ODIZATION (2009)
(above) Live at The Sweatshop in Providence, Rhode Island on March 23, 2009
Odization: performances involving light frequency sonification & psychoacoustic phenomena
INSTRUMENTATION / MATERIALS
computer running Odization program, ice crusher, cooler filled with cubed ice, plastic tube, metal bucket, duct tape, contact mics, telephone pickups, EVP device (2 phototransistors soldered to audio jacks with electret-mic powering circuit), microphone mixer, candles, matches, lighters, cell phone or other devices with small lighted screens, 4in8out computer audio card (min.), 2 tables, cabling, and 8-channel PA-horn array
ACTION: CRUSH ICE
Before performance: use duct tape to secure plastic tube to physical output of ice crusher, ice flow should be directed via the tube to the metal bucket. tape contact mics to opposite sides of ice crusher and connect to microphone mixer. hook up telephone pickups to mic mixer and place on table away from ice crusher. output of mic mixer is sent to 2 of the 4 inputs for the computer. there should be channel separation between inputs 1 and 2 reflective of the left and right side of the table. optionally more mics may be placed to the tube and metal bucket, provided this is always in pairs.
During performance: take ice from cooler. crush ice in machine. adjust levels on mic mixer. crusher may be turned on and off. the sounds of the crusher's oscillation are amplified, sent to the Odization program for processing, and output via the PA-horn array. move telephone pickups closer to and away from ice crusher (bowing the sound), intermittently.
ACTION: MAKE LIGHT
Before performance: place candles around EVP device. send output of device to inputs 3 and 4 for computer. ambient lighting should be dim. computer screen should face EVP device, but be on opposite table, so performer movement interrupts this light reaching EVP device. place cell phone (or similar objects), matches, and lighters on table.
During performance: light candles as first action. extinguish them as the last action. use lighters and matches to create various flame intensities. use cell phone screen to add another light source (seldomly). telephone pickup may also be used to amplify cell phone or computer sounds. again, sounds received via this action are sent to the Odization program for processing and output to the PA-horn array. settings of the Odization program may be changed. flash photography is encouraged (this provides additional frequencies of light that may be sonified).