30/10/2020. As we are fading into dark territory again, I'd like to share the start of a new idea. Since the beginning of this pandemic, decisions based on daily numbers dictate our lives. This data is intended to inform us, but sadly I notice how it is more and more causing confusion, frustration, anger and anxiety. I do not wish to go along any longer in hostile discussions or virtual fights, so I decided to decontextualize the numbers in a more positive way for myself. 
Enter SoniCovidifications. Starting today, I'll be using the fancy Sciensano-dashboard as input for new sonic ideas. Tracks, drones, noises, soundscapes, improvisations, whatever comes up each day. Daily results are added to this playlist. Feel free to enjoy them as a small escape from reality, the same way as I do when fabricating them.

SoniCovidifications

Display is a light installation made by GVV for BAC Art Lab. Between March and May 2021 I was asked to use display as a reflection of my work at BAC. I used display to make the building improvise silently with lsl.lpsr and to communicate the outcome with solmization and percussive Russolo-inspired onomatopoeia to the city. Each 15 minutes, display also makes a snapshot of its current state, which in turn is inspiring me to improvise with lsl.performer. This playlist shows some snapshots of my own improvisations based on displays gently offered ideas. 

Check other inspiring work by GVV at www.gijsvanvaerenbergh.com

lsl.BAC-display

Using snapshots between 15/3/21 and 18/3/21

Display is a light installation made by GVV for BAC Art Lab. Between March and May 2021 I was asked to use display as a reflection of my work at BAC. I used display to make the building improvise silently with lsl.lpsr and to communicate the outcome with solmization and percussive Russolo-inspired onomatopoeia to the city. Each 15 minutes, display also makes a snapshot of its current state, which in turn is inspiring me to improvise with lsl.performer. This playlist shows some snapshots of my own improvisations based on displays gently offered ideas.

20200318

Using snapshots between 18/3/21 and 21/3/21

Display is a light installation made by GVV for BAC Art Lab. Between March and May 2021 I was asked to use display as a reflection of my work at BAC. I used display to make the building improvise silently with lsl.lpsr and to communicate the outcome with solmization and percussive Russolo-inspired onomatopoeia to the city. Each 15 minutes, display also makes a snapshot of its current state, which in turn is inspiring me to improvise with lsl.performer. This playlist shows some snapshots of my own improvisations based on displays gently offered ideas.

20200321

SoniCovidification - Day 1 - Deep Haunted House

The start of a new series deserves some celebration, and it's Saturday evening, so some clubby music might fit well. Result: a deep haunted house groove to kick-off with. 
Today's weekly new cases, deaths, hospitalizations and tests feed some oscillator-banks. Positivity rates provide some haunting resonating chords. A bit of fx-magic does the other tricks, leading to this dark groove. Serves best with whiskey. 
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Day 1 - Deep Haunted House

SoniCovidifications - Day 2 - Dark Nights

At the official start of Lockdown 2 in Belgium, a smooth ambient sound to soothe the soul during dark nights ahead.
Today's graph of cases provides an unusual waveform, used as a source in lsl.lpsr for creating evolving timbres and some percussive elements. Lot's of delay and reverb glue everything together. 

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Day 2 - Dark Nights

Day 3 - No Synths Attached

Shamelessly repetitive dirty synth-sounds invite for endlessly improvising, so this is a snapshot of tonight.
Using today's graphs about cases, deaths, hospital admissions, tests and positivity rate for the last three months as waveforms, feeding them into lsl.lpsr and creating some old-skool arpeggiating synths.

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Day 3 - No Synths Attached

Day 4/5 - Steve Talks

Of all Belgian virologists, Steven Van Gucht delivers probably the most poetic quotes. He also shares his name with another Steve, whose musical works have inspired this piece. 
A slightly different approach this time. Quotes from Monday's press conference are used in repetitive processes to create phasing rhythms and textures. Lot's of space mixes these patterns, resulting in an experimental voice piece, ending with some unearthly singing. 

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Day 4/5 - Steve Talks

Day 6 - Fingerspitzengefuhl

No heavy electronics or synthetic sounds today, but quite unexpected: a contemporary snaredrum solo.
New cases in the age groups between 0 and 79 years over week 33 to 44 provided some interesting rhythmic patterns. Played back on snaredrums played by fingers, it brought back the memory of endless hours of percussion practice, and a quite familiar sounding result.

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Day 6 - Fingerspitzengefuhl

Day 7/8/9/10/11/12/13 - A case of drone

This idea took considerable more time to setup and realize. The result is a 1h50min slow drone piece, performed and recorded at BAC Art Lab.
 
The data of daily new cases in each Belgian province and Brussels capital between March 1 and November 9 feed eleven separate oscillator-banks. Each day the number of cases provides a frequency at a magnitude derived from the logarithmic presentation of the evolution in cases for that province. Days are represented by 24 seconds. Each day all provinces report their data by 11am. A moving window focuses on 14 contagious days. Earlier days move to the background at the end of their last day, but leave their trace in the overall sound. The entire piece spans 254 days plus and outro of 14 days.
Each provincial oscillatorbank floats in quadraphonic sound-space at its geographical location, influencing its neighbours. Provinces are grouped in two regional sound objects each processing the accumulative signals in their own way. Brussels floats around as a third object influencing the other two. Performing the piece consisted of carefully trying to balance frequencies and shaping the sound objects. The work has two long, harsh moments at the outsets when cases peak over the entire country. The middle part is a dark continuous sound that slowly evolves as incidences rise and fall in different provinces, with a sharp solo for Antwerp during summer. 

Best experienced through - decent - speakers or headphones.
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Day 7/8/9/10/11/12/13 - A Case Of Drone

Vincent Caers is percussionist and electronic musician. His main interest lies in interdisciplinary projects combining percussion, live electronics and visual arts. As an artistic researcher, he explores new formats for contemporary percussion performance and their impact on the audience’s experience. Vincent obtained master degree’s in percussion, chamber music and contemporary music performance before becoming research assistant at the LUCA School of Arts.  He obtained degrees in electronic music at Ircam and Berklee College of Music. He regularly performs as a freelance musician with different ensembles and orchestras.

Vincent Caers

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