Reassembled, Slightly Askew:Composition & Sound Design

Reassembled, Slightly Askew is an autobiographical, immersive audio-based artwork based on Shannon Sickels’ experience of falling critically ill with a rare brain infection and her journey of rehabilitation with an acquired brain injury. Audience members experience Reassembled individually, listening to the audio via headphones while lying on a bed. The piece makes use of binaural microphone technology and spatial sound design techniques, causing listeners to feel they are inside Shannon’s head, viscerally experiencing her descent into coma, brain surgeries, early days in the hospital, and re-integration into the world with a hidden disability. It is a new kind of storytelling, never done before about this topic, that places the listener safely in the first-person perspective with the aim of increasing empathy and understanding. Reassembled… was made through a 5-year collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of artists led by Shannon Sickels (writer & performer), Paul Stapleton (composer & sound designer), Anna Newell (director), Hanna Slattne (dramaturgy), Stevie Prickett (choreography), and Shannon’s consultant neurosurgeon and head injury nurse. It’s development and production has been made possible with the support of a Wellcome Trust Arts Award, the Arts Council NI, Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast's Metropolitan Arts Centre, and grants from the Arts & Disability Award Ireland scheme. In its 2015 premiere year, Reassembled had 99 shows across Northern Ireland, including at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (the MAC, Belfast) and BOUNCE Arts & Disability Forum Festival (Lyric Theatre, Belfast). It was awarded 5 stars in the Stage, a Hospital Club h100 Theatre & Performance Award, and been shared at medical conferences and trainings across the UK. It continues to be presented in diverse artistic and educational contexts, including as part of A Nation’s Theatre Festival in 2016 at Battersea Arts Centre in London where it was given 4 star reviews in the Guardian, Time Out London and the Evening Standard. "A real-life ordeal, captured by a daring, disorientating artistic collaboration, which works brilliantly on so many levels…It should be available on prescription.” — The Stage ★★★★★ www.reassembled.co.uk Audio clips and documentary footage available here: http://www.paulstapleton.net/portfolio/reassembled-slightly-askew

Acoustic Design in Urban Development : analysis of urban soundscapes and acoustic ecology research in New York City

The world is urbanizing rapidly with more than half of the global population now living in cities. Improving urban environments for the well-being of the increasing number of urban citizens is becoming one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. Even though it is common that city planners have visions of a ’good urban milieu’, those visions are concerning visual aesthetics or practical matters. The qualitative perspective of sound, such as sonic diversity and acoustic ecology are neglected aspects in architectural design. Urban planners and politicians are therefore largely unaware of the importance of sounds for the intrinsic quality of a place. Whenever environmental acoustics is on the agenda, the topic is noise abatement or noise legislation – a quantitative attenuation of sounds. Some architects may involve acoustical aspects in their work but sound design or acoustic design has yet to develop to a distinct discipline and be incorporated in urban planning.My aim was to investigate to what extent the urban soundscape is likely to improve if modern architectural techniques merge with principles of acoustics. This is an important, yet unexplored, research area. My study explores and analyses the acoustical aspects in urban development and includes interviews with practitioners in the field of urban acoustics, situated in New York City. My conclusion is that to achieve a better understanding of the human living conditions in mega-cities, there is a need to include sonic components into the holistic sense of urban development.

An evaluation of a sketching interface for interaction with concatenative sound synthesis.

This paper presents the evaluation of morpheme a sketching interface for the control of sound synthesis. We explain the task that was designed in order to assess the effectiveness of the interface, detect usability issues and gather participants’ responses regarding cognitive, experiential and expressive aspects of the interaction. The evaluation comprises a design task, where partici-pants were asked to design two soundscapes using the morpheme interface for two video footages. Responses were gathered using a series of likert type and open-ended questions. The analysis of the data gathered revealed a number of usability issues, however the performance of morpheme was satisfactory and participants recognised the creative potential of the interface and the synthesis methods for sound design applications.

Agentes criativos de música electrónica experimental em Portugal : um estudo de casos particulares

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Audiovisual e Multimédia.

