So I settled for this trippy video processor that takes video and audio, feeds the video through some delay lines and then convolves them with randomly generated kernels weighted towards specific effects, based on thresholds in the audio signal. I figured it would be fine, since people at raves don’t usually tend to be too picky.

For the video, I used one of my favorite songs, Figure 8 by FKA Twigs, paired with one of my favorite dance clips, an excerpt from the pas de deux of Matthew Bourne’s all-male Swan Lake. I hope you enjoy!

I was really interested in the idea of reversing the spectrogram to sonify existing images as a a way to talk about or refer to topics that would otherwise be taboo. For this project, I used the spectrogram max patch that was part of the PhD dissertation of Tadej Droljc. There was a lot going on here under the hood, and a significant portion of my time was spent in understanding the inner workings of the patch. I then adapted it to take images as amplitude and phase input, perform manipulations on the matrices and sonify them using frequency domain processing. The images I used were some of the iconic nudes by Robert Mapplethorpe, one of my favorite photographers.

(Note: I tried implementing the contrast boost in max itself, first using jit.brcosa, and then using jit.expr and a formula, however both ways didn’t work properly because I was dealing with matrices with single planes rather than 4, because the amplitude and phase information were stored in 2 planes of a matrix. In the end, I just ended up using iPhoto)

I then recorded one loop of the audio for each image and stitched them together in Adobe Premiere to create the video documentation.

While the timbre of the piece is quite static, since the whole thing uses only sawtooth waves, I found that the contours of the sounds very visibly mimic the contours and contrasts in the bodies and poses of Mapplethorpe’s models.

The source sound is Ter Vogormia by Diamond Galas. My 4 impulse responses are a bottle cap falling, a whistle, and a couple of other sounds I had lying around on my computer. Here are all the original files:

Finally, I used a Leap Motion to obtain gestural data from my fingers to control the inputs to the convolution patch. To do this, I downloaded a third party max object that processes the Leap raw data. I then used this object to extract the 75 dimensional vector that contains all the finger data at any moment and send it via an OSC message to Wekinator, a GUI that allows you to build regression models using neural networks. I then trained the model, mapping the 75 inputs to 3 outputs which I sent to my original Max patch (via OSC), scaled, and smoothed logarithmically. These 3 outputs controlled the x and y values of my slider along with my delay time. Here is the final outcome:

Original:

The phrase ‘speculative realism’ is no longer beloved by everyone it describes, and may be used less often in the future. I still find it to be an effective term, one that draws wide attention to a fairly diverse set of philosophical programmes by pointing accurately to key similarities among them. Though it is always a badge of honour for intellectuals to refuse being stamped with any sort of label, other fields of human in- novation have a much stronger sense for the value of a brand name. The brand is not merely a degenerate practice of brainwashing consumerism, but a universally rec- ognized method of conveying information while cutting through information clutter. Coining specific names for philosophical positions helps orient the intellectual public on the various available options while also encouraging untested permutations. If the decision were mine alone, not only would the name ‘speculative realism’ be retained, but a logo would be designed for projection on PowerPoint screens, accompanied by a few signature bars of smoky dubstep music. It is true that such practices would invite snide commentary about ‘philosophy reduced to marketing gimmicks’. But it would hardly matter, since attention would thereby be drawn to the works of speculative re- alism, and its reputation would stand or fall based on the inherent quality of these works, of which I am confident.

Iteration 5:

The term “speculative realism” no longer loved describe it all and can be used less frequently in the future. I think it’s still to be an effective approach, one that on a fairly diverse set of philosophical programs point attention carefully distinguishes important similarities between them. While there is a badge of honor for intellectuals with any kind of label punching is are, in other spheres of human innovations have a much stronger sense of the value of a brand have to refuse. the brand is a degenerate practice consumption for transmitting information not only brainwashed but a generally accepted method because it cut through information clutter. Imprinting helps specific name for the philosophical positions to orient the intellectual public about the various options, but also untested permutations encouraging. If the decision were alone, I would not only get the name of the “speculative realism”, but is a logo through a few bars of signature smoky provided dubstep music to PowerPoint displays would accompany for playback. It is true, would “philosophy marketing gimmicks reduced” Invite that such practices aspersions on. But it would hardly matter since the attention would be drawn here to the work of the speculative return ism and their reputation would stand or fall, I am convinced, based on the intrinsic qualities of these works.

