Learning in class

From this lesson I learned that the field recording equipment l could use for my project are Zoom H3 VR or Sennheiser Ambeo. 

Where the speaker in the m108 studio is the octophonic ring, it is a form of audio reproduction that presents eight discrete audio channels using eight speakers. 

We have then experienced recording using the octophonic ring using signwaves and squarewaves. We have tested in various tempo and dynamic directions. During this process, l observed the impact of distance and how spatial created on microphone recording. Especially for ambeo H3 due to its multi capsules that capture the sounds from many different directions, therefore we have run around in a circle to experiment the sound changes in ambeo H3, and this is how the stereo sound is being collected. 

Idea developments:

From the experiment on ambeo H3, l consider the idea for album intro could be develop with more spatial designs, instead of using only one speaker, l could create different tracks in various speakers, like how we use the octophonic ring, we can think of the direction, where does the audience face, and what impact does it create for the audience, etc. For example, if l want to create an effect of a forest, l could make each sound in various layers and place them in different speakers and spots of the room so It overlap each other while creating an immersive effect on the audience.

Fig.1 Mind map of the idea development & expected setups

Fig.2 Setup details & the storyline of the sound piece

Second week into Reverberation and space (In class study)

There are Acoustics terms：

Absorption: The process by which sound energy is dissipated or transformed into other forms of energy, typically heat, when it strikes a surface or material.

Reverb/Reverberation: The persistence of sound reflections in an enclosed space after the original sound has stopped, creating a sense of spatial depth and ambiance.

Room Modes: Resonant frequencies that occur in enclosed spaces due to the interference patterns created by sound waves reflecting off surfaces.

Critical Distance: The distance from a sound source where the direct sound and reverberant sound fields are equal in level.

Diffusion: The scattering or dispersal of sound waves in multiple directions, preventing flutter echoes and creating a more natural-sounding reverberant field.

Impulse Response: The recorded or simulated acoustic response of a space or system to a brief impulse or excitation signal, capturing its unique acoustic characteristics.

Anechoic Chamber: A highly absorbent and non-reflective environment designed to eliminate or minimize reflections and echoes, used for acoustic measurements and testing.

Masking: The phenomenon where one sound interferes with or obscures the perception of another sound, often due to frequency or temporal overlap.

Standing Waves: Stationary wave patterns that occur in enclosed spaces due to the interference of reflected sound waves, resulting in regions of amplification and cancellation.

Acoustic Impedance: A measure of the resistance to sound wave propagation in a medium, influenced by factors like density and stiffness.

Resonance: The amplification of sound waves at specific frequencies due to the natural vibration characteristics of an object or enclosed space.

Diffraction: The bending or spreading of sound waves around obstacles or through openings, affecting the propagation and spatial distribution of sound.

Comparing these recordings 

Adapting the spatial characteristics of spaces e.g., with drapes, hard objects and reflective panels 

Experimentation and comparison of hardware reverberation (e.g., spring, plate, treated spaces, hardware digital reverbs) 

Software reverberation, (e.g., Convolution reverb and impulse responses) 

Exploration of different approaches to scoring multi-channel works, such as X, Y and Z axes 

Exercises: 

Students explore mixing an existing stereo or mono track for multichannel playback 

Students create draft scores for multi-channel work Booking M108 on the ORB for mixing multi-channel work 

Independent Study: Continue developing your score for both linear timeline and spatialisation Upload your score to your blog together with a description of your concept and themes 

A linear timeline refers to a traditional, sequential approach to structuring and experiencing sound over time 

Idea development During this second period l researched deeper into the sue of recordings and software reverberation, l consider it is very logical towards my first idea of creating a introduction for an album due to the fact that it is experimental piece that can include many elements, l can use this piece to explore and exhibit my techniques, whereas installation of dance sound could be combined such as engaging with the audience, but shouldn’t be too complicated and scientific due to our time limitation, I should research deeper into the sound itself than mechanical building. However, there are still many details for me to focus on especially in the area of envisage in the gallery. If it is only a simple music piece it might not be interesting enough, l need to think of an idea that could exhibit my piece with speciality.

First week is an intro into Mono and Stereo (in class study)

Where mono is a sound is a single channel of audio that is played back through a single speaker or a set of speakers reproducing the same signal.

The advantage:

• Simple to create 

Disadvantage: 

• Due to its coming from a single point source it is easy to overlap and cover up each other when it combines multiple tracks. 

Whereas for stereo, it is a sound involving two separate audio channels that are played back through two separate speakers or sets of speakers. 

The advantage:

• Allows for the creation of a wider soundstage and a sense of spatial depth, space and directionality.
• For stereo, the techniques like reverb and delay can be used to create a more realistic and engaging spatial representation of sound sources

Disadvantage:

• Stereo spatialization is limited to a horizontal plane, making it difficult to accurately represent sound sources located above or below the listener’s plane.

Mono

Stereo 

This week i’m starting to mind map my ideas for this assignment, it has been a long process to find out my ideas, where during this time my friend invite me to collaborate an album with them, where it needs a intro that conveys their concept, it is an abstract genre which l have never experience before, it’s more like an audio paper than simple sound piece, but l consider this might be a great opportunity for me to use all the knowledge that we learned from class, such as reverb and multi-channel recording, we need to combine both conversation and music, it is still in the progress of choosing what to include, maybe it’s an audio paper to introduce all songs, it might also be a sound piece that is leading the audience to its album. However, As a dancer, l’m also considering create a spatialization environment that can feel music or convey music with their movement. from the history to now dancers always collaborate dance moves with music, it usually created after the music being made, however l wanted to know whether movement can cause or lead sound, it is also an area that sound installation researched on.