Final Sound Proposal

I will create an iteration of my Three Million Widows book that will increase volume through the addition of multiple tracks of recorded sound. As the tally lines decrease, and the negative space (blank page) increases, the sound will increase until the book is closed. This will be achieved using an LDR that will add sound tacks of chalk on a board with each step of increased light detected. The light will increase as more dense layers of printed lines on paper are pealed away (as the book is read). The LDR will be mounted in the last page of the book. When the book is closed light will be eliminated, and the sound will cease until the next reader opens the book.

Thoughts on final Interactive Proposal

What I'd like to do for the interactive final is a combination of prototypes:


1. I'd like to have my Three Million Widows book case be interactive, so that when a viewer removes the book from the case, the video will play, either in sequence or randomly, with speed varying depending on proximity of the book to the box, or something like that.



2. I want to learn to control a motor to make it spin, again variably, depending on distance or movement of viewer.

3. I'd like to have my TMWidows proposal/prototype be interactive, with a method for registering the chalk marks, This could also relate to prop 1, in that a video could also play depending on the action of the viewer.

Extra: I'd still like to have an interactive cabinet, with various sounds and videos interacting with the opening of drawers, windows, proximity etc...

Artist's Book Proposal

I met with Melissa today. She showed me the Quickset debossing and the pearl foil. The book will go into the 1st show, the wooden case will count as the final. I'm not sure about the interactive part of the box yet, that is I don't know if I want to hear the sound of chalk or if it really fits in with the book.

I also showed her the idaea for the new book in which people would add there own marks, and donate. she agreed that it would work best if it was in conjunction with a performance.

For this class the proposal and prototype of the book will be enough. t may just stay as a proposal, or may be sold as a "proposal" to help fund the project.

As for tallying, she mentioned that it could be a dispenser which dispenses chalk when money is put in. This couldbe costly, unless I get inexpensive chalk. I also need to contact oxfam or other agencies to see about the viability of raising money, and the appropriateness of donating.

Free but Pricey

I brought in my new guitar, slighty worried that I bought the ultimate clunker. I couldn't get rid of the buzz, especially on the higher frets of the D string. The tech took it in and adjusted the action on the truss rod, which only made it less playable, so I took it back again, and showed him how you have to hold the guitar just right to hear it really buzz.

Was it a broken brace? or a loose wire? - God forbid, split wood?
Nope, just a loose security tag taped to the inside of the body!

Now it's as sweet as can be!:)

Raise Three Million

I've been thinking about a number of variations on Three Million Widows. I would like to try to create a fold-out book with 29 black pages which will will start out blank. Each time a line is drawn on the page with chalk, a number is recorded, adding to 75,000. Hopefully this would be done in 29 days. Each visitor to the book would donate $1 equivalent. Upon reaching 29 days or $75,000, the book would be folded up, and the money would be collected for Iraqi widows.

Perhaps a pressure sensor could be used to record the number of lines on the pages? or it could just be a button is pushed. If this were done in 40 cities, in major museums, Three million dollars could be raised to send to Iraq, to Nawal al-Samarra's office (She rescinded her resignation offer on March 9th) to use.

I can try to contact Ox-fam, or other agencies to see about the feasibility. The obvious place to start is in Chicago.

Tracing Brick

Did a 7 min. sound performance of tracing brick, to add to the video shot last night of Tamale and Kristina. It was actually a senuous experience? who would have thought that rubbing a chimney could be like massage! It once again took a while to set up Cubase 4. I sent the two Sure Beta 57A's directly to the 828, then to Cubase, but I had to remember how to set up the inputs/outputs. I played with eq, maximizer, limiter and normalize, but the limiter was not helpful. I have to take care of hum and high-frequency hiss. I'm going to try to add another eq. After using the (virtual) mixer eq, I added an insert eq, StudioEQ, one band at 7000kHz, -24.0 gain, 0.5 Q-factor, which cut the his significantly.

Actually, I just put in all 4 bands in the Studio EQ as well, and it sounds less artificial and pumped up.


I've also been playing with my new guitar a lot. I recorded a clip at flat eq directly from the acoustic guitar amp> straight 4's on fron panel>feedback notch3>string dynamics 6>rvb/dly on 2 with line out volume on 3> normalized in Cubase at -2dB. Sounds amazing except for the buzz in the upper register due I believe to low action which needs to be addressed.

Shalaka can Dance!

Yesterday was a great day, following my down morning on Tuesday. Shalaka was filming a dance piece that I only heard about on Monday. She wasn't sure how she felt about it beforehand, but it came out as a really intense moment (on many takes). She was so into the dancing/ action that it became more than itself, it was like watching a transformation, a personal struggle, a fight-for-the-truth. It was as if you could see into her soul.

It became a beautiful, unforgettable event. It was genuine. Completely in the moment, the movement took over and possessed her. Great to see her art progressing and reaching new heights.

I also went off to reshoot my Widows chalk piece with no text. After Shalaka finished, Victoria and Shalaka and I caught dinner, went back and captured video till we got kicked out. Ramah was there all day, editing audio including this amazing mike sweep recording of broken cymbals run through lots of reverb. Lessa was also editing, selecting video stills, one frame at a time from a huge edited stream.

Really felt like grad school.

Vision and Strategy

Last week we also talked about my chart "Violation Conspiracy" and the possibility of turning it into a board game! Whoa - that's just a cool idea. Something like a large multiplayer game, something where the participants would get the idea by "playing the bad guys" - by collusion with the violating forces.

Paul also suggested that Sticks and Stones could be sung by a women's gospel choir! I think that I need to stretch those interdisciplinary wings even further. These are great ideas.

He reminded me of his mantra about the difference between vision and strategy.
Vision is to see the things I need to say, what artistically I need to do (And why I do them).
Strategy is how to get it done effectively, creatively, artistically.

Last Thursday I met with Paul C about my work. we talked about the direction of my overall work and whether or not I was willing to let my old songs go for now, and move on. I agreed that they are holding me back, clunky, baggage at the moment.

We talked again about the durational chalk piece Widows. He suggested that I try again, without any text, so that it becomes more universal in its scope. I am going to show this at crits without words (but with sound?). I also want to work on the book for crits.

Recommended artists:

Lee Bontecou
Tseih Hsich
Linda Montero: "Mitchel's Death" at VideoDataBank VDB.org at SAIC 312-345-3550


We also talked about what I try to do in my work. He asked if I try to eulogize (elegies) or cleanse or what?

I've been thinking about it since. Actually, I've been thinking about my current raison d'etre d'artiste since mid semester last fall. Is it autobiographical (to explain myself)? Is it to enlighten/share/evangelize (to change the world)? Do I make work to get things off my mind (cleanse)? To entertain/beautify/show off (hope not)?

After we finished taxes, most of the work on the bathroom, classes before spring break, I felt this sort of let down - post-partum. I am obsessed with this guitar I've been dreaming about for a couple of years. It seems irrational but I can't get it off my mind. With Paul's suggestion that I let the songs go for now, and Mary's shock that I would want yet another guitar, I woke up Tuesday morning in one of those "what is the meaning of my (artistic) life" moments. After not getting out of bed for a coulple of hours, I progressed to "why do anything at all?"

I suppose that running, and helping Shalaka Wednesday helped me out, but didn't exactly answer the question. Keeping busy isn't the same as understanding intentionality. Still, helping friends, watching them progress, and enjoying the environment are ok motives, and starting work again is not intrinsically bad.

Voice Module search

Paul gave me some websites to check out for a voice module.
Anykit.com appears to be a site that links to other sites, and has some kits, w/o pricing
http://www.v-t-p.com/ENG/VOICEMODULE_E.HTM
- good for larger installations, made for elevators, fully programable, with up to 250 messages, 10 volt.

also more card kits, that are recorded for you and have a minimum of 100 units ($600!)

Interactive ideas

I want to use Max and/or other kits to make interactive sound/video interfaces. This would be in conjunction with my cabinet series, including the war cabinets and others. I want to try to figure out how to activate the sounds/ video upon opening or reaching a certain proximity threshold. Also the playback could change in volume/speed or change entirely (to another clip) as the viewer approached. Including this in artists books is one definite project for me, and hopefully soon.

I have spent a good amount of time online and at radioshack, looking for a "audio card kit" and the like. So far I have found a slip-to-activate chip for $3, but it will only play about 200 times, and the batteries are not replaceable. In particular, I want to put a chip in my Widows book, so that when the book is open, the reader hears the sound of chalk from my performance.

I need to figure out how to have multiple sounds and maybe video installed in a small box or cabinet, so that it will relate to my multimedia cabinet pieces. When a cabinet drawer is opened, a video will play. Another drawer, containing a book or a set of etchings will play a song or spoken text. Text could be in conjunction with audio track of sound/music controlled by proximity or pressure, depending upon the content.

MAX tutorials

I just finished the first five max tutorials. Lots of intriguing setups to consider. bangbang and tbif object boxes!

Sound Save

I took Shalaka's sound piece and normanlized it, but there were peaks in the sound wave, so I used a compressor limiter, then an expander, then another limiter and fianlly a linear EQ, to boost the sound to acceptable levels.

Sarcasometer

In the middle of the night, I was thinking of a software that would ask questions and respond to sarcasm or with sarcasm. It's hard to describe right now but it made perfect sense when I woke up.