Cognition

The acoustical composition that I have made is created by 8 recordings of my car approximately 9 minutes in length each. It illustrates the complex environment of the car and brings to light the sounds of the vehicle that we are not used to hearing. Furthermore, during the process of doing the recordings, I became fascinated with how exactly my body influences and narrates the sound of the recording. Through reading and researching auto mechanics, I have been able to imagine the path of my actions through the engine and I have been able to understand each sound that is produced. However, the experience of driving remains incognitive as I first discovered it to be before beginning my research and recordings. If we could experience the auto mechanics visually and at an overwhelming scale while we are driving, perhaps, the practice of drawing would become more cognitive.

[The User] an art collaborative by Thomas McIntosh and Emmanuel Madan in Montreal created an awe inspiring series of works titled 'Coincidence Machines.' The first installation was an 8 foot tall amphitheater for one. Lining the conic shaped walls are over 1200 small IKEA clocks. The clocks are untouched, original and completely utilitarian. Singularly, the clocks would barely pass for a bed side table, but together, the symphony of small engines overwhelm the viewer with an unequaled experience of listening.

The true phenomenon of my research is the incognitive relationship between man and machine which was been emphasized by the acoustical and material conditions of the automobile. Interestingly, this relationship can be analyzed anywhere we look. We use machines for the final purpose that they were designed for and we are content knowing nothing about how they work. A car is a means of transportation. A microwave heats our food. A dishwasher cleans our dirty dishes. If we understood exactly how each of these inventions worked mechanically, would it change the way we use them. The driver who is a also a mechanic is likely a more cognitive driver because he is more concerned with the well being of the mechanical components and he understands what habits of driving are affecting the deterioration of those components.

What if we drove the car from within the engine, or rather, the engine components surrounded us as we drove. Of course each component has been specifically placed for its purpose but if we were visually made aware of the ‘kinetic motion’ of the automobile as we drove, how would it change our driving habits. Would our experience of using the automobile cognitively influence our habits.

Notational Drawings

Linear Mapping of the sound recordings of my car is meant to illustrate each place where I recorded from. The car unfolds to create a planar view of the mechanics so that each component can be viewed simultaneously.

Notational Plan. This drawing is meant to illustrate the sound motion and material of my recordings. The Linear Mapping of the car was used to spacialy orient the graphics of each sound.



Elevation of my engine. 2 elevations are overlaid on one another to view both elevations simultaneously.


Notational Section. This drawing is meant to illustrate the sound motion and material of my recordings. The section of the engine was used to spacialy orient the graphics of each sound.

Octaphonic Sound Spatialization - Black Box

Through out our time in Montreal we had the privilege of using the "Black Box" in the Hexagram program of Concordia University. The "Black Box" is a massive acoustically designed room outfitted with plugs and outlets for a variety of lighting and acoustical equipment. We created an octaphonic sound system in the space using a MOTU and 8 Amazing speakers. Compared to the stereo Logitech speakers that I am use to hearing my sounds on, the quality was unimaginable. I was hearing new sounds within my recordings that I didn't know existed.

We were asked to create a 2 minute composition of our recordings for the black box octaphonic system which would be presented to friends and colleagues of our professor Patrick Harrop, all of whom had various and extensive backgrounds in electronic and sound art. Two people attended: Gerard and Shannon.

Without speaking at all, we would each play our composition, then we explained what we the recording was and what exactly we were each focusing on. Then, an open discussion would occur and finally we would listen to the composition again.

Continuing with my fascination of the decay of sound, I chose to highlight the unfamiliar sounds by playing them first through certain speakers then fading in additional tracks through out the 2 minutes. The engine and the fuel injector are much more recognizable as a car then the master cylinder for example which is the sound of friction as a piston moves through a chamber changing the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid. sounds like this set the stage at the beginning and then as the other sounds are faded in, the unfamiliar sounds are more recognizable since you have already heard them on their own.

I used Ableton Live to create the composition.

This is the sequencer page where the fades and sound animations are controlled and designed.

I created a stereo composition as well that has been mixed down from the octaphonic composition.

Stereo Mix Down