Data
Noise
'Produce an interactive experience with sound at its core'
Brief Key notes:
'What is communicated differently when we translate data into sound?'
'Data represented sonically'
'what might they(data visualisations) miss in their particular translations of data?'
Sound, Sound Waves and Audacity
This project began with a brief look into sound, sound waves and existing projects witch incorporate sound related to data.
Using Audacity a self recorded sound which we felt evoked a particular emotion was then altered and warped to create a new sound which conveyed a new or different emotion/feeling.
My original sound recording of hot water being added to a mug of instant coffee and the Audacity visualisation of the sound wave of my chosen sound:
Experimemting with the equalisation function I took a short cut of the original recording and altered it into a sound which I feel evokes a sense of panic or fright, as opposed to the original sound which I felt was quite calming/soothing.
Research into Sonification:
Sonification & The Problem with Making Music from Data
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocq3NeudsVk
"Abstract Audio chosen to represent events in time"
"Assesability for people who are partially sighted or blind"
"When there is more of something raise the pitch"
- The sounds used to represent data are often arbitrary, so thing such as "the sound of deep space" are not true representations of what the 'sound of something' actually is
Seminar with Liz Miller - Circular score
Liz Millers circular score can be seen as a double data visualisation. Firstly, a classical score of music is taken and interpreted into a circular etching. This circular etching can then be reinterpreted by musicians into a piece of music, often different from the original. I really like this work, although I do feel it is more effective visually as opposed to the musical reinterpretation.
TATE Visit and Experimentation with sound and vibrations:
For research and inspiration for this project I visited the TATE and found Cildo Meireles Babel 2001 incredibly relevant.
Babel 2001 is a large tower of more than 400+ radios, all tuned to different stations, some in different langues, as described below, the piece is a comment on themes of information overload and failed communication.
Not tied to quantitative data, this piece expresses a theme. Although imposing and visually striking, it's true effectiveness lies in the way sound is used. This piece could theoretically be done visually with televisions, but it could be argued this would result in the overall message being lost.
Piezeo contact microphone experimentation.
Further experimentation for this project involved a Piezo contact microphone, paired with headphones this allows you to hear the vibrations often contained within objects, for example the vibrations from the inside of a coat hanger, or metal hand railing.
Different objects, in different locations, were experimented with. Metal objects appeared to be make effective in producing 'sound', but other materials such as wood and plastic still produced results.
carrying out this work resulted in a greater understanding of different methods of capturing 'sound' and the various, often unthought-of locations, and objects, it can be found in.
Reference:
Zeno Van Den Broek (2016) Shift Symm Available at: http://www.zenovandenbroek.com/shift-symm/
This project is one of my favourite explored during this project. Being a fan of brutalism it reminds me of a project carried out last year around the Barbican Centre, where I explored brutalist sound/music, and what this might sound like. I feel this project is it. Combined with the visuals I imagine this to a project that has to be experienced in person to be truly effective. But again, similar to Babel 2001, this project is most effective due to it's sound of audio.
'sculptural sonic architecture'
Data Sonification - Literally HEAR the data!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9m68_N3k6o
A short video tutorial I watched around Data Sonfication.
Cameron Turner on the sound of data - The O’Reilly Hardware Podcast: Measuring and interpreting audio data. March 29, 2016
https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/cameron-turner-on-the-sound-of-data
A short podcast in which practical uses of data sonification are explored. This was interesting as it in direct contrast to research I carried out with videos such as 'Sonification & The Problem with Making Music from Data'
Sonification & The Problem with Making Music from Data
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocq3NeudsVk
"Abstract Audio chosen to represent events in time"
This video poses issues with data sonifican. Although the tone of this video is that Sonification as a whole isn't effective, and as other research has prove, this is not true, this videos points around how 'genuine' data sonification is, or is claimed to be, are interesting. This resulting in a new way of looking at sonification, if my project was to invole this method of converting data to sound, then serious consideration should be used when deciding on which 'sound' is chosen.
What Does Data Sound Like? An Overview of Data Sonification
http://open-shelf.ca/160201-data-sonification/
A article and accompanying and video exploring the uses and benefits of sonification. Parts of this article were hard to understand, particularly when discussing temporarily within sonification.
'used this software to explore temporal patterns in anonymized logs of text message metadata' ???
However points made around accessibility and background monitoring were interesting .
C. Thompson (2019) our ears are unlocking an era of aural data Available at: https://www.wired.com/story/sonification-era-of-aural-data/
A really really interesting article discussing some uses of sonification outside of the more well known options. It begins with sonifications use in medicine, e.g helping correct the gait of those suffering with Parkinson disease by providing audio ques.
It later goes on to explore how sonfiication could be more 'sophisicated', particularly in relation to mobile device alerts and their somewhat existing general application. It is argued this use of general notifications is encouraging harmful excessive use of devices by their lack of depth and variation.
'Now imagine if those audio alerts were more sophisticated: What if they connoted something about the content of the text? That way, you could know whether to pull out your phone immediately or just read the message later.'
Vincent, A(2011) Hard of visual music? this is what it sounds like. Available at: https://www.wired.com/2011/05/visual-music-paul-prudence/
A project similar to that of Sift Symm. Very abstract in it's result, but clearly very technical in it's approach. I found this possibility a little too abstract, and felt something was missing in comparison to Shift Symm. possibly the visuals? I am not sure. The methodology of this project was really difficult to understand, so my lack of connection with this project may also be born from that.
'Prudence used to perform his work in clubs as a DJ, but claims that the audience and context of arts festivals are better suited to the philosophical and conceptual approaches of his work.'
Evaluation and reflection
I struggled with this project. I feel this was due to poor planning and time management by myself, but I also feel that my current lack of technical ability let me down as well. These are issues that I will attempt to address in future projects, this will be done by creating project plans, and trying to work with software I am not familiar or that I feel competent with.
It is disappointing to not have created a 'final outcome' but I do feel that the research, and experimentation, that this project involved were very beneficial in creating a better understanding of what can be considered Data Noise. I have gained what I feel is a good understanding of sonification, in it's applications, benefits, and flaws. When returning to the beginning of this blog post, the three key points I outlined from the brief have all been explored, and on a whole answered, despite the lack of a 'final outcome'