final presentation '삑' show

flyer design by Dahye Park
photograph & poster design by Goeun Lee


Final performance

Interactive fluid _draft

Only CG and jumping frames don't really show the sound interaction so I decided to mix with the graphics from script.

Numbers and simple circle animation with lines look more dynamic.
And I am going to try more CG animation apparently.


Still, noise and echo problem..I used smoothing and speaker adjusting but same.


Real time sound interactive visualization from koosi_lab on Vimeo.



To solve echo noise problem, i used 2 computers.
And I didn't like the sound so I used VST plugin.



sound visualization _bubble from koosi_lab on Vimeo.



sound visualization _fluid from koosi_lab on Vimeo.




_
Action Script code

_
import flash.events.ActivityEvent;
import flash.events.StatusEvent;
import flash.media.Microphone;

this.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, showScene);

function showScene(event:Event) {
    trace(mic.activityLevel);
    //show current frame in text
    var cframe=mc.totalFrames/100*mic.activityLevel*2;
    lev.text=String(cframe);
    lev2.text=String(mic.activityLevel);

    //movieclip show - frame controlled by sound level
    mc.gotoAndPlay(cframe);
    mc.alpha=mic.activityLevel;//movieclip opacity - no input no image
}

addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,dot_make);
function dot_make(event:Event) {

  
    var count=0;

    var dot_mc:Dot= new Dot();

    dot_mc.alpha=mic.activityLevel;
    dot_mc.x=Math.ceil(Math.random()*1204);
    dot_mc.y=Math.ceil(Math.random()*384);

    var line:Shape = new Shape();

    line.graphics.lineStyle(1, 0xffffff, mic.activityLevel/10);
    line.graphics.moveTo(dot_mc.x,dot_mc.y);
    line.graphics.lineTo(lev2.x, lev2.y);

    this.addChild(line);
    this.addChild(dot_mc);

    var updateInterval:int=mic.activityLevel*3+300;
    var myTimer:Timer=new Timer(updateInterval,0);
    myTimer.start();
  
    myTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,dot_remove);
    function dot_remove(event:TimerEvent) {

        removeEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,dot_make);
        removeChild(dot_mc);
        removeChild(line);
        line=null;
        dot_mc=null;
        myTimer.stop();

    }

}

var deviceArray:Array=Microphone.names;
trace("Available sound input devices:");
for (var i:int = 0; i < deviceArray.length; i++) {
    trace(" " + deviceArray[i]);
}

var mic:Microphone=Microphone.getMicrophone();
mic.gain=50;// volume controls, default=50
mic.rate=11;//speed kHz
mic.setUseEchoSuppression(true);//remove noise
mic.setLoopBack(true);// speaker out
mic.setSilenceLevel(0, 1000);//(minimum input sound, delay time)

mic.addEventListener(ActivityEvent.ACTIVITY, this.onMicActivity);
mic.addEventListener(StatusEvent.STATUS, this.onMicStatus);

var micDetails:String="Sound input device name: "+mic.name+'\n';
micDetails+="Gain: "+mic.gain+'\n';
micDetails+="Rate: "+mic.rate+" kHz"+'\n';
micDetails+="Muted: "+mic.muted+'\n';
micDetails+="Silence level: "+mic.silenceLevel+'\n';
micDetails+="Silence timeout: "+mic.silenceTimeout+'\n';
micDetails+="Echo suppression: "+mic.useEchoSuppression+'\n';
trace(micDetails);

function onMicActivity(event:ActivityEvent):void {
    trace("activating=" + event.activating + ", activityLevel=" +
            mic.activityLevel);
}

function onMicStatus(event:StatusEvent):void {
    trace("status: level=" + event.level + ", code=" + event.code);
}

_
in symbol

this.smoothing = true;

addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,myFunction);
function myFunction(event:Event) {
    if (currentFrame%5==0) {
        this.stop();
    }
}

Ongoing process

_
Test movie


Sound visualization _fluid from koosi_lab on Vimeo.

There are still some issues about noise echo and getting sound input.
The input only works when the sound really loud but loud sound gives noise echo.
it's like looping problem.
And i don't know why the video get noises when it gets high level.
Plus, I think the movie should be more dynamic(rotation maybe?) and bigger.


_
Concept

Melting / Fluid / Flexible

this is an experimental test for the concept
I made a fluid movie in Maya and time displacement(slit scanning) effect in After effect.


fluid from koosi_lab on Vimeo.


_
Process

I made a movie in Maya.

I used sphere surface and lattice to make a distortion which gives a feeling of melting or fluid.
then, appied a texture has transparency that shows backside which has more depth.
I can change the pattern whatever i want.

I don't know why the time displacement didn't work well in this video so i didn't use it. Maybe it's because of color..?


_
Interaction

Sound level controls the frames and opacity.


Because I couldn't know about Quartz composer well, I couldn't control images as much as I want.
so I decided to change into Flash and movie.

