thesis : beatings : experiment

listen with headphones

water flute + speaker experiment

During the course sound worlds II, we placed a speaker and the water flute Ocaruno at one of the stair cases in KABK. The speaker played a sine wave of 117Hz. Together with the speaker I played Ocaruno (tuned around 120Hz) by moving the flute into the water. By moving the flute faster, I created a higher air pressure, increasing the airflow through the flute, this made the pitch of the flute become slightly higher. If I moved the flute slower, there was less air pressure and the pitch became lower. This slightly different pitch of the flute together with the constant sine wave of the speaker created beatings.
Sound worlds II – course given by Robert Pravda – 26 of March until 6th of April 2023

low and slow beatings, combining two flutes tuned around 55Hz

My plan for my graduation project was to make water flutes that would play long and low beatings with flutes tuned around 120Hz. But I was curious how the experience would be if I created even lower ceramic flutes. So, I created one flute tuned around 55Hz and it was clear to me that when you are listening to such a low tone you want to be close to the flute, almost hugging it. That’s why I started connecting the flutes to an Air Mattress, to lay down next to/with the flutes, instead of making a water flute. The flutes sound thanks to the weight of your own body pressing the air of the mattress through the flutes. This idea comes from the installation Baden (made together with Annabel Schouten). An acoustic immersive installation wherein the audience is invited to lay down on inflatables. Moving up and down by inflating and deflating the air mattress. Feeling your own body, slowing down and intensely feeling gravity.

I tested the 55Hz flute: played alone you hear it begin and stop. But when it’s constantly sounding you almost don’t perceive it. After making a second one using the same mold, I could play both together. The beatings we experience are the difference between both flutes, hearing the imperfection of a ceramic handmade instrument. Hearing beatings asks for attention, has a bigger impact, because it’s constantly sounding, not sounding, sounding, not sounding…

“Sound/Silence
There is no sound without silence before and after. Sound/silence is a symbiotic relationship. Sound and silence are relative to one another. Time relationships may be instantaneous to very long. Listening to sounds means listening to silence and vice versa.
There is no absolute silence unless there is zero vibration. Silence means that we can hear no sounds. Silence is the space between sounds.” ¹⁷

long low slow baden

I made two flutes of 40cm diameter
Using a mold to make them both the same
Connecting them to an airbed to hear long, low, slow tones
Hearing intense beatings
Hearing the imperfection, the difference between both.
Hearing how each flute is unique.

long low slow baden outside

We have a new musician, the wind.
Your body weight together with the wind
play and influence the sound of the flutes.
Together with birds, cars, conversations, hammers, balls…
there will be every time a different composition.

Picture made by Ira Grünberger during the Pre-graduation show ‘We Will See’

17. Pauline Oliveros “Deep listening”, 14 Sound/Silence.

beatings : invitation