Äänikerronnan suhde tarinaan kuunnelmassa

Opinnäytetyöni on monimuototyö, joka koostuu Suurin niistä on rakkaus -nimisestä kuunnelmasta sekä Äänikerronnan suhde tarinaan kuunnelmassa -otsikoidusta kirjallisesta osasta. Teoksen pituus on 45 minuuttia ja se kertoo tositapahtumiin perustuvan tarinan omasta saksalaisesta äidistäni, joka pakenee despoottista isäänsä Suomeen rakkaansa luo ja löytää itsensä "ojasta allikkoon" -tilanteesta. Mustasukkainen ja ennakkoluuloinen anoppi ei päästä helpolla ainoasta pojastaan irti ja Erika joutuu näkemään vaivaa lunastaakseen paikkansa miehensä rinnalta. Teoksen tavoitteena on ollut tutustua kuunnelman tekemiseen liittyviin työprosesseihin ja -rooleihin sekä tutkia, miten ne toimivat yhteydessä toisiinsa. Kirjallinen työ keskittyy äänikerrontaan kuunnelmassa, esitellen myös muissa radiomaailman ohjelmatyypeissä käytettäviä äänellisiä ilmaisukeinoja. Tausta-aineistoa ei radion äänikerronnasta ollut pahemmin olemassa, joten sovelsin elokuvien äänisuunnittelusta lähtöisin olevia käsitteitä. Tutkin myös, millaisia äänellisiä ratkaisuja olin käyttänyt Suurin niistä on rakkaus -teoksen yhteydessä. Arvioinnin kohteena on kirjallinen osuus ja teos, jossa olen vastannut yksin käsikirjoituksesta, ohjauksesta, äänisuunnittelusta sekä musiikista. Olen pyytänyt erityistä huomiota arvioinnissa teoksen äänisuunnitteluun, sillä keskitin siihen eniten aikaa ja äänikerronta on pääaiheena myös kirjallisessa osassa. Suurimmaksi ongelmaksi koin käsikirjoittamisen sekä ohjaamisen, sillä kummastakaan minulla ei ollut pahemmin aiempaa kokemusta. Tähän hain apua Ylellä työskentelevältä ohjaajalta Pekka Ruohorannalta, jolla on monien vuosien kokemus kuunnelmien tekemisestä. Ensimmäiset nauhoitukset näyttelijöiden kanssa tehtiin vuoden 2006 alussa. Äänileikkaamiseen ja -suunnitteluun paneuduin joulukuussa 2006. Viimeistely ja musiikin säveltäminen teokseen tapahtui maaliskuussa 2007, jolloin aloin kirjoittaa myös kirjallista osaa. Teos ja kirjallinen osa valmistuivat huhtikuussa 2007.

Quimera : com sonoritzar la bogeria

Aquest projecte consisteix en la producció sonora per a un curtmetratge. Des de la preproducció fins al disseny de so, s’analitzen i es realitzen tots els processos intermedis necessaris per arribar a tenir un producte audiovisual de qualitat i innovador. S’han desenvolupat diverses tasques: des del rodatge del curt, la composició de la banda sonora, fins a la mescla en 5.1, entre d’altres. En aquesta memòria es detalla pas a pas el procés que s’ha seguit per aconseguir el resultat que s’esperava, amb les reflexions prèvies i la investigació de les diverses opcions. L’objectiu principal és aprofundir en el camp del disseny sonor, i arribar a crear sons i efectes que impactin en l’espectador i no el deixin indiferent.

