At this stage of the installation’s development, I have created two distinct “sonic situations” that are integral to the experience: the Entry Scene (also known as the Entry AV Game) and the Scales (or Scale Game).
The Entry Scene: Adjustments and Execution
The Entry Scene was initially designed to create visual and auditory transition for participants as they stepped into the circle. My original concept was to have 16 LED strips progressively light up from left and right to the middle in the front, converging to form a complete ring that encloses the participant. However, due to a severe hardware malfunction the day before the exhibition, I had to scale back the animation to utilise only 8 LED strips. Despite this limitation, the adjustment preserved the core concept of creating an engaging and immersive entry point for the installation.
The sonic aspect of the Entry Scene complements the visual elements by employing rhythmic drum steps that align with the LED animation. As the LED strips transition step by step from white to red, the accompanying drum sounds build intensity, shrinking visually and aurally into a thin ring of light. The drum sound itself is a processed sample, crafted from a recording of a rusty metal tank in my basement. The raw, industrial quality of the sample adds a tactile and somewhat primal atmosphere to the scene, reinforcing the visceral nature of the installation’s aesthetic.
The initial 2×8-step Entry Scene featured a distinct spatial imaging compared to the final 8-step version. In the original setup, 8 drum steps moved to the left and right, converging in the center at a distance from the listener. Reverb was applied to enhance the perception of depth, while panning emphasized the directional movement, creating a more immersive spatial experience.
The final 8-step Entry Scene progresses from left to right, featuring a different panning approach. The reverb, used to convey a sense of distance, is also applied differently, resulting in a distinct spatial perception compared to the original version.
A few seconds after the Entry Scene, The Scale AV Game begins. Each glove is programmed to control a different musical scale—G Minor for the left glove and D Major for the right. The tilt of the left glove also controls a MIDI CC parameter. Currently, only one parameter is implemented to keep the setup simple, but I plan to expand this functionality by adding more MIDI CC parameters to control additional effects in future iterations.
I’ve chosen a simple Saw64 wave in Operator, with a touch of reverb and delay. When the left hand is tilted, the pitch of the note shifts by up to 100 cents, creating a “pulling” or “tuning string” effect in the sound.