Portfolio
Daniel Tapper
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2015
Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes: 4 - 7 Installation and Performance: 8 - 11 Sound and Broadcast: 12 - 13 Instruments: 14 - 17 Code: 18 - 21 Publications: 22 - 25
Installation and Performance: Creating performance environments and experiences, responsive systems and audio-visual toys. This includes solo work and collaborative group performances. Sound and Broadcast: Working with sound as a medium to tell stories, I have made extensive recordings across the UK and North America which I use as source material for many pieces. Instruments: I build and modify instruments and tools to support my work in sound and performance. These instruments often become projects in their own right and are a way for me to interface with sound and other data in interesting ways.
Introduction
Code: Creative exploration of code. I showcase my work on the website Code Poetry. My work in the area has been featured by WIRED and the Creators Project.
My name is Dan Tapper, I am an artist and creative technologist specialising in sound art, interactivity and new media. I have a keen interest in combining art, science and technology to create immersive experiences.
Publications: I am co-founder of a publication called +-, focusing on crossovers between art and science. Each edition focuses on a specific field of study such as Microscopy.
This portfolio looks at a cross section of my work from late 2012 - 2015, presenting work in six distinct categories of my artistic practice; Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes: My research and artistic exploration of Very Low Frequency (VLF) natural radio. This has included an experimental broadcast documentary, audio-visual works and large scale installations as well as publishing an artist’s guide to VLF and teaching workshops.
My future goal is to bring together my work, exploring interface design for improving people’s lives, creating objects that allow sensory expansion, creating platforms for open education and building spaces that inspire wonder.
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All work unless otherwise stated was created by and is copyright © to Dan Tapper, design by Dan Tapper
Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes is the name of the website where I present my work with VLF. This work brings together a number of my areas of practice: Installation, sound and broadcast composition, the creation of instruments in the form of antennas, receivers and analysis software, publications and workshops that share my knowledge of VLF.
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Second Edition In 2014 I began developing a VLF workshop called Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes. From the research involved in developing the workshop and watching how people responded to the information, I developed an expanded and more in depth second edition of the guide, which I published in 2015.
First Edition
VLF: A Sound Artist’s Guide VLF: A Sound Artist’s Guide is a publication that explains what VLF is, how it is used scientifically and how it can be heard and recorded. The guide contains information on making a DIY VLF antenna alongside looking at scientific and creative applications of VLF, reviewing recording devices and featuring a number of diary entries from my own VLF recording expeditions.
Both editions have proved very popular and have been accessed over 2000 times. The second edition of the guide features the work of several artists who were inspired by the first edition to explore VLF in their own artistic practice.
The guide was first published in 2013. 5
Some Call it Noise
Changing Signals
Some Call it Noise is a documentary I produced looking at the sounds, artists and experts working with Very Low Frequency (VLF) sound. I present these works and interviews layered together as a stream of consciousness sound work which can be experienced on multiple levels.
Changing Signals is an audio-visual piece exploring the hidden electromagnetic soundscapes of the London Underground. The recordings are split into three sections, each visually represented by a different tool used to analyze VLF signals, combined with footage taken on the London Underground alongside the audio.
The documentary features interviews and work from: Patrick Sykes, Dr Simon Foster, Stephen McGreevy, Dan Tapper, Nasa Sound Archive, Semiconductor, Joyce Hinterding, Alvin Lucier and Honor Harger
The signal analysis footage was contributed by Volker Klocke of the Oscilloscope museum and the Wellcome Library London. The piece was commissioned by GV Art Gallery London for the 2013 Noise and Whispers exhibition.
I have presented the documentary in Canada and the UK. The piece has also been broadcast on Resonance FM and Sonica FM. 6
A Machine to Listen to the Sky
Recording the Spirit Level
A Machine to Listen to the Sky is a large scale audio-visual installation, consisting of two VLF antennas elevated above ground level by a tethered weather balloon. The signals picked up by the antennas are presented as live audio.
Recording the Spirit Level is a piece commissioned in 2012 by experimental radio arts platform Radius. The piece is inspired by increased propagation of VLF and radio signals at night. The composition consists of a hyperreal representation of this time period, editing large quantities of recordings into a 12 minute broadcast piece.
One of the aims of the installation was to demystify the inaudible world of the VLF band and electromagnetic spectrum by presenting scientific phenomena within an arts context.
The piece has been broadcast in the USA, Canada, Austria, Slovenia and the UK as well as on several digital platforms.
Audience members