First of all, I need to connect to sound and Flash,

Microphone in Flash
http://help.adobe.com/ko_KR/AS3LCR/Flash_10.0/flash/media/Microphone.html

_
Action Script

import flash.events.ActivityEvent;
import flash.events.StatusEvent;
import flash.media.Microphone;
this.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, showScene);
function showScene(event:Event) {
 trace(mic.activityLevel);
 //show current frame in text
 var cframe=mc.totalFrames/100*mic.activityLevel;
 lev.text=String(cframe);
 lev.x=850+int(Math.random()*100); //shaking text
 lev.y=50;

 //movieclip show - frame controlled by sound level
 mc.gotoAndPlay(cframe);
 mc.alpha=mic.activityLevel; //movieclip opacity - no input no image
}

var deviceArray:Array=Microphone.names;
trace("Available sound input devices:");
for (var i:int = 0; i < deviceArray.length; i++) {
 trace(" " + deviceArray[i]);
}
var mic:Microphone=Microphone.getMicrophone();
mic.gain=50;// volume controls, default=50
mic.rate=11; //speed kHz
mic.setUseEchoSuppression(true); //remove noise
mic.setLoopBack(true); // speaker out
mic.setSilenceLevel(0, 1000); //(minimum input sound, delay time)
mic.addEventListener(ActivityEvent.ACTIVITY, this.onMicActivity);
mic.addEventListener(StatusEvent.STATUS, this.onMicStatus);
var micDetails:String="Sound input device name: "+mic.name+'\n';
micDetails+="Gain: "+mic.gain+'\n';
micDetails+="Rate: "+mic.rate+" kHz"+'\n';
micDetails+="Muted: "+mic.muted+'\n';
micDetails+="Silence level: "+mic.silenceLevel+'\n';
micDetails+="Silence timeout: "+mic.silenceTimeout+'\n';
micDetails+="Echo suppression: "+mic.useEchoSuppression+'\n';
trace(micDetails);
function onMicActivity(event:ActivityEvent):void {
 trace("activating=" + event.activating + ", activityLevel=" +
         mic.activityLevel);
}
function onMicStatus(event:StatusEvent):void {
 trace("status: level=" + event.level + ", code=" + event.code);
}

Real time sound visualization _testing

I used Quartz Composer.

I wanted to visualize melting image but it is difficult to make it.

so i choosed wavy effect.

When there is no sound, it just show text(volume information) and when there is sound, images are distorted.Actually i found some old tv effect source and modified it.
now I just put some simple paint dropping video but I want to make mine.

no sound - only text

because i am not familiar with this tool, it is difficult to put this kind of dynamic text.

I don't know how to change the numbers short.

sound - distort

Real time visualization _testing from koosi_lab on Vimeo.

Concept idea for sound visualization

Inspiration image

The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali

I want to make melting effect. I will make very simple graphical images as seeds and they will be effected and distorted by sound.


How to do:
I found similar effect source for Quartz Composer
http://vdmx.memo.tv/tb_graddistort_1_0



Test shot

Reaktor : making simple synthesizer

Reaktor is a graphical modular software music studio of proprietary license developed by Native Instruments. It lets musicians and engineers design and build their own instruments, samplers, effects and sound design tools. It is supplied with many ready-to-use instruments and effects, from emulations of classic synthesizers to futuristic sound design tools. In addition, more than 3000 free instruments can be downloaded from the growing User Library. One of Reaktor's unique selling points is that all of its instruments can be freely examined, customized or taken apart; Reaktor is a tool that effectively encourages reverse engineering. Reaktor Session is a discontinued, limited version of the software that allowed musicians to play Reaktor files but not edit or reverse-engineer them.
-Wikipedia

To design sound, I installed this application and following below tutorial, I built simple analog synthesizer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=098dGze08M4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0pbDdPjPL4&feature=related

But, nothing happened in my reaktor. I can't hear any sound. I don't know what's going on.






///////

Cymatics : Sound Experiments

Cymatics (from Greek: κῦμα "wave") is the study of visible sound and vibration, a subset of modal phenomena. Typically the surface of a plate, diaphragm, or membrane is vibrated, and regions of maximum and minimum displacement are made visible in a thin coating of particles, paste, or liquid. Different patterns emerge in the exitatory medium depending on the geometry of the plate and the driving frequency.
The apparatus employed can be simple, such as a Chladni Plate or advanced such as the CymaScope, a laboratory instrument that makes visible the inherent geometries within sound and music.

-Wikipedia


We had a cymatic experiment with cornstarch and sound.

Cymatics from koosi_lab on Vimeo.


It looks different depends on the concentration of cornstarch.
When it is waterly, it shows some kinds of vibrated patterns and when it is thick, it changs the state like a moving dough lump.
The pattern and status were also changed by the sound tone. I could see lower sound generated strong vibration and strong pattern.
And it was interesting to see how the sound looks like.

Circuit + Ableton live

Ableton Live is a loop-based software music sequencer and DAW for Mac OS and Windows by Ableton. The latest major release of Live, Version 8, was released in April 2009. In contrast to many other software sequencers, Live is designed to be an instrument for live performances as well as a tool for composing and arranging. It is also used for mixing of tracks by DJs, as it offers a suite of controls for beatmatching, crossfading, and other effects used by turntablists, and was one of the first music applications to automatically beat match songs. It does not support traditional musical notation.
-Wikipedia

Circuit + Ableton live from koosi_lab on Vimeo.



I connected the circuit to computer with 3.5mm plug.
The input sound can be played in Ableton live, I played around with the circuit and sample effects. I used Ambient effects in this video, it distorts the sound.

Circuit bending experimental

Circuit Bending
_
Circuit bending is the creative short-circuiting of electronic devices such as low voltage, battery-powered guitar effects, children's toys and small digital synthesizers to create new musical or visual instruments and sound generators.

Emphasizing spontaneity and randomness, the techniques of circuit bending have been commonly associated with noise music, though many more conventional contemporary musicians and musical groups have been known to experiment with "bent" instruments. Circuit bending usually involves dismantling the machine and adding components such as switches and potentiometers that alter the circuit.

-from Wikipeida

I tried two different kit.

mini organ + potentiometor

I bent the mini organ sound with potentionmetor. It changes the sound tones.

mini siren + potentiometor + 2 tone generator

I tried additional experimental with 2 tone signal generator. It also bent the tones and signal.

circuit bending from koosi_lab on Vimeo.