The above display shows the structure of the thesis ‘ Sonic Spaces ‘ (by Bea Goller). [figure1]
[figure1] Graphic representation of the structure and amount of pages from a Thesis.
Each chapter is structured in a discursive / expository main body (body), experiments ( exp) ,a miscellaneous Annex ( nx ) and two interviews ( intv ). It can be seen how the different chapters referenced numerically based on the number of pages, have similar structures, creating a pattern with some similarity in each of the blocks. The last part of the display represents the conclusions (c).
The display is made in a non-automated way, representing a diagram in which the figures of the page of the thesis, articulate the thickness of the bars (see picture above). In short, it is a representation with a degree of abstraction that illustrates the structure of the thesis Sonic Spaces. However, for what is it useful? This graphical display of the thesis certainly offers a reading of its structure, which normally can’t be seen when reading a book or publication (maybe just to read your index).
In short, the above chart is a kind of data visualization, being the length of each of its parts, referenced by a color code, at 1 pixel wide by page. Afterwards, a sonification procedure was performed as follows to display data:
1) The number of pages per block is quantified .
2) These amounts are written in a file list and text, numeric data per line.
3) To make the sonification, numeric data are entered into a data memory programmed with a Pd (Pure-data) language application. [figure2] These serve to make the sonification on two levels. The first interprets and translates numeric values to notes of the chromatic scale (specifically to MIDI values is the reference standard in digital sound framework for conversion to halftone). The second interprets the structure in terms of its duration and entidad. Para chapters each classification associated with different percussive sounds.
The result is a fusion of melodic sequence, accompanied by micro -rhythms. Therefore, listening to the micro -rhythms gives information of the partial and overall structure of the thesis. Similarly, in the melodic sequence higher tones involve more pages and vice versa.
The audio recorded file is available here
[figure2] Application of Pd to interpret the data from the chapters into synthesizers.
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Experiment by Bea Goller
Text licensed with a CC license > by-nc-sa 2014
All images by Congoritme CC license > by-nc-sa 2014
Architecture and Sound Research 