Dematerialization and Sound Reproduction Technology

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Dematerialization and Sound Reproduction Technology University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2015-04-30 Capturing the Invisible: Dematerialization and Sound Reproduction Technology Ball, John Greg Ball, J. G. (2015). Capturing the Invisible: Dematerialization and Sound Reproduction Technology (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25210 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2192 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Capturing the Invisible: Dematerialization and Sound Reproduction Technology by John Greg Ball A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF DESIGN GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN CALGARY, ALBERTA APRIL, 2015 © John Greg Ball, 2015 Acknowledgements: This project is dedicated to my Uncle John, a spirit in our material world. Thank you to my supervisor: Professor Barry Wylant Reviewing Committee: Dr. Thomas Keenan, Environmental Design Dr. David Eagle, Department of Music Neutral Chair: Francisco Uribe A special thank you to: My wife Jennifer and my two children. Mom for believing in me and encouraging me to pursue further education. Dad for revealing the “magic” of sound reproduction to me at a very early age. Olga Malikova Dr. Thomas Keenan Dr. Cormack Gates Rob Sadowski Karen Riley Alan Boykiw Ben Millen i ABSTRACT Since humans learnt to sing, and listen to music, sound reproduction technology has been evolving in the built environment. This began with technologies such as writing song scripts for music, and recording sound on objects such as the cylindrical and disc record, the cassette tape, and today’s digital music formats. The digitization of technology is rapidly dissolving sound reproduction into the computer through a process called dematerialization. This new stage of sound reproduction technology has presented a powerful new way to listen, share, store, purchase, and organize music in faster more efficient ways than ever before. As a result, digital files have replaced many analog technologies of the past such as cassettes, and 8-track tapes making them obsolete. This obsolescence also simultaneously amputated many of the rich experiences of playing recorded music that accompanied them. Accordingly, this project examines people’s social and phenomenological connection with technologies, and more specifically, sound reproduction technology. As this fascinating technology has evolved to become more sophisticated, what are the implications of dematerialization? Ultimately this inquiry informs an Industrial Design response with concepts exploring new form and experiences to play, and organize music in the future. Keywords: sound reproduction technology, industrial design, digitization, dematerialization, music listening, audiophile, vinyl records. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Simple Beginnings Background Problem Statement Methodology Chapter 2: Technology 5 Introduction Defining Technology Technological Extension Evolution: Stone Tools to Automation Extending the Body A Cultural Lens for Technology A Magical Presence Technological Amputation Chapter 3: Sound Reproduction Technology 33 The Automation of Song The Evolution of Mechanical Capture Digitization: A Free Bird? Chapter 4: Dematerialization of Technologies 55 Living in the Material World Dematerialization: Spirits in a Material World Dematerialization of Sound Technology Rematerialization Chapter 5: Interfacing Music through Sound Technologies 71 Physiological Music Listening Poetic Music Listening Extension of Self Through Sound Reproduction Technostalgia: Something Lost Slow Technologies Synthesis iii Chapter 6: Precedents 99 Emerging Sound Technologies Emerging Products: Amplified Listening Emerging Interfaces: Amplified Play Chapter 7: Design Response 116 Process Overview A Design Problem Design Brief Industrial Design Concepts Design Conclusion Chapter 8: Conclusion 135 Glossary 138 Appendix 140 Initial Design Concepts Conceptual Frameworks Design Exhibit References 151 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon Album Cover (1973) 17 Figure 2. Cockpit of a Boeing 737 (Ball 2010) 19 Figure 3. The Singularity: Technological Progress (Schmidt, 2008) 29 Figure 4. Edison Blue Amberol Record (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 41 Figure 5. Edison Disc Record (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 43 Figure 6. Stainless Steel Recording Wire (Overspil.dk, 2014) 45 Figure 7. Reel to Reel Tape (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 47 Figure 8. 