pickups

this is a good start-link for the EM-sounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickup_%28music%29

i guess we are interested in the single-coil ones. i'll be updating this post if i come across anything interesting about EM-sounds..
cheers & happy Xmas

ps. a good resource for information on experimental music devices (especially pick-ups) and on-line store. usefull..

http://www.windworld.com/products/pu_info.htm

Initial Tests!

For our first tests for picking up sounds from various sources we are using piezoelectric transducers (like contact mics).

Piezo attached on wall..



Second version with amplifier..



Third version with stronger amplifier..



We attached the piezos on various places around my flat. These include:
- freezer
- thermostat
- radiator
- water pipes
- window
- coffee-maker..

radiator sounds..



the sounds of London from my window..



These sounds were recorded on a computer. Listening to the 'raw' sound files we realized that it is difficult to distinguish the various elements (e.g. flowing water, motors, voices etc.) so we used special software (Sound Studio) to filter through different frequencies..


Unfortunately we haven't found a way yet to upload sounds on the blog..

some links by Mathias Gmachl

This one was send to me by Mathias. Make sure to check out more RCA Sound Research Group stuff at http://web.fm/twiki-bin/view/Hiaz/WebHome as well.
Thanx Mathias!

Hi Manolis!

I have been checking your blog page and doing some research and found the
following pages to be interesting. (I hope you dont mind me giving you
feedback via the list. If you do, please simply reply to me directly.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/technology/30hillis.html?ex=1275105600&en=
4a1c68b85a47519f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

(you need to register with the NY Times...)
This is called "cone of silence". Rather than actually creating silence it
uses ambient sounds and scrambles them in a way that your surroundings wont
be able to listen in on your conversation.
Nice technique and very similar to the sound curtain idea by the RCA student
I told you about, which unfortunately is completely offline now..

http://www.nselec.com/
This is a device for aging bird lovers that uses pitch shifting to make high
frequencies audible. Not a design highlight, but intersting area as there
are a large number of animal sounds that are below or above our hearing
ranges.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10194235/
This is a nice one as well. Make sure you download the soundfile at bottom,
which is created by speeding up the realtime recording to a level it becomes
audible.
There are a lot of (natural) cycles like this around us that are very hard
to experience due to their duration. This kind of thing does need some kind
of microprocessor in reality, but you should be able to simulate (playback)
in a show/demonstration.

Regarding the whole electromagnetic spectrum/electro smog things I would say
that its been worked on quite a lot in recent years. There is Christina
Kubisch's work and of course Tony Dunn's book and somehow I feel it would be
nice to explore something that didnt have this much exposure.

hope to see you later today.

best
Mathias

bye Alan..

unfortunately Alan is no longer in this project. we wish him well..