spaceandmusic- shane barriscale

8/3/2019 SpaceandMusic- Shane Barriscale

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Table of Contents

First Impressions and Pre-Loaded Conceptions.............. P.1

Stakeholders- Human Actors:Cultural.. P.2

Commercial...... P.2Social..... P.2Users.. P.3

- Non-Human ActorsLocation. P.4

Position.. P.4Shape/Size P.4Colour. P.4Intention. P.4Technology P.4Materials P.5

Tactile Material Considerations/Previous Architectural KnowledgeSteel.. P.5

Concrete... P.5Cloth...... P.5Glass..... P.5Plastic P.5Stone. P.6Timber P.6

Relevant Research FieldsPsychology... P.6Art.. P.6

Performance. P.6Education.. P.6Interaction Design P.7

A Topical Consideration/Concern.....P.7

In Conclusion..................P.7

Bibliography..P.8


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First Impressions and Pre-loaded ConceptionsApproaching this investigation, I decided it was necessary to first empty mymind of all I do know, and only then try and fill it with new knowledge.

Hopefully the meeting point of old and new sparks some interesting

discussion on my area of interest; Space and Music.

Coming from an architecture and music background, I have often tried tomarry connecting thoughts about space and music together conceptually.

Firstly, at its most basic level, music sounds very different depending

on the space that it is performed in. The material that the walls are made of,the aspect of lenght to height, the absorbancy and reflectance, the textureand bevelling, overhangs, furniture, cloth etc.

Secondly, consider the instrument itself, a vessel thats a specificshape, with the space inside adding to the timbre of the music coming out.Each instrument has its own unique form based on the type of sound that isneeded. So the dynamic of this type of music stems from a small space

within a large space.Thirdly, something which is becoming more prevalant and ubiquitous

everyday is synthetic music and music technology. The possibilities of thesetypes of innovations move away from physical spaces and suddenly becomemore about soundscapes, ambience, background and something that can

now be experienced through many different media, such as speakers,earphones, sound booths etc.

An important critique, which I was constantly subject to was the debate

between what constitutes music and what constitutes sound. A recurringrebuttle to this question is that sound concerns all aural media- noise,environment etc.- and that music concerns sculted and intentional sound.What is left largely unexplored in my thoughts so far is, what are the benefitsof each, and do unorganised sounds contribute to emotional responses thesame way as organised, musical pieces do. It has been widely studied that

chants such as plainchant, something which is less about musical flourishand more about resonance and sync, has been known to show positivehealth implications.1

1http://www.medjournal.com/pdf/chants.pdf


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Stakeholders- Human ActorsCultural-Artists/Designers/MusiciansThe area of sound and space is already an established artistic discipline, withthe prevalence of sound artists and experimental musicians. The followingare two interesting examples I have come across:

The Singing Ringing Tree2- What struck me about this piece was the

fact that it was dynamic, not always producing the same notes, depending onsomething as varied as the change of the wind to change its music. It alsohas a location and a fixed position. Unlike a regular instrument, people canmove around it freely, their contribution merely being there. If the amount ofpeople viewing it actually affected the wind levels, I think the piece would beeven more dynamic. Therefore, for my investigations in the future, controland changeabilityare important factors.

John Cage Prepared Piano3- John Cage experimented with varying

the sounds of an existing instrument through quite dynamic additions, suchas screws, bolts, metal tubing, coins etc., being placed on the strings inside.The outcome meant that a clear music note could be heard alongside avaried and largely unplanned cacophony of other sounds. In this instance,variationand, once again, changeabilityare important factors.

Commercial-Businesses/Clients/Developers

In terms of emerging technologies, there is more and more scope forpersonal sound equipment, as each new iteration of hardware and softwarebecomes tighter, more compact, more accessible, albeit more expensive.The realm of music technology in particular can truly benefit from theenhancement of Human Computer Interaction, because the Digital Natives4now grow up with an inherent knowledge of technology. In times gone by,

people had to learn the complex skill or craft of playing an instrument, thatcan go on to developing an interest in spatial acoustics through orchestrasand choirs. With new music based technology, the learning curve is nowquicker, the skillset more uniform and multi-platform, and the frequency ofuse are more widespread.

