Message in a bottle

Messages in jars:

Paul De Marinis’ The Messenger deals with the interrelationship between electronic communications technologies and modern lifestyle.

The installation splices up old-fashioned telegraphy to electronic e-mail traffic. E-mails are received by a computer and distributed to three systems of output devices that enable installation visitors to experience the messages sensorially:



- 26 washbasins arrayed in a large oval; each basin is assigned a letter in the alphabet and a unique voice. Built-in loudspeakers serially intone the individual letters of the incoming e-mail.

- 26 dancing skeletons wearing ponchos displaying one of the letters of the alphabet. The letters of the message activate the corresponding skeleton and the chorus line’s dance reproduces the text of the e-mail.

- 26 electrolytic jars with metal electrodes in the form of the letters A to Z oscillate and bubble when electricity is passed through them and let the letters of the e-mail glow in color.

Movie.



The Messenger is inspired by XVIIIth Century physician and naturalist Francesc Salva i Campillo's output device for his telegraph equipment. The system involved an array of 26 servants who, following an electrical shock, would each call out a particular letter of the transmitted message, which could then be understood by a listener.

One of the winners of Ars Electronica 2006. Via ars electronica blog (cool! means that someone else is extensively and professionally covering the festival so this year i'll finally enjoy the festival and won't bother writing about it like a maniac).

Other work by De Marinis: Fire speaking to you.

Paul is my favorite sound artist - I worked on his CD "music as a second language" check it out...

via we make money not art

Cycling '74 Releases UpMix

Cycling '74 Releases UpMix:








SURROUND PROCESSING AND MIXING PLUG-INS
San Francisco, CA • May 3, 2006 - Cycling '74, a San Francisco-based music software company, today released UpMix, a surround processing and mixing software package. UpMix has been developed and tested by a team of surround sound professionals and utilizes proprietary algorithms to convert stereo audio into an immersive 6-channel mix suitable for Film, DVD, HD Broadcast and Music surround formats.

The flagship plug-in, named UpMix, provides functionality that can speed the repurposing of stereo or mono audio content into a surround environment. By providing a number of algorithms and advanced positioning control, UpMix offers an easy way to expand an entire mix or individual elements of a mix into immersive surround tracks.

Five additional plug-ins handle common surround mixing tasks:

• Rotator moves a 5.1 mix in a circular fashion—allowing the point of view to follow the on-screen action.
• ReRoute acts as a universal format router allowing the conversion of any 6 channel format to another.
• ReBalance provides a set of level controls for each of the 6 channels within an interleaved multichannel file or bus.
• FoldDown gives you the ability to check your surround mix in stereo, with standards-based center channel and surround channel gain reduction options.
• ReBalance is a simple set of level controls for each of the six surround channels.
• LFE-6chan is a low-frequency generator/enhancer for both individual tracks and entire mixes.

These tools provide an unprecedented level of control. When used as part of an engineer’s toolkit, they can aid in the creation of a deep, immersive mix. UpMix promises to be an innovative tool that increases productivity and ease in professional surround productions. UpMix is available for users of Pro Tools TDM (Macintosh OS X or Windows), Steinberg Nuendo and Cubase SX 3 (Macintosh OS X or Windows) and MOTU Digital Performer.



Price and Availability


UpMix MSRP US$495 and is available from Cycling '74 and its retail dealers and distributors.

Note: I've been using Max/MSP since before the beginning (before it was sold by Opcode!) Which is an amazing program for custom sound design, and much more. Cycling '74 is a great company and I can't wait to check this stuff out - they usually have free trials for their software.

Alex