Tila, aika ja hiljaisuus teatteriäänisuunnittelussa

Tutkin opinnäytteessäni tilaäänen dramaturgiaa teatteriäänisuunnittelussa. Työn punaisena lankana kulkee kysymys, voiko Jumalaa, vapautta tai onnellisuutta tuoda uskottavana kokemuksena teatterin katsojalle tilaäänen keinoin? Ääntä koskeva kirjallisuus keskittyy yleensä äänen mitattaviin tai teknisiin ominaisuuksiin, joten päätin keskittyä omassa työssäni puhtaasti tilaäänen dramaturgiseen hahmotukseen. Koska tiläänen dramaturgiasta ei juurikaan kirjallisuutta löydy, pohjautuu kirjallinen työni pitkälti omaan työelämän kautta saamaani kokemusperäiseen tietoon nk. hiljaiseen tietoon. Tässä työssä esitetty äänisuunnittelijan työnkuva on tehty teatteriin, jonka keskustassa on ihmisen läsnäolon kautta tapahtuva kerronta. Työ on suunnattu ohjaajille ja äänisuunittelijoille, joilla on jo kokemusta teatterikerronnasta. Käsittelen äänen dramaturgiaa hyvin rajatusta näkökulmasta, jolloin työn todellinen anti syntyy vasta sen peilautuessa lukijan omiin pohdintoihin tilankäytöstä, ihmisen läsnäolosta sekä äänisuunnittelusta. Työn alussa käsitellään aikaa kokemisen keskeisenä ulottuvuutena, hiljaisuuden vaikutusta kokijan minään, sekä ihmisen olemusta tilassa. Pohdin tilan merkitystä koettuna avaruutena, sivuuttaen tilan paikkana. Tämän jälkeen tutkin tilankäytön vaikutusta ihmisen mielihyvän rakenteisiin katsojan näkökulmasta, jonka jälkeen päästään varsinaiseen ääntä koskevaan osioon, tilaäänen koreografiaan. Tässä luvussa esitän mallin luoda mielenkiintoista ja jännitteistä tilaääntä, asettamalla ääni vastakkaiseksi elementiksi suhteessa hiljaisuuteen, jolloin hiljaisuus muuttuu merkittäväksi osaksi esityksen tilankäyttöä ja äänikerrontaa. Teoreettisesta lähtökohdastaan huolimatta työ tähtää puhtaasti emotionaalisesti koettavaan äänisuunnitteluun, jonka keskiössä on esiintyjän läsnäolon syventäminen tilaäänen keinoin.

Recording and reproducing Soundscapes : using and interpreting data in a creative way

http://elo.aalto.fi/fi/studies/elomedia/dataseminar/

Les conditions d'une musicalité du sonore : étude comparative sur le statut musical du bruit en musique et au cinéma

La création cinématographique de l’étudiante qui accompagne ce mémoire sous la forme d’un DVD est disponible à la Médiathèque de la Bibliothèque des lettres et sciences humaines sous le titre : Qui va droit son chemin.(http://atrium.umontreal.ca/notice/UM-ALEPH002343834)

Filmljudets funktioner i krigsfilm : En audio-visuell analys av Apocalypse Now och Saving Private Ryan

I denna uppsats har filmljudet i krigsfilmerna Apocalypse Now och Saving Private Ryan undersökts. Detta har gjorts för att försöka bidra med ökad förståelse för filmljudets användningsområde och funktioner, främst för filmerna i fråga, men även för krigsfilm rent generellt. Filmljud i denna kontext omfattar allt det ljud som finns i film, men utesluter dock all ickediegetisk musik. Båda filmerna har undersökts genom en audio-visuell analys. En sådan analys görs genom att detaljgranska båda filmernas ljud- och bildinnehåll var för sig, för att slutligen undersöka samma filmsekvens som helhet då ljudet och bilden satts ihop igen. Den audio-visuella analysmetod som nyttjats i uppsatsen är Michel Chions metod, Masking. De 30 minuter film som analyserades placerades sedan i olika filmljudzoner, där respektive filmljudzons ljudinnehåll bland annat visade vilka främsta huvudfunktioner somfilmljudet hade i dessa filmer. Dessa funktioner är till för att bibehålla åskådarens fokus och intresse, att skapa närhet till rollkaraktärerna, samt att tillföra en hög känsla av realism och närvaro. Intentionerna med filmljudet verkade vara att flytta åskådaren in i filmens verklighet, att låta åskådaren bli ett med filmen. Att återspegla denna känsla av realism, närvaro, fokus samt intresse, visade sig också vara de intentioner som funnits redan i de båda filmernas förproduktionsstadier. Detta bevisar att de lyckats åstadkomma det de eftersträvat. Men om filmljudet använts på samma sätt eller innehar samma funktioner i krigsfilm rent genrellt går inte att säga.I have for this bachelor’s thesis examined the movie sound of the classic warfare movies Apocalypse Now and Saving Private Ryan. This is an attempt to contribute to a more profound comprehension of the appliance and importance of movie sound. In this context movie sound implies all kinds of sounds within the movies, accept from non-diegetic music. These two movies have been examined by an audio-visual analysis. It's done by auditing the sound and picture content separately, and then combined to audit the same sequence as a whole. Michel Chion, which is the founder of this analysis, calls this method Masking. The sound in this 30 minute sequence was then divided into different zones, where every zone represented a certain main function. These functions are provided to create a stronger connection to the characters, sustain the viewers interest and bring a sense of realism and presence. It seems though the intention with the movies sound is to bring the viewers to the scene in hand, and let it become their reality. To mirror this sense of realism, presence, focus and interest, proves to be the intention from an early stage of the production. This bachelor’s thesis demonstrates a success in their endeavours. Although it can’t confirm whether the movie sound have been utilized in the same manner or if they posess the same functions to warefare movies in general.