Social-Attractions/Concerts/Meeting/InteractionIf there were a way of taking these new commercial technologies, and

sculpting them into a location or group once more, like the choir room, ororchestra chamber of old, then that is something I am interested in exploring

in this project right now. I have already taken part in one project that attemptsto bridge music and space through technology- The Virtual Choir. Eventhough my previous investigations on Geotagging for the first assignmentshowed many negatives, a shining point through all that is that people stillcrave connection to other people. As Sellen states in her questioning articleBeing Human- HCI in 20205, one of the growing concerns for the area ofHCI and Interaction Design is that of Hyper-Connectivity and the fact that itis fuelling peoples desire to communicate and be connected to others. The

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http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Singing-Tree.gif 3

http://www.batagov.com/photo/F2/prepared%20piano.jpg4 http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20%20digital%20natives,%20digital%20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf5http://research.microsoft.com/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A3.pdf


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Virtual Choir is an example of this. Anyone who fancied themselves a singer

could simply record themselves singing their line, post it on YouTube, followa blog on the process, then eventually view the final parsed track andaccompanying video and be a part of the credits of the project. The projectwas non-profit (at least as far as I could find out) because it didn t aim to becommercially viable. What it did do was facilitated a group experience devoid

of the group. This is where remote technologyis leading us. In the context ofmusic and space, which I am discussing, this has implications on whether the

created space is real or virtual. Virtual Space could end up being animportant actor in this investigation, rather than an actual physical location.

Users-Casual/Therapy/RecreationThe last of the stakeholders to be discussed are the people that are affectedby and use the area, separate from the artist and designers. Some of them

have already begun to reveal themselves gradually in the musings above:Technology Enthusiasts- In the emergence of new music technology

and related software, this category of people will most likely be one of the firstto take it on board. As stated above in this essay, the digital nativesespecially will grasp new technologies quickly based on prior exposure to

other software granting them a faster learning curve.Musicians- Amateur/Professional- The overarching topic of

Psychology of Music and Space will doubtless be affected by actors such as

musicians, both professional and amateur. To what extent though is stillunclear. Perhaps I can consider myself as an artist-designer, since I haveactive experience in both fields. This however could go either way for me. Athorough understanding of each component may help me understand theinputs and actors sooner, but it may also cloud my judgment with layers of

bias, and personal taste (This could end up being an exercise in focus anddiscipline more than anything else).

Everyday Users- Casual/Patron- Separate to musicians, you havemusic lovers themselves. This can be anything from the casual, or passivelistener who appreciates music but has no real conviction about it, to theactive patron that buys and downloads music, goes to concerts etc.Depending on the final project development, the role might be to enhance theinterest of the passive user while peaking the interest of the active. Thisalready flashes early warning signs, because the interest level between the

two might be so disparate. Im hoping a mix of two conceptual ideas; Space

and Music. This might prove stimulating enough for multiple user types to useand appreciate. Still, there is always potential to delve even further and notlimit conceptions at all at these early stages.

Accidental Users- The last group of users I have noticed are peoplethat find themselves in the midst of music unintentionally. Because music is

such a publically expressed form of media, its unlikely that people will passthrough life without ever having to engagewith it at some point. So there isalways potential for this particular type of user to engage without bias or pre-

judgment. This could prove valuable in the prototyping phase if the UserCentred Design model is used during the design phase. If a participatorydesign approach is used, then it could even eliminate the bias that might

occur with the artist-designer.


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Non Human ActorsThis section attempts to look at the the elements that affect the stakeholdersabove when it comes to designing an idea based on these early conceptions:

Location-Locating a Space and Music conceptual idea is tricky because of allthe factors already stated above. The circumstance of whether the space is

physical, virtual of even emotional/psychological (brain space?!) is one that Icant answer just yet. With further development, Im sure that this will revealitself over time.

Position-This refers to a location within a location. In physical space, this iswhere to place the idea/prototype/installation. In virtual space, it involveslayout and structured ideas of interaction design and how the end user mightexperience it prior to use.

Shape/Size- Is it large, small, round, jagged, bevelled, hidden, attractive,climb in, walk around, stand under, walk past?

Colour- Colour is interesting because it often brings with it strong emotions

just as music does. The oft heard about are that red is angering and blue iscalming. Something which is peaking my interest right now is the concept of

mood, and my initial thoughts about this is that music coupled with colourcould prove of interest. Perhaps juxtaposing the two could create aninteresting dialogue between emotional responses. Also, the possibility of ausers mood actively affecting a design is potentially a stimulating topic. Thehows and whys can remain quietly anonymous, at least for now.

