Organic Interface #5

Description

Organic Interface #5 is an interactive sound sculpture that uses two Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees as tactile antennas of a Theremin-like instrument. The trees are housed in a rolling speaker cabinet unit and are automatically engaged when a human body is within close proximity. Body contact with the plant increases pitch. Depending on how the plant is touched, one a can create a range of frequencies. The simultaneous connection of the two trees creates inter-modulations between two oscillators. A wall text explains proper interaction and suggests ideas on how to make music involving multiple participants.

Explanation

The Organic Interface Series is a body of work investigating organic matter as a mediatory control device for interactive electronic media. The goal for this particular permutation of the series was to develop a biophonic musical instrument similar to a Theremin. Proximity sensitivity proved to be very difficult in this application; therefore, a tactile instrument was developed. The speaker-cabinet unit was designed to house two trees, one at either end, to facilitate collaboration amongst the audience.  As a musical instrument Organic Interface #5 was successful because it possessed a wide sonic palate to create and shape sound.

In traditional musical instrument terms, however, a “Houseplant Theremin” is not tremendously desirable because it doesn’t subscribe to the Western tempered scale. This piece intentionally frees one from pre-conceived notions of musical instruments, in addition to encouraging exploration and improvisation. Organic Interface #5 is totally interactive and allows for group participation and manipulation of sound. Often an audience member is totally taken by surprise by the idea of a plant as an electronic conduit of control.  Normal associations are disrupted and the viewer is persuaded to re-evaluate their understanding of plants and the relationship between plants and electronics, advancing a new and different way of thinking about the role and involvement of plants and organic matter in our digital world.

Technical Overview

As an artist without an electrical engineering background, I approached this project systematically and initiated simple experiments that later became building blocks. The electronics involved in this series are widely varied depending on the type of interaction desired and the kind of plant used. After exploring and building a dozen Theremin circuits, I concluded that the most basic design worked best in this application. Typical Theremin capacitive resistive circuits were not successful in this application while resistive inductive circuits worked somewhat, different circuits are needed for each application. In experimenting with different plants as sensor antennas, I discovered that Alberta Spruce trees sound great and are resilient to excessive handeling. In short, I assembled the piece together using a sensor circuit interfaced with a homemade synthesizer by an optical isolation device.

Unfortunately, the other attempts in this series were unsuccessful, but each was an important research vehicle that led me to an actual functioning prototype. This project is only the beginning of technologies being developed for a new series of tactile interfaces working with interactive media such as sound, video and the web.

What I enjoyed most with the piece was the interaction of participants. Frustrations arose due to misunderstanding the piece or trying to replicate a known song.  It was difficult for participants to get over preconceived notions of a traditional instrument.  Organic Interface #5 forces the audience to reevaluate their relationship with nature and explore the relationship with organic matter as a mediator to digital media.