thesis : resonance : experiment

shaping resonance piano and coils experiment

During the composing::process course²⁶ I experimented with playing a piano with coils. I sent certain frequencies to the coils from my computer and the coils created an electromagnetic field around themselves. The driving energy of this sympathetic resonance was the electromagnetic field. When the frequency of the coil was exactly an octave lower than the fundamental frequency of the string of the piano, the string would resonate and start vibrating. For each string I searched for the exact frequency to have the maximum resonance. The difference was very big, 1 Hz above or below sounded much softer. I could also send two frequencies to one coil. When two frequencies were close to each other I could hear beatings. I played around, sending two or more frequencies, with smaller and bigger distances between the frequencies and discovered with which combinations you heard more or less the overtones.

26. Composing::process – course given by Yota Morimoto – 23rd to 27th of October 2023

when shape filters sound: clay breath

Helmholtz resonators have a specific shape which causes only one tone to resonate. With other shapes, multiple frequencies can resonate. I experimented with different shapes for my project Clay Breath: when dry or low fired clay comes in contact with water it starts producing bubbles. I started this project amplifying the sound with homemade hydrophones, thereafter I searched for shapes which made it possible to hear the subtle sounds directly with your ears, without electronic amplification.

Below you find different versions of Clay Breath, with different shapes and inviting the audience to listen in different contexts:

Clay Breath bodies at the beach, The Hague, 10.02.2024: