29. Sonograph

After many years of experimenting with cymatics (see older posts) I came across another way of visualizing sound with vibrating membrane. This time I stretched a rubber membrane across the speaker and then attached a small piece of mirror in the middle where movement of the membrane is the most intensive. As a medium I used a laser beam focused directly on the mirror and reflected further on the screen. When speaker starts to move the membrane and the mirror, laser beam, following the sound with mathematical precision, draws dynamic lissajous figures on the screen.
And here's where's physics ends and creative process starts....

28. Chladni Plates

I was asked if I could make a sound sculpture with chladni plates for visitors of Museum of Senses in Split, Croatia. While playing with violin bow on different plates and trying to get interesting patterns I was amazed again and again with this simple contraption which principles were complete mystery two centuries ago.

After finishing the sculpture I spend some more time with plates to see what another configuration is capable. This time I used electric driver and theremin as a sound source and the results were quite exciting.

9. Cymatics – The Spirit of Matter

Somewhere in the middle of 18th century Ernst Florence Friedrich Chladni (1756-1827) threw  a fist of salt on thin metal plate and rub its edge with a violin bow. He was very surprised when noticed that every tone he got from the metal plate rearanged salt in different pattern. He was so impressed with this discovery that he dedicated a major part of his life to further investigations on field of accoustics. He demonstrated his experiments all over Europe and published his discoveries in a book 'Entdeckungen über die Theorie des Klanges (Discoveries in the Theory of Sound)'. The book was published in 1787 and because of its importance he is today known as the father of accoustics. Chladni proved that the pressure derived from sound waves affects physical matter.

  

In the  sixties in past century, Swiss physician and natural scientist Hans Jenny (1901-1972) rediscovered Chladni's experiments and started with his own research on that field. He used piezo oscillators to vibrate different metal plates and membranes which allowed him to made further discoveries in a field he named cymatics. He derived that name from greek words 'to kyma' – the wave and 'ta kymatika' – matters pertaining to waves.

 

His discoveries were published in two volumes of book 'Cymatics – A Study of Wave Phenomena and Vibration (1967 /1972). Jenny noticed that patterns, created by vibrations, oscilations and rhythmical pulses can be found anywhere in nature. So he was convinced that biological evolution is a result of vibrations. His experiments were also presented in a great short movie 'Cymatics – Bringing Matter To Life With Sound' which can be found here:

I've accidentally see cymatics for the first time in the beginning of 2007 when watching Discovery Channel and in the evening of the same day I've already performed my first experiments with flour from my kitchen and dismantled loudspeaker.

Two years later I managed to prepare first cymatic project Kymatikon. I used cymatics to visualize live concert with The Stroj collective on a big screen in Kinodvor cinema in Ljubljana. It was the first presentation of cymatics in Slovenia and the video is avaliable here:

http://vimeo.com/4441357

From 2010 I'm using my own system for cymatic visualization named Kymatikon regularly in different musical projects of my own and I'm still thrilled with results as I was the first time I've seen it.

Here you can see a compilation of my favourite experiments:

7. Federmeister turns on himself

After twenty four years of active drumming and sixteen years of leading The Stroj collective the time comes to do something strictly by myself. Past three years I was driven by idea to build a gear which will allow me to create music completely independant and against all odds.  I've started with a board, typewriter and some springs and mechanical toys to made my first soundboard named Efektor. It was a great fun at the beginning and I explored sound possibilities of my table orchestra like a small kid with big plans.

 

It sounded great at first, but when I connected it to the stronger PA first problems had begun. Feedbacks and crosstalk problems took me another year to find out proper pick up places, good preamps and audio interface capable of recording and sounding on professional level. When I managed to overcome problems with amplification I've connected Efektor with computer and midi controllers, which allow me to manipulate mechanical sounds with electronic effects, live looping, adding pre recorded parts and controlling a computer with my feet while performing. 

Finaly, as a drummer and rhythmanalyst, I could not resist to add my coil drums to the sonic arsenal of my own. 

Through this process and following the motto »Let's make something out of what they made of you!« Federmeister was born. Past six months he's rehersing hard and composing songs which I could not imagine before I've become him.

Federmeister is turned on and ready to go. Sound bless you, Federmeister! And keep the beat on the sonic highway of your becoming...
 

Do not hesitate to contact me if you want to experience how my retrofuturistic  metamechanical gear sounds live when Federmeister  takes over controls. Live acts, custom made performances, workshops, lectures, composing, cymatic visualizations... Name it, we make it!