Intention- This refers to what the purpose of the design is and why. Many ofthese reasons have already been stated above (recreation, social,commercial etc.) It is worth noting though that intention is a considerableactor in my mind, which is why the design philosophies such as CulturalProbes6 dont strike a chord with me. They are too lax with the informationthey produce. I personally am in favour of active research. Despite falling intothe role of an artist designer, the design should be something useful, and not

just for me.

Technology- Technology is a two way street. This is something that we have

discussed during Foundations, but something that should come with a deeperlevel of understanding. Because technology is commercially driven, emergenttechnologies happen gradually based on peoples interest and financialcircumstance, advances available at the time, but also on progression bydevelopers following ethnographic and laboratorial research. The flip side is

that the users hold a lot of sway, insofar as a perfectly functioning technologycould be readily rejected, for whatever reason. Music based technology is stillsomewhat specialist, although more and more people are coming into contactwith it interactively through easy to use programs such as GarageBand andAudacity, and specialist apps on iPhone and Android Smartphones.Perhaps this is the perfect time to push forward with something more

6http://cleo.ics.uci.edu/teaching/Winter10/231/readings/3-GaverDunnePacenti-CulturalProbes.pdf


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technically demanding, since user acceptance of these types of software is

improving year by year. And the growth of techno-dependency means thatperhaps people will now make a stronger effort to learn something new andcomplex. (Arduino, for example, proves to be a popular technology to thepoint where users have gone out of their way to modify and complexify it).

Materials- Finally, materials is something which has already come up in the

introduction. It contributes greatly to physical spaces that music is performedin, colouring and shaping the sound based on texture, density, reflectanceetc. It also bears conceptual consideration in music technology and virtualspace. This is because synthetic tracks aim to imitate real life sounds. Simplephenomena such as echo and reverb are physically possible because ofshape, space and material in the real world, and they are a constant in music

technology and synthetic soundscapes.

Tactile Material Considerations/ Previous Architecture KnowledgeFollowing on from the last point, I wish to note some of the basic properties

worth considering from a selection of common materials, from structuring totheir impact on sound (many of which come from an architectural standpoint):

Steel- Steel is a commonly used building material because its strong intension, and so is perfect for networks such grids and lattice. It is not sostrong in compression because it tends to bend. This is overcome using the

above networks, with the horizontal and vertical elements supporting eachother. On a smaller scale, it is mouldable because it is poured and cast.

Therefore the surface can be affected in any way desirable.

Concrete- Opposite to steel, concrete is good in compression. It is weaker intension and can crack and break, similar to snapping a piece of chalk, if toomuch pressure is placed on the weakest point. Like steel, it is mouldable, andso can be shaped and textured. It is also cheaper than steel, and quite

readily available in Ireland.

Cloth- In terms of sound, the textile can absorb and soften sound waves, so itoften used in concert halls and recording studios to deal with issues like echoand reverb. Because there are so many types of fabric, there is a hugeamount of different densities that can be explore to suit the needs of thesituation.

Glass- In terms of sound, glass mostly reflects sound waves. It lets somethrough by absorption, but this can be caught within if multiple layers ofglazing are applied. This is useful in a recording studio if constant visibility isneeded. Glass is also somewhat mouldable, but to much, much lesser extentthan steel and concrete.

Plastic- Being a synthetic compound, plastic polymers can be made with a

variety of densities to suit the need of the situation. Their lightness butdurability also makes them popular choices for outer casings and bodies ofmachines and installations.


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Stone- Stone has many properties similar to concrete. Its main limitation is

that it is static. It has to be assembled in Lego block fashion, which makes itstrong in compression, but only as strong as the mortar in tension. It hasvarying textures, and can be scored and carved into desired shapes. It alsohas a variety of densities based on location, weathering, or inherent materialproperties, which can work favourably in different music environments

because of absorption and reflection.

Timber- The benefit of timber is that it has a grain and so, if layered cleverly,can be strong in all direction. It can also be scored and textured to reflectsound in interesting ways, and the densities change depending on thespecies, which will affect reflectance and absorption.