Rumo a um ambiente de prototipação sonora cooperativa na web

Esta dissertação faz parte das pesquisas realizadas pelo Grupo de Computação Musical da UFRGS e está baseada na crença que é possível fomentar cada vez mais o interesse das pessoas pela música, usando formas alternativas para experimentação sonora e incentivando a interação entre usuários. A partir desta idéia, chega-se ao projeto do CODES - Cooperative Sound Design, que é um ambiente baseado na Web para prototipação musical cooperativa e visa permitir que pessoas (músicos ou leigos em música) possam interagir com o ambiente e entre si para criar cooperativamente protótipos de peças musicais. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é criar um ambiente computacional que permita ao leigo realizar a tarefa de prototipação musical cooperativa na Web. Especificamente, também objetiva identificar e propor características importantes para a implementação de ambientes coletivos para criação sonora apoiados por computador e outras tecnologias disponíveis. Tradicionalmente, algumas barreiras dificultam o “fazer musical” das pessoas e grupos que desejam se reunir e interagir para troca de experiências sonoras. A distância física ou geográfica, a necessidade de posse de um instrumento musical e do domínio da notação musical tradicional (partitura) podem ser as principais barreiras nesse sentido. A principal motivação para este trabalho se apóia sobre este aspecto, no sentido de vencer o desafio para eliminar estas barreiras que afastam as pessoas interessadas da possibilidade de fazer experimentos musicais em grupo. Através do uso do computador como instrumento virtual, da Internet para encontros virtuais e de uma notação musical alternativa para a realização de tais experimentos é possível eliminar estas barreiras. A metodologia para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa envolveu atividades como estudo e levantamento de características das principais linguagens / notações / representações para computação musical; estudo e levantamento de características dos aspectos de IHC; estudo e levantamento de características de aplicativos CSCW; estudo e levantamento de características de aplicativos de composição musical cooperativa na web; modelagem e construção do protótipo a partir dos levantamentos feitos e da solução proposta; avaliação, experimentação e revisão do protótipo em situações reais de uso; e avaliação do trabalho como um todo, incluindo suas contribuições e limitações. Dentre as principais contribuições deste trabalho salienta-se a prototipação musical cooperativa na web (termo proposto para as ações de manipulação sonora coletiva) realizada por meio de um protótipo desenvolvido; a integração de conceitos de Computação Musical, Interação Humano-computador e Trabalho Cooperativo; a criação de modelos de memória de grupo; a criação de mecanismo para permitir a manipulação sonora individual e coletiva e um modelo de justificativa e argumentação.

