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Lewis Jeremy Sykes the Augmented Tonoscope

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Lewis Jeremy Sykes the Augmented Tonoscope Lewis Jeremy Sykes The Augmented Tonoscope Towards a Deeper Understanding of the Interplay between Sound and Image in Visual Music A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Manchester Metropolitan University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art & Design (MIRIAD), Manchester School of Art February 2015 Abstract This thesis presents the theoretical, technical and aesthetic concerns in realising a harmonic complementarity and more intimate perceptual connection between music and moving image. It explores the inspirations and various processes involved in creating a series of artistic works - attached as a portfolio and produced as the research. This includes the Cymatic Adufe (v1.1) - a sound-responsive, audiovisual installation; Stravinsky Rose (v2.0) - an audiovisual short in Dome format; and the live performance works of Whitney Triptych (v1.2), Moiré Modes (v1.1) and Stravinsky Rose (v3.0). The thesis outlines an approach towards realising a deeper understanding of the interplay between sound and image in Visual Music - through applying: the Differential Dynamics of pioneering, computer-aided, experimental animator John Whitney Sr.; alternate musical tunings based on harmonic consonance and the Pythagorean laws of harmony; and sound’s ability to induce physical form and flow via Cymatics - the study of wave phenomena and vibration - a term coined by Dr. Hans Jenny for his seminal research into these effects in the 1960s and 70s, using a device of his own design - the ʻtonoscopeʼ. The thesis discusses the key method for this artistic investigation through the design, fabrication and crafting of a hybrid analogue/digital audiovisual instrument - a contemporary version of Jenny’s sound visualisation tool - The Augmented Tonoscope. It details the developmental process which has realised a modular performance system integrating sound making, sound analysis, analogue outputs, virtual systems, musical interface and recording and sequencing. Finally, the thesis details the impact of this system on creating audiovisualisation of a distinct quality through: a formalist, minimal, decluttered aesthetic; a direct, elemental and real-time correspondence between sound and image; a mirroring of music’s innate movement and transition within the visual domain; and an underlying concord or harmony between music and moving image. Lewis Sykes ii Table of Contents List of Figures vi Dedication & Acknowledgments viii Preface ix 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Outline 1 1.2 A Personal Research Statement 2 1.3 Visual Music 5 1.4 Stationary Waves 7 1.5 Cymatics 11 1.6 Cymatic Music 14 1.7 Pythagorean Laws of Harmony 15 1.8 John Whitney Sr. 17 1.9 Movement in Music - Musical Gestures 19 1.10 The Senses and Perception - Sensory Integration versus Synaesthesia 20 1.11 Audiovisual Composition 21 1.12 An Examination of the Senses 23 2. Literature Review 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 Hans Jenny’s Cymatics 26 2.3 John Telfer’s Cymatic Music 27 2.4 Suguru Goto’s Cymatics 30 2.5 The Legacy of John Whitney Sr. 32 2.6 Musical Gestures 33 2.7 Sensory-Centric Philosophy 34 3. Methodology 36 3.1 Introduction 36 3.2 Research Frameworks 37 4. The Augmented Tonoscope 41 4.1 Introduction 41 4.2 On Making an Instrument 41 4.3 On Making An Instrument as Method 43 4.4 From Mental Model to Physical Device 45 4.5 Key Developmental Stages 47 4.6 A Modular Performance System 49 5. A Modular Performance System 51 5.1 Introduction 51 5.2 Sound Making 51 5.2.1 Sine Wave Generator (SWG) 53 5.2.2 Ronin Synth 57 5.2.3 Maximilian Library 59 5.3 Sound Analysis 63 5.3.1 Frequency Measurement Device v1.0 and v2.0 63 5.3.2 Minim library in Processing 64 5.3.3 MaxMSP fiddle~ object 64 iii Lewis Sykes 5.4 Analogue Outputs 65 5.4.1 Early Studio Prototypes 66 5.4.2 16” Floor Tom 67 5.4.3 13” Piccolo Snare 69 5.4.4 Drum Tuner 71 5.4.5 Comparative Tests to Virtual Drum Skin 71 5.5. Virtual Systems 72 5.5.1 Virtual Drum Skin 73 5.5.2 Superformula 75 5.5.3 John Whitney Sr.’s Differential Dynamics 75 5.6 Musical Interface 77 5.6.1 Sine Wave Generator (SWG) 79 5.6.2 Lamdoma Matrix & monome64 79 5.7. Recording & Sequencing 81 5.7.1 Ki-No-Seq (Kinetic Nodal Sequencer) 81 5.7.2 Ableton Live Suite 9.1 83 5.7.3 Recording Pitch Bend Data 83 5.7.4 Max4Live Pitch Bend Device 85 5.7.5 Micro-tuning Software 85 5.7.6 Custom Micro-tuning Hardware 87 5. 