(It should be noted at this point that although all these material properties

describe a larger scale, it is not certain yet if my proposal will take on a largescale proportion)

Relevant Research FieldsThere are many fields that touch off the topic of Music and Space already,some more so than others. The following is a short list giving a briefindication of each

Psychology- This covers a multitude, ranging from music therapy disciplines

to general areas of health and wellbeing through music. I happened upon animportant resource recently, which features years of publications about musicand psychology7. Although I havnt had time to peruse all the articles yet, a

quick look over 2011s papers shows some interesting discusssions, such as

the effect of background music on adults8, the effect of atonal and tonalmusic on listeners9, the relationship between touch and sound10, and identitydevelopment of children through music11.

Art- It has already been discussed numerous times that the art field stronglyaffects Music and Space.

Performance- Performance is tricky, because it has moved from thetechnically skilled playing music in a set location to more experimently, widely

available, technologies that more people could play and interact with. Onceagain, this has already been discussed regarding virtual and physical space,and the changing nature of the stakeholders involved.

Education- There are two programs I have come into contact with that use

music in a positive and affiramative way with education. One I merely hearabout- Breaking the Cycle- which is located in Ballymun in Dublin andprovides an outreach program for disadvantaged children to learn recorders,

7http://pom.sagepub.com/content/by/year8http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/424.refs.html9http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/468.refs.html10http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/449.refs.html11http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/403.refs.html


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strings and voice. They recently filmed a documentary of the experience that

will shown in local cinemas12. Another is the Sing Out With StringsProgram13, who I recently saw perform during the interval of a concertfeaturing a choir Im in, the County Limerick Youth Choir, and the NationalChamber Choir of Ireland. This initiative was set up by the Irish ChamberOrchestra Education Division, and shows what a positive impact music can

have in developing areas.

Interaction Design- All the potentials of new technologies, coupled with theupcoming idea of virtual space over physical space, bodes well for InteractionDesigners, as this means that the reacting to an interface will become moreand more important than playing a physical instrument itself in the future.

A Topical Consideration/ConcernsAptitude- A concern raised by Levetin in an article on music psychology14 isthat in the case of children, they may not all have the same cognitive ability to

learn and understand the mechanics of music. He notes that some scholarsbelieve it comes down to genetics (which is also know to be something that

can affect singing voice). But, as Levetin comments, much of this informationremains in the realms of theory and speculation, since no substantial studyhas been conducted on the area.

In ConclusionSo, after looking into all the important actors and stakeholders, it seems that

this project could go either way right now. It could either be a large scalething that people can engage with and interact with (maybe play?), or asmall scale thing, whos mechanics and functionality exist behind the scenein a virtual/digital framework. Of course, there is always potential to combinethe two, having both a physical and a virtual interaction. This could alsoprompt a discussion about proximity, do you have to be there or can it beengaged with remotely. But this discussion has already revealed a lot of

potentials in the area, which I am looking forward to exploring throughout thenext semester. To conclude, here are a few snapshots ideas of the potentialareas that my design for this project might go:

Colour and Music

Interactive Ambient Soundscapes

Responsive Mood Environments

****Heres a link to my undergrad thesis for extra reading, if youre interested!

http://ulir.ul.ie/handle/10344/1316

12http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2011/1216/1224309131855.html13http://singoutwithstrings.blogspot.com/ 14http://levitin.mcgill.ca/articles/2007-Levitin-Music_Psychology_of.pdf


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Bibliography

1- http://www.medjournal.com/pdf/chants.pdf2- http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Singing-Tree.gif

3- http://www.batagov.com/photo/F2/prepared%20piano.jpg

4- Prensky, M., 2001. Digital natives. October. Available at:http://www.questnet.net.au/questnet2006/papers/Chris%2520Grist_QUESTnet_Version_1.p

df.5- Harper, R. et al., 2008. Being Human. Microsoft Cambridge. Available at:http://research.microsoft.com/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A3.pdf.

6- Gaver, B., Dunne, T. & Pacenti, E., 1999. Cultural Probes. interactions, 6(february),p.21-29. Available at: http://cleo.ics.uci.edu/teaching/Winter10/231/readings/3-

GaverDunnePacenti-CulturalProbes.pdf.

7- http://pom.sagepub.com/content/by/year8- http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/424.refs.html9- http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/468.refs.html10- http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/449.refs.html11- http://pom.sagepub.com/content/39/4/403.refs.html12-

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2011/1216/1224309131855.html 13- http://singoutwithstrings.blogspot.com/

14- http://levitin.mcgill.ca/articles/2007-Levitin-Music_Psychology_of.pdf


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spaceandmusic- shane barriscale

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