Trout Lake Clips

60hz

This soundscape is Branching Songs' first true encounter with an old-growth tree; a massive, beautiful Douglas Fir living in "Lighthouse Park" on Musqueam nation lands. Alongside immersive ambisonic, geophonic, and electromagnetic recordings of the environment, this composition also features Wild Empathy's first use of MIDI Biodata— performance data created from the tree itself. This involved the use of a MIDI Biodata Sonification device which measures changes to the tree's internal state via noninvasive electrodes placed on the bark— in this case on a charismatic burl of the fir. This data is recorded alongside the soundscape, then processed into the composition via vocoding to create a ghostly sonic afterimage; the tree's performance resonating back into the soundscape.

This piece is a part of "Branching Songs", a multimedia project that bears witness, using art methods, to the ancient trees who are supporting the well-being of humans and nonhuman life in our immediate urban ecology.

www.wildempathy.org/branching-songs/

Ambisonic Recording, Direction - Julie Andreyev
Geophone, EMF, Biodata Recording, Composition, Mix - Sam Street
Cover Art, Documentation - Leanne Plisic
360 Photo Documentation - Cara Jacobsen

Douglas Fir at Lighthouse Park

Songs made testing the capabilities of the MIDI Biodata Sonification Device, in collaboration with plants around Sam's house. Songs are named after the primary plant performer, scale mode of the device, and any plants further modulating the signal)

Philo (mod Zz) + Drum

Rose Minor (mod Hosta)

Birch Major (mod Calla, Rhodo)

Rhodo Chromatic (mod Rose)

Calla Lily Indian

The Importance of Caring About Trees, 09:19.
Dr Julie Andreyev discusses her interest in trees and her involvement with the Wild Empathy project. 

"These large trees that are within intact forest ecologies, such as old growth, have a lot of wisdom, and they have been around for centuries. They are hubs of activity and communication amongst other organisms, they send signals to other trees and plants to warn of predators, they shuttle nutrients to their youngsters and other trees that are under stresses. They contain this forest cultural wisdom that is important that we preserve and care for."

Julie Andreyev

Wild Empathy develops immersive art to raise awareness about ancient trees and old growth forests in the province of British Columbia. This Soundcloud has our podcasts, sound recordings, and soundscapes.

Julie Andreyev

Wild Empathy

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