'Scratch' locative audio drama - report to BBC executives on trial at BBC FreeThinking 2008

‘Scratch’ investigates the use of physical space as a representation of narrative and dramatic structure. An audio-drama, it is a world-first in being location-sensitive without being tied to any particular place (preceding attempts by others have emphasised location-specific aspects of the genre). Developed in collaboration with and part-funded by BBC Radio Drama, it builds on research undertaken for ‘Dragons’ (output 4). It uses pre-recorded audio on GPS-enabled mobile devices allowing sounds to be virtually attached to locations in an outdoor space. As participants move, they encounter scenes forming a coherent drama which behave differently if the same place is visited more than once. This translocational approach opens novel artistic possibilities exploited through team expertise in narrative, sound design and advanced interaction. It is also significant in the economics of broadcast media as a more viable proposition than the many experimental locative experiences which have been site-specific: this was of great interest to the BBC. The public performance selected for BBC FreeThinking, 1-2 September 2008 in Liverpool as part of European Capital of Culture was reported in a co-authored 2009 conference presentation at ISEA, Belfast, 26-29 August 2009 and in a co-authored short chapter in Spierling and Szilas (eds.) Interactive Storytelling, Springer 2008. Boyd Davis directed the project and devised and undertook the evaluation with 40 trial listeners, reporting to BBC executives (http://researchonline.rca.ac.uk/1000/) for whom a second trial was also run in London in 2009. The evaluation used interview, video observation and a questionnaire combining an open question at the beginning with more specific questions later, avoiding channelling respondents' reactions immediately after the experience into issues which might not be uppermost in their minds, while also yielding data capable of rigorous analysis. The evaluation was to provide feedback to the makers of the drama and to guide policy at the BBC. [287] Participants were recruited principally through the publicity for FreeThinking 2008 – mainly via the festival website. The average age of participants was 40. The gender of participants was 20 males, 17 females and 3 null returns. The evaluation strategy was to combine an open question at the beginning with more specific questions later. In this way we avoided channeling respondents' initial opinions immediately after the experience into issues which might not be uppermost in their minds, while also yielding data capable of rigorous analysis. The purpose of the evaluation was to provide guidance for ourselves as the makers of the drama and to guide policy at the BBC on locative and other interactive media. The responses are analysed in the report.

Sonifying the solar system.

Sound is potentially an effective way of analysing data and it is possible to simultaneously interpret layers of sounds and identify changes. Multiple attempts to use sound with scientific data have been made, with varying levels of success. On many occasions this was done without including the end user during the development. In this study a sonified model of the 8 planets of our solar system was built and tested using an end user approach. The sonification was created for the Esplora Planetarium, which is currently being constructed in Malta. The data requirements were gathered from a member of the planetarium staff, and 12 end users, as well as the planetarium representative tested the sonification. The results suggest that listeners were able to discern various planetary characteristics without requiring any additional information. Three out of eight sound design parameters did not represent characteristics successfully. These issues have been identified and further development will be conducted in order to improve the model.

Efectos y ambientes sonoros como herramientas del subtexto en una obra cinematográfica

Esta tesis tiene como objetivo analizar la relación del diseño de sonido cinematográfico con la creación del subtexto en las películas. Se ha procedido a deconstruir el diseño sonoro de una serie de secuencias de películas, para identificar sus diversos elementos –especialmente los efectos y ambientes- y comprender el aporte de estos a la creación del subtexto. Esta tesis realiza una indagación en la construcción sonora de las obras cinematográficas, especialmente de dos elementos: sonidos ambientales o ambientes y efectos de sonido. Estos dos elementos son utilizados comúnmente en la creación de las bandas sonoras, pero aquí se explora su capacidad de crear una relación particular con el espectador, para ayudarle a percibir el subtexto de la obra. La hipótesis que se propone demostrar o negar es que los efectos y ambientes, tienen la capacidad para crear sensaciones en el espectador al ser trabajadas al margen del plano consciente de la percepción sonora. Para hacer esta investigación se partió de una decodificación de varias secuencias de películas que han obtenido reconocimiento internacional por la calidad de su factura; posteriormente se contrastó este análisis con la lectura colectiva de los efectos y ambientes, mediante la realización de un grupo focal.