Sound Art Portfolio - Daniel Gomes

The conceptual momentum for this piece arose from the interplay between man and machine, a dynamic that shapes artistic human-centered thinking in the context of post humanism. Three core ideas were pursued in the development of this piece. The potential capacity of human decision in performance and improvisation, synthesis and media isomorphism (digitalism).

The belief that the fusion of technology and artistic performance can only be fully realized through perceptual understanding is an approach that humanizes creative processes in music performance. By suggesting that human interaction can coexist in the advent of emerging technologies and sound aesthetics by emphasizing a balance between automated processes and human interaction. The sound objects models selected were the following: Glass and tile structures in the form of shards. Despite lacking resonant capabilities these objects anticipate a sense of exploration. Motion has been achieved from fragmented shards through constant vibration and human interaction, connecting a ready-made sound object with the digital realm.

Performative and improvisational practices played an essential role in disclosing the piece’s form and structure. Tonality and gesture are bound by the performer's choice allied to technique. Determined and nonchaotic sound events are partially automated and outlined by sonic fundamentals live.

Two essential algorithms were implemented in definition of the digital space’s spectrum. Sounds were synthesized using filters and Chebyshev's Polynomials to minimize deviation in frequency selectivity and controllable ripple characteristics. Also, the "Sieve of Eratosthenes" refined the sampling process by using only prime sample intervals. Applying this method helps ensuring clarity and definition in sound fidelity. Distinguishing each stream of the synthesis processes introduces spatial reference as an important factor in overall sound perception.

The glass shard served as motif for the main sound object interaction model by adapting media from sound, retaining its essence and musicality. Capturing morphology with tiles thrown into the environment was important to delineate structure of sound events. Conveying the concept of linearity and equality helped defining its overall form with the aid of sampling as an isomorphic representation. Through the application of this schema, other types of media are able to be projected through a matrix of vectors from any spectrum into a distinctive medium. In virtue of preserving its genesis and naturally inheriting the capacity to materialize into an artwork.

The impetus that has led to the realisation of this piece was the sound exploration of certain objects that aren’t prepared for musical performance. Considering that these objects have atypical resonant structures in which their physicality prevents musical practice, this lack of capacity may raise issues pertaining organisation and form. In order to achieve musical structure a conceptual a system of events regarding timbre has been conceived, and spectromorphology guided as the main precursor.

Alloy was one of the materials that revealed the utmost attention when considering the structure of the piece and its point of interest. Nowadays this metal surrounds our daily life and may be found in various ways and objects. Therefore small alloy made objects got selected mainly due to its timbre characteristics, for its similarity and sound. Four different kind of objects where chosen and layered throughout the piece.

An alloy plate, several coins, a mortar and pestle and two slightly large bowls. The latter, made of copper and zinc. Structure of each sound was realised by its timbre and its small acoustic variations into a unique sound element. In order to guide sound through its genesis and morphology, several streams of sounds layered in different movements of inflexion, glissandi and speed where created. The separation of these movements regarding timbre affects sound perception and its synthetic texture approaches the musical meaning of tonal and spatial awareness.

A performance by: Daniel Gomes and Flávio Hobo

'Modern Alchemy' is a performance made for unconventional percussion sounds.This process materializes it self continuously in time where the performer has at his disposal, several types of sounds that are subsequently synthesized.

A Max MSP patch was created especially for this piece in order to process partials of the same sound and resonate its spectral components. These objects range from various different types of unconventional percussion instruments and have distinguished sound forms. The overall idea was to achieve different tonalities of the same sound in accordance to the performer's motion towards these objects. These tonalities are extrapolated via computer by extracting a new resonating frequency from the motion of the performer.

Whilst, the performer's execution through various techniques of excitation several small objects, new resonating frequencies are generated and depending on the performance's evolution different notes and variances in sound may appear. These objects are built from diverse materials and have different shapes. Therefore different and contrasting harmonics as well as partials will sound distinctly in space.

As Jacoc Bronowski stated in Science and Human Values, Man masters nature not by force but by understanding. This is why science has succeeded where magic failed: because it has looked for no spell to cast on nature.

Human intervention over nature doesn't necessarily destroy its essence; on the contrary, it may preserve or even ennoble it. The path naturally described by a river maintains its essence even when it's over the influence of a human action. The construction of a water mill along it's course doesn't imply its subversion, as harvesting fruits from a tree prior to their natural drop doesn't affect its spirit.

Influenza di Natura follows these same principles in its operative mode. It's the synthesizing of the original sound's natural spectrum that emphatizes the components which define its character: amplitude, frequency and movement.