driving – Her house. In the narrative I was planning on vocalizing it till I meet up with my girlfriend, and I was expecting to hear the rest of the direction from her, like it happened when we were together in Vermont for the very first time.

Third Idea – Subway Thoughts 

Second project seemed intense and hard to build. However, the concept is still strongly in my mind for a future assignment. In my third idea I stripped down my transportation to only one transportation vehicle I use. Subway. I chose subway because, the art inside the subway cars has always amazed me and made me jealous. So I started thinking about what are my subway thought? what is my morning poem for new york city? I was planning on visualizing multiple subway cars designed according to my dreams. However, I realized that the area where i store my dreams are not inside a subway car. Here are some sketches I did in my own style.

Final Idea – (couldn’t find a name yet)

As a final idea, I decided change the system I am working on, I am thinking on. Transportation is wonderful and can be analyzed really deeply. I wanted to focus on the “system of living”. Actually, I got really inspired by the system of living. I want to build a sculpture, based on my dreams. A complex rising shape made out of multiple separate rooms, with separate feelings, ideas and future.

 

 

Intro :  I started working on the planning of the project in September 7. I came up with many different project topics. Mostly focusing on communication – love and community. The first topic sentence i worked on was “love encourages people to call someone home “. Secondly I worked on ” there is always limited communication“. However, both of the topics didn’t satisfy my personal emotions. I moved to a third concept which incorporated with the term Estranged “how technology gets us estranged”. And as my last failed attempt happened with “how bad communication gets us estranged”. After brainstorming for few weeks, I realized is all I want to talk about is being Estranged. Because that’s actually what I really wanted to tell people about. 

Estranged :  (of a person) no longer close or affectionate to someone; alienated.

Questions : I asked myself few questions in order to start getting deeper in my own feelings and emotions.

“what am I running away from?”

“why do I feel estranged?”

“why do I want to be away from other people?”

 

Answers : I came up with few answers, specifically 7 different answers. 7 different words that hurt me the most since today. 7 words that made me overthink every second of life.

Trust  –   Caring   –  Support   –   Lies  –   Family  –   Changes  –  Religion

 

Concept Inspiration : Even before building this project, even before starting thinking about it. I had been listening to this one song by Guns N’ Roses every day at least 10 times. It was a bad obsession. The song is called “Estranged” and it is one of the songs that I’ve ever found myself in. The song touched my heart in a way that it woke up many feelings that i’ve been trying to figure out. Feelings that I couldn’t explain for years. Not just the lyrics, but also the music video was an inspiration in my project.

Lyrics From The Song:

Well I jumped into the river

Too many times to make it home

I’m out here on my own, an drifting all alone

If it doesn’t show give it time

To read between the lines

———————————————————

I’ll never find anyone to replace you

Guess I’ll have to make it through, this time – oh this time

Without you

I knew the storm was getting closer

And all my friends said I was high

But everything we’ve ever known’s here

I never wanted it to die

GIF’s From The Music Video:

Product Inspiration : The inspiration of the product came all the way from back home, Turkey. In the area where my summer house is located – under sea sponge harvesting was a major job in 1920’s. The helmet that is worn by the harvesters would have a hose in order the breathe. So it is representing my urge to be surrounded by comfort of home, while being attached to community in a really dependent way.

1920’s Turkish Diving Helmet Image :

 

Audio Narrative : In order to tell this personal story of getting Estranged I wanted to create an audio narrative which can be listenable when the helmet is worn. The audio narrative was planned to composed by sound effects – songs and voices of different people.

Sound Effects:

Under water  –  Breathing   –  Heart beat   –  Ship horn   –   Waves

Songs:

Guns N’ Roses – Estranged

Guns N’ Roses – It’s Alright

Voices: The voices inside the helmet- are going to be produced by people who had the biggest impact in my life. The expected voice inside the helmet is really pressuring and depressive in order to feel the loneliness in the dark seas.

Friends   –    Family    –    Me    –   Girlfriend

 

Bill Of Materials:

Paper Mache:

12″ Balloon – Metallic copper paint –  Black paint –  Embroidery hoops

Technology / Arduino :

Arduino UNO   –   MP3 Shield    –    WS2812 Led Strip

 

Tech + Code: The project is powered by an Arudino UNO. Inside the helmet there is planned to be a speaker and LED strip. The LED strip is coded in order to react according to audio narrative. Which will make the helmet an experience stage.

Libraries:

<SFEMP3shield.h>   |  <SimpleTimer.h>   |   <FastLED.h>  |  <SDFat.h>

 

Code :

 

Work In Progress : After spending a lot time on the concept- I started building the piece however, today October 12, the piece is still on work in progress in many ways.

Helmet Finishing + Windows + Paint + Audio Narrative Finalizing + Code Finalization

 

Github: Images from sketches, Images of product, Code, Presentation, Audio Narrative can be found in my Github repository for the project “Estranged”.

”  https://github.com/emres13/Estranged-Project  “

 

One Final Question: Whenever I work on a project, I always end up having more question in my mind. This time, oh this time, it was….

” Seems everything we’ve ever known’s here

Why must it drift away and die ? “

Thank You,

Emre Sardogan.