8 Conclusions 88 6. Creative Outputs 89 6.1 Introduction 89 6.2 Submitted Works 89 6.3 A Note on Naming Convention 91 6.4 Creative Output Timeline 91 6.5 On Description, Context, Technical Realisation and Critical Reflection 91 6.6 A Note on Formalism 93 6.7 Gallery Installation - The Cymatic Adufe 93 6.7.1 Description 93 6.7.2 Context 94 6.7.3 Technical Realisation 95 6.7.4 Critical Reflection 97 6.8 Screening - Stravinsky Rose (v2.0) 99 6.8.1 Description 99 6.8.2 Context 100 6.8.3 Technical Realisation 100 6.8.4. Critical Reflection 103 6.9. Live performance - Moiré Modes (v1.1), Whitney Triptych (v1.2) 105 and Stravinsky Rose (v3.0) 6.9.1 Description 105 6.9.2 Context 106 6.9.3 Technical Realisation 107 6.9.4 Critical Reflection 111 6.10 Conclusions 113 Lewis Sykes iv 7. Conclusions 115 7.1 Introduction 115 7.2 Shifting Emphasis 115 7.3 Key Research Question 117 7.4 Cymatics 117 7.5 Cymatic Limitations 118 7.6 Cymatic Art 120 7.7 Cymatic Music 121 7.8 Whitney’s Differential Dynamics 123 7.9 Perception and the Senses 123 7.10 An Emerging Aesthetic and Form 124 7.11 Impact of the Research on Personal Practice 126 7.12 Future Trajectories 127 Appendices 131 Appendix 1 A Visual Music Manifesto 132 Appendix 2 Automating Portamento 134 Appendix 3 Comparative Tests of Drum Based Analogue Tonoscopes 137 to Virtual Drum Skin Appendix 4 Adapting John Whitney Sr.’s Differential Dynamics 141 Appendix 5 Analysis of the Lamdoma Monome 143 Appendix 6 Cymatic Art & Creative Coding Examples 147 Appendix 7 Glossary of Terms 148 Appendix 8 Stationary Wave 150 Bibliography 151 v Lewis Sykes List of Figures Figure 1 - Generating stationary wave patterns 8 Figure 2 - Illustration of harmonic overtones 8 Figure 3 - Modes of vibration of a circular membrane, showing nodal lines 10 Figure 4 - The third mode (2,1) of a drum skin 10 Figure 5.1 - The fourth mode (0,2) of a drum skin - on a 16” floor tom 12 Figure 5.2 - The fourth mode (0,2) of a drum skin - via the through the 12 Virtual Drum Skin Figure 6 - The Pythagorean Lamdoid 28 Figure 7 - Lamdoma - the Pythagorean Lambdoid in its completed form 28 Figure 8 - Telfer’s 16-limit Lamdoma Matrix 28 Figure 9 - A SketchUp ‘mock-up’ of The Augmented Tonoscope 44 Figure 10 - The Augmented Tonoscope showcased at Brighton Mini 46 Maker Faire 2012, UK, 8th September 2012 Figure 11 - The Augmented Tonoscope showcased at BEAM 2012, 46 Brunel University, UK, 22nd-24th June 2012 Figure 12 - AD9835 Signal Generator with Sparkfun Breakout Board 52 Figure 13 - SWG breadboard prototype 52 Figure 14 - SWG v1.0 52 Figure 15 - SWG v2.0 52 Figure 16 - SWG v3.0 54 Figure 17 - SWG v4.0 54 Figure 18 - Arduino Ethernet Shield R3 54 Figure 19 - SWG v4.0 TouchOSC 54 Figure 20 - Ronin 802 stand alone digital synthesiser 56 Figure 21 - Ronin TouchOSC interface 56 Figure 22 - KORG MS2000 synthesiser 58 Figure 23 - Maximilian KORG MS2000 Emulator 60 Figure 24 - Frequency Measurement Device v1.0 62 Figure 25 - Frequency Measurement Device v2.0 62 Figure 26 - 16” floor tom tonoscope 68 Figure 27 - 13” piccolo snare drum tonoscope Figure 28 - DrumDial drum tuner 70 Figure 29 - Virtual Drum Skin model in openFrameworks 72 Figure 30 - A sound-responsive adaptation of Reza Ali’s 2D SuperShapes 74 in Processing Figure 31 - Whitney Triptych v1.2 76 Figure 32 - John Telfer’s Lamdoma Matrix alongside a momone.org 78 walnut 64 controller Figure 33 - The Lamdoma Monome musical interface 78 Figure 34 - A nodal sequencer prototype realised in openFrameworks 80 Figure 35 - Pitch bend envelope data recorded in Ableton Live 82 Figure 36 - Adapted zb.detune Max For Live device 84 Figure 37 - Hπ Instruments Custom Scale Editor loaded with a Scala tuning file for the 12-tone 1/3-comma meantone scale (Salinas) 84 Lewis Sykes vi Figure 38 - The Teensy Weensy Micro-tuner breadboard prototype 86 Figure 39 - The Augmented Tonoscope: Creative Outputs Timeline 90 Figure 40 - Cymatic Adufe (v1.1) 92 Figure 41 - Stravinsky Rose (v2.0) via DomeTester 98 Figure 42 - Moiré Modes (v1.1) 104 Figure 43 - A table of the six ‘preferred modes’ of timpani 108 Figure 44 - The six ‘preferred modes’ of timpani 108 Figure 45 - Bézier curve controller 134 Figure 46 - Frequencies at which distinct stationary waves patterns 136 appeared on the drum skin of the 13” piccolo snare tonoscope Figure 47 - Frequencies at which distinct stationary waves patterns 138 appeared on the drum skin of the 16” floor tom tonoscope - 100Hz - 274Hz Figure 48 - Frequencies at which distinct stationary waves patterns 139 appeared on the drum skin of the 16” floor tom tonoscope - 279Hz - 490Hz Figure 3 - Modes of vibration of a circular membrane, showing nodal lines 140 Figure 49 - Cells in the Lamdoma translated in the Z-axis according to 142 their ratio Figure 50 - Numbers spreadsheet showing analysis of the Lamdoma 144 vii Lewis Sykes Dedication To my father, Brian Sykes, for teaching me that ‘being’ is as important as ‘doing’.
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