8-Track Tape (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 48 Figure 9. Cassette Tape (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 49 Figure 10. Compact Disc (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 50 Figure 11. Memory Chip from USB Drive (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 52 Figure12. Recorded Music Formats Chart (Ball/Morton 2013) 54 Figure 13. Dematerialization of Sound Reproduction (Ball 2014) 70 Figure 14. Physiology of the Human Ear (Ball 2014) 72 Figure 15. Sound Frequency Ranges of Human Ear (Ball/Bridger 2014) 74 Figure 16. Audiophile Listening Room (Ball 2015) 78 Figure 17. Cassette Mix Tape (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 83 Figure 18. Plastic 45 Adapter (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 88 Figure19. Iron Maiden Picture Disc, Colored Vinyl (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 90 Figure 20. Record with Holographic Imagery (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 91 Figure 21. Analog Interface of Record Player (Ball/Sadowski 2014) 92 v Figure 22. Apple iPod (2013) 97 Figure 23. Nuero Turntable (2014) 102 Figure 24. Woojer Wearable Subwoofer (2014) 104 Figure 25. Life After Death Sound Coffin (2014) 105 Figure 26. Audionaut (IDSA, 2014) 106 Figure 27. Edible Email Notifier (2014) 108 Figure 28. Pallettegear Analog Interface (2014) 108 Figure29. Mi Mu Gloves (2014) 110 Figure 30. Leap Motion Controller (2014) 111 Figure 31. Linear Actuator by Author and Punisher (2014) 113 Figure32. Technological Dreams: Robot Concepts (2014) 114 Figure 33. ID.01 Task Analysis (Ball, 2015) 121 Figure 34. ID.02 System-level Design (Ball, 2015) 124 Figure 35. Morphological Chart (Ball, 2015) 125 Figure 36. Preliminary Form Studies (Ball, 2015) 127 Figure 37. ID.03 Proposed Industrial Design (Ball, 2015) 128 Figure 38. ID.04 Proposed Industrial Design (Ball, 2015) 130 Figure39. Final Rendering of Product (Ball, 2015) 132 Figure 40. Final Rendering of Product in User Context (Ball, 2015) 133 vi 1. INTRODUCTION Simple Beginnings My interest in music and sound reproduction began when I was very young. Growing up the son of a radio announcer and television personality, brought me to ask my Dad an important question, do I have two Dads? This simple question illustrated a lack of understanding how my father could physically drive a truck and have his disembodied voice simultaneously emerge from the radio. At this young age, my first exposure to sound reproduction was magical to me, and very difficult to understand. In fact, when I reflect more deeply about this technology today, it becomes even more mysterious. The second stage of my fascination with this technology began around the same time I discovered a love for music. I began listening to many types of music through radio, 8-track, cassette tapes, and compact discs. This music listening came from a variety of players such as: portable tape players, ghetto blasters, jukeboxes, and car stereos. But what stood out beyond all of these was my uncle’s audiophillic listening room. This included an extensive collection of music that was played through a series of amplifiers to a pair of stunning electrostatic speakers with hyper-realistic clarity. This amazing demonstration of high quality sound reproduction deepened my fascination with the technology, and the incredible machines that could deliver recorded music. As time has passed, my music listening has become more sophisticated, and the technologies that play it much more complex. For example, the first album I owned was a cassette tape played on a simple cassette player, and now I listen to music through 1 laptop computers, home stereos, the radio, and even my smartphone. Further, my past music collection began as physical objects, and soon began dissolving into the computer. Resultantly, I began to question what was happening to these technologies as they dematerialized, and how this phenomenon related to my current practice in Industrial Design. Background Dematerialization is an emerging trend in many industries, particularly those in the world of the audiophile. This thesis project seeks to understand the implications of dematerialization particularly in the sound reproduction of music. To effectively investigate the implications of this, the inquiry begins with two broader questions, first what is Technology? And secondly, how have technologies such as sound reproduction evolved over time? The study begins with an overview of literature considering how humans synthesize technologies, ending with a specific focus on the evolution of sound reproduction in the music industry. In reviewing this evolution, a transition from physical objects toward digitization and dematerialization becomes evident. For example, in the music industry, digital music files have begun to replace physical formats such as vinyl records, cassette
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