at Platform Arts, Belfast
March 2014, from 11am to 7pm
Event partners: PLACE Build Environment centre, Sonic Arts Research Centre and Recomposing the City
48Hz is an immersive imaginary soundscape of Belfast. A multi-channel sound installation that uses field recordings from ‘X Marks the Spot’ as the ground material for a drone composition.
The sound installation attempts to unveil and present to the listener the inner world hidden in the drone of the telecommunication boxes.
Each drone, with a fundamental frequency close to 48Hz, is unique and presents different sonic characteristics. For this installation I have selected two of the boxes as the single material for the composition: Sunnyside Street and Lockview Road.
The field recordings were analyzed in order to determine the key frequencies from each drone. By applying narrow band-pass filters it was possible to subtract the ambient noise and isolate the drone.
The 3-part composition progresses from a more “objective” perspective towards a more “subjective” one. Firstly it introduces the original recordings. Then, each individual frequency composing the drone is presented through a partially random selection and accumulation algorithm. Finally, the same material is played at different octaves with phase-shifted envelopes.
The installation generates a new version of the composition at each playback, creating a slightly different listening experience each time. The space is designed to invite the listeners to lie down on the floor and fully immerse themselves in the sonic experience.