Iteration 20:

The term “speculative realism” no longer loved her describe all and can often be used in the future less. I think it’s still to be an effective approach, one that on a fairly diverse set of philosophical programs point attention carefully distinguishes important similarities between them. therefore a much stronger sense of the value of a brand in other spheres of human innovations Although there is a badge of honor for intellectuals with any kind of label punching refuse. the brand is a degenerate practice consumption for transmitting information not only brainwashed but a generally accepted method because it cut through information clutter. Imprinting helps specific name for the philosophical positions to orient the intellectual public about the various options, but also untested permutations encouraging. If the decision were alone, I would not only get the name of the “speculative realism”, but is a logo smoky, dubstep from a few bars of music signature to PowerPoint displays would accompany for playback. It is true, would “philosophy marketing gimmicks reduced” Invite that such practices aspersions on. But it would hardly matter since the attention would be drawn here to the work of the speculative return ism and their reputation would stand or fall, I am convinced, based on the intrinsic qualities of these works.

Iteration 50:

The term “speculative realism” no longer loved her describe all and can often be used in the future less. I think it’s still to be an effective approach, one that on a fairly diverse set of philosophical programs point attention carefully distinguishes important similarities between them. therefore a much stronger sense of the value of a brand in other spheres of human innovations Although there is a badge of honor for intellectuals with any kind of label punching refuse. the brand is a degenerate practice consumption for transmitting information not only brainwashed but a generally accepted method because it cut through information clutter. Imprinting helps specific name for the philosophical positions to orient the intellectual public about the various options, but also untested permutations encouraging. If the decision were alone, I would not only get the name of the “speculative realism”, but is a logo smoky, dubstep from a few bars of music signature to PowerPoint displays would accompany for playback. It is true, would “philosophy marketing gimmicks reduced” Invite that such practices aspersions on. But it would hardly matter since the attention would be drawn here to the work of the speculative return ism and their reputation would stand or fall, I am convinced, based on the intrinsic qualities of these works.

Same exercise tried with Telegu:

Original:

The phrase ‘speculative realism’ is no longer beloved by everyone it describes, and may be used less often in the future. I still find it to be an effective term, one that draws wide attention to a fairly diverse set of philosophical programmes by pointing accurately to key similarities among them. Though it is always a badge of honour for intellectuals to refuse being stamped with any sort of label, other fields of human in- novation have a much stronger sense for the value of a brand name. The brand is not merely a degenerate practice of brainwashing consumerism, but a universally rec- ognized method of conveying information while cutting through information clutter. Coining specific names for philosophical positions helps orient the intellectual public on the various available options while also encouraging untested permutations. If the decision were mine alone, not only would the name ‘speculative realism’ be retained, but a logo would be designed for projection on PowerPoint screens, accompanied by a few signature bars of smoky dubstep music. It is true that such practices would invite snide commentary about ‘philosophy reduced to marketing gimmicks’. But it would hardly matter, since attention would thereby be drawn to the works of speculative re- alism, and its reputation would stand or fall based on the inherent quality of these works, of which I am confident.

Iteration 5:

The phrase “speculative realism” describes it, and in the future will no longer loved by all that often. I was one of the philosophical similarities, the key word is still looking at the appearance of a fairly diverse set of effective programs, panoramas’m sure. Novation other parts of the wise man in a very strong sense of the value of the label for a brand name, which is always printed with the rejection of any sort of a badge of honor. In practice only deteriorate the brand consumerism brainwashing, but cut through the clutter of information, however, is not the method of conveying information to a universally rec- ognized. Think about the different options available to promote the philosophy of permutations to the east and try to learn the names and locations. The decision is “supposed” is designed for the name, but if one of mine some dubstep music, a logo, a signature smoky bars, PowerPoint projection screen to be retained. Its reputation, the reality of such practices, and the risk of re-Alism, “reduced marketing gimmicks”, I was invited to work, stand, or on the basis of that I am convinced that there is protection. In fact, the inherent quality of philosophy, but it is rarely the subject of snide commentary.

Iteration 20:

The phrase “speculative realism” describes it, and in the future will no longer loved by all that often. Panoramas’m I, for example, the key word more accurately analyzed similarities’m Exhibition is one of the effective programs have a different philosophy. The brand name is always some sort of badge of honor, and the value of the Novation intelligent man with a very strong sense of the label has been printed and the other components. In practice only deteriorate the brand consumerism brainwashing, but cut through the clutter of information, however, is not a universally rec- ognized method of conveying information. To promote the philosophy of permutations to the east and to think about the different options available to try to learn the names and locations. The decision is “supposed” is designed for the name, but the music, a logo, a signature smoky bars, some success, PowerPoint projection screen, dubstep mine. Its reputation, the reality of such practices, and the risk of re Alism “marketing gimmicks reduced”, and I was invited to stand or on the basis of that I am convinced that there is safety. In fact, the inherent quality of philosophy, but it is rarely the subject of snide commentary.