Schistosité II (2023), for 4-ch electronic sounds

Project description (brief):

In this work, I have leveraged the analytical capabilities of AI to delve into the intricate characteristics features of sound. The role of AI in the creation of the work is primarily centered around data analysis and classification. I utilized AI tools to assess a vast collection of audio data, comprising 1565 micro and macro data points in terms of duration. From this data, I extracted certain characteristic features, enabling a deeper, more accurate, and precise understanding of its structural and textural components, specifically in terms of spectral characteristics. The AI systems explored in this composition fall under the domain of classification and content extraction, allowing for the recognition of patterns and classification of audio segments based on specific properties. Despite the analytical nature of this engagement with AI, this composition does not relinquish any creative or performative authority to the AI systems. Instead, AI solely serves as a facilitator, enhancing the pre-compositional process and providing a framework for optimized exploration within the realm of large-scale data classification.

Type of submission: Performance 2

Technical/Stage Requirements:
Duration: 19:31
Number of channels: 4.1
Speaker Arrays: Quadraphonic sound diffusion system (4.1) with channels for front left, front right, side left, and side right. The speaker setup is available as (xml) file which includes exact channel numbers, X, Y, Azimuth, Elevation, and Gain(dB).
Algorithm: Cube
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Bit depth: 24-bit
* Submitted file for the application: Binaural reduction

Hardware:
Laptop
Audio Interface
Mixer
Quadraphonic Sound Diffusion System (4.1)

Software:
Spatgris, for decoding the multichannel file.

* All instructions and required setup are available as a PDF-file.

Program Notes:

The conceptual underpinning of this piece draws inspiration from its geological namesake and applies it to the sonic and compositional paradigm. This decontextualization centers on the re-evaluation of sonic materials, timbral transformation, and the structures of the composition. In this context, ''structures'' refer to the arrangement of sonic particles, disregarding scale, encompassing temporal, textural, and spatial relationships between components, their relative proportions and shapes, and the internal characteristics of each segment. Similarly, the ''texture'' refers to the interplay between relative proportions, shapes, and spatial, polyphonic, and homophonic relationships among patterns, figures, grains, and their respective internal attributes. Consequently, the relative orientation and tendencies of the components within a sonic mass are explored. These explorations serve to reinforce the gravitational potential for interactions between certain sonic materials and forces. The work harnesses its multimodal interpolation and merging capabilities to create a singular composite, a "hybrid sound," by fusing these materials together. This fusion process results in an expression that embodies the spirit of "Schistosité," combining elements in a way that mirrors the layered structures and metamorphic qualities found in geologic formations. The work extends the metaphor of Schistosité into the realm of sound, manifesting itself through sound, the only intangible and invisible medium in art, wherein the inherent and transcendental characteristics of sonic materials and their interactions are contemplated.

Media (audio documentation in binaural for the application); please use headphones:

https://www.pierrepouriaeghdami.com/works/electroacoustic/Schistosite-II

Acknowledgements: Pierre P. Derieux Eghdami © 2022. All rights reserved.