Curtis Bahn, Stephan MooreIntegrated Electronic Arts at Rensselaer (iEAR) Studios

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

4/29/03 ASA Nashville, Session 2pAAb Relationships of Synthesis and Processing to “Acoustical” music. Inside-in: alternative paradigms for sound spatialization

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Inside-in:

•Review the use of spherical speaker arrays and sensor-speaker arrays (SenSAs) in performance and installation.

Inside-in:

•Review the use of spherical speaker arrays and sensor-speaker arrays (SenSAs) in performance and installation.

•Detail our recent development of “third generation” spherical speaker arrays.

Inside-in:

•Review the use of spherical speaker arrays and sensor-speaker arrays (SenSAs) in performance and installation.

•Detail our recent development of “third generation” spherical speaker arrays.

•Present recent work with spherical speaker arrays and SenSAs.

This work builds upon:

“Alternative Voices for Electronic Sound”1st-2nd generation speaker designs and applications.Trueman, Bahn, Cook - ASA 2000

“Physicality and Feedback”Aesthetic and technical considerations in sensor/speaker applications for performance. Bahn, Hahn, Trueman - ASA 2001

Conventional Systems:

• Forward projecting stereo “PA” style systems.”

• Outside-In, multi-channel, “Surround” configurations.

Spherical Speaker Arrays and “SenSAs:” Background

Conventional Systems:• Surround the audience in order to provide an “immersive”

sonic experience.

• Disassociate the acoustic source of sound production and the electronic image creating a “plane of separation” between acoustic and electronic sources, and between electronic sounds and the audience.

• Acoustic sources are absorbed into electronic sound-space, usually via subtle addition of artificial reverberation (sound reinforcement).

Spherical Speaker Arrays and “SenSAs:” Background

Spherical Systems:

• “Inside-Out,” single point source instrument-like sonic radiation.

• Engage natural acoustic qualities of performance spaces. Electronic sources are absorbed into the acoustic sound-space.

• No ideal listening location or, “sweet spot.”

Spherical Speaker Arrays and “SenSAs:” Background

Spherical Systems:• Very successful with small chamber music ensembles and in

small spaces.

• Often successful with larger ensembles, in large spaces, and in combination with traditional sound-reinforcement systems.

• Natural localization and sound segregation of sources.

• No “plane-of-separation” between electronic and acoustic sources.

Spherical Speaker Arrays and “SenSAs:” Background

Spherical Speaker Arrays and “SenSAs:” Background

Sensor/Speaker Arrays or “SenSAs.”

• Integration of sensing technologies, concepts of Human/Computer Interface (HCI) design, and sonic display.

• New electronic instruments with acoustical properties enhance the presence and intimacy of electro-acoustic music performance.

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Spherical speakers have long been applied in the study of

• The acoustic qualities of performance spaces:

Hidaka and Beranek, 1991

Spherical Speaker Arrays

Spherical speakers have long been applied in the study of

• The acoustic qualities of performance spaces:

Hidaka and Beranek, 1991

• The acoustic qualities of instruments:

Causse, et al., 1992

Roads, 1996

Wessel, 1991

Spherical Speaker Arrays

Multi-channel microphone array

Software interface to manipulate and apply impulse response analyses

The “Nbody Project” Cook and Trueman - 1998Study of the directional radiative qualities of acoustic instruments

Early Spherical Speakers by Cook and Trueman for “Nbody”

The Bomb

The Boulder

Trueman’s first sphere,“R2” (1998)

Provided “presence and intimacy” in electro-acoustic performance and changed the approach to sonic display in our group, “interface.”

the “critter”12 discreet channels

individually enclosed drivers

Designed by Dan and Lawrence Trueman (1999)

“Bubba” (Bahn)A 23” 12-channel spherical speaker array

based on the “critter” design (2000)

Second Generation Spherical Speakers

24 spherical enclosures fabricated byU.S. Enclosures Inc. (2000-2001)

Second Generation Applications:

• Performance Arrays

• Sensor/Speaker Arrays

• Sound Installations

Bahn 2nd generation set-up

“The r!g” (2001)

Trueman 2nd generation set-ups

Solo (2001)

Trueman 2nd generation set-ups

Electro-Acoustic mixed ensembles: Trollstilt, Machine Language

“Trollstilt”Dan Trueman &Monica MuganColgate Chapel2002

“interface” on stage at OSU Interactive Performance Series 2001

BoSSA (1998-present) Bowed-Sensor-Speaker-Array

A sensor/speaker array, SenSA

Cook’s DigitalDoo: a sensor didgeridoo(2000)

Cook’s DigitalDoo: modified spherical speaker

““Pikapika”Pikapika” a Sensor/ Speaker Performer - Tomie Hahn and Curtis Bahn (2000)

The “SSpeaPer” Interface

PariSphere 1Interactive sound installation, Cook (2000)

Multi-channel speaker array forTelephonic Displacements (2001)

Interactive sound installation, Moore, Engel, Place

Cumulosonus 12 channel/ 48 speaker array, Moore (2001)

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Third Generation Spherical Speakers (2002-2003)

• Rensselaer research/development project fabricates ~60 new speakers with a modified “critter” design.

• 2 channel spherical or 1 channel hemispherical applications.

• First experiments with large scale diffusion arrays of single point source speakers.

• Speakers and approach to sound spatialization becoming more widely used. •

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Design and fabrication

Jigs created for accuratemass production

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Sealing the hemispheres

Preparation for painting

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Third Generation Spherical Speakers

Installing Polk Audio coaxial drivers.

Initial Tests

First configuration:16 channel 4x4 grid

Initial Tests

All speakers underwent a rigorous evaluation process…

• Custom spatialization software developed using Max/MSP/jitter by cycling74.

• 4x4 matrix panning based on “equal power curve” and Gaussian functions.

• Scalable sound size or “radius.”

• Implementation of “Sonic Geometries,” (Oliveros) and randomized movement.

• Hooks for external control of sound object placement.

Spatialization Software

Software Interface

high resolution sensor data sensor matrix

Third Generation Applications:

• Sound Installations

• Large-scale Performance Arrays

• Sensor/Speaker Arrays

The Swamp (2002)Stephan Moore

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The Maze (2003)Stephan Moore

Physical interface to sound spatialization.

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Low Ceiling (2003)Stephan Moore

instrumentalists

Speaker Grid Over Audience

Quad system under seats and behind screens

Multi-screen video display“interface”Speaker Installation4/23

•36 channels•34 enclosures•186 drivers

Behind the scenes….

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Transfizzle (2003) Rensselaer students

Super BoSSA Nova (2003) - Trueman

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Sonic Mask (2003 - prototype)

Interactive sonic character integratingsonic display and wireless sensor/audio dataCurtis Bahn/ Tomie Hahn

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Sonic Mask, work in progress - Hahn, Bahn and Trueman 4/23/03

Interface (4/23/03)

Thanks to the Integrated Electronic Arts ProgramRensselaer Polytechnic institute - iEAR Studios.Polk Audio, Inc.

Partners in crime:

David Lublin, Jonathan Marcus - Undergraduate Research Assistants

Dan Trueman, Perry Cook, Tomie Hahn

Curtis Bahn crb@rpi.eduhttp://www.arts.rpi.edu/crb

Stephan Moore stephan@oddnoise.comhttp://www.oddnoise.com/

For more information on “the cult of the spherical speakers”(including purchase):http://www.oddnoise.com/spheres.html

Curtis Bahn, Stephan MooreIntegrated Electronic Arts at Rensselaer (iEAR) Studios

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Inside-in: alternative paradigms for sound spatialization

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