Pendaphonics

Dan Overholt, Byron Lahey, Anne-Marie Skriver Hansen, Winslow Burleson, and Camilla N. Jensen

Installation Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

• Year: 2009
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Abstract:

Pendaphonics consists of 8 interactive sonic pendulums with sensors measuring the x-y-z coordinates of their motion. Participants manipulate a spatialized soundscape that is directly controlled by the positions and motions of the pendaphones. Each of the pendaphones can be raised and lowered in height, and the trajectory of a swing directly controls the sounds emanating from a loudspeaker mounted above. The pendaphones are attached to spring-retracting cords that pull them toward the ceiling, and are counter-weighted by their interaction nodes at the bottom in order to attain neutral buoyancy. Multiple channels of loudspeakers spatialize the generated sounds, enhancing the sense of physical immersion in the piece. Pendaphonics focuses on explorative, collaborative performance, combining artistic qualities with social activities and play. Visitors playing the pendaphones evoke a soundscape through ensemble interaction, producing a wide range of musical sounds via the many different combinations of inputs. One mode allows each pendaphone to control a large virtual turntable that allows scratching and other DJ type effects, while another enables control of a virtual Tibetan bowl in which audio is generated through physical modeling synthesis. Other playful sounds encourage sonic games involving bouncing, pulling, pushing, swinging in circles and collaborating with other users to generate sounds of trembles, shudders, shakes, and collisions that can be enjoyed by participants and observers alike.

Citation:

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{Overholt2009,
 abstract = {Pendaphonics consists of 8 interactive sonic pendulums with sensors measuring the x-y-z coordinates of their motion. Participants manipulate a spatialized soundscape that is directly controlled by the positions and motions of the pendaphones. Each of the pendaphones can be raised and lowered in height, and the trajectory of a swing directly controls the sounds emanating from a loudspeaker mounted above. The pendaphones are attached to spring-retracting cords that pull them toward the ceiling, and are counter-weighted by their interaction nodes at the bottom in order to attain neutral buoyancy. Multiple channels of loudspeakers spatialize the generated sounds, enhancing the sense of physical immersion in the piece.

Pendaphonics focuses on explorative, collaborative performance, combining artistic qualities with social activities and play. Visitors playing the pendaphones evoke a soundscape through ensemble interaction, producing a wide range of musical sounds via the many different combinations of inputs. One mode allows each pendaphone to control a large virtual turntable that allows scratching and other DJ type effects, while another enables control of a virtual Tibetan bowl in which audio is generated through physical modeling synthesis. Other playful sounds encourage sonic games involving bouncing, pulling, pushing, swinging in circles and collaborating with other users to generate sounds of trembles, shudders, shakes, and collisions that can be enjoyed by participants and observers alike.},
 address = {Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania},
 author = {Dan Overholt and Byron Lahey and Hansen, Anne-Marie Skriver and Winslow Burleson and Jensen, Camilla N.},
 booktitle = {Installation Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 editor = {Golan Levin},
 publisher = {Carnegie Mellon University},
 title = {Pendaphonics},
 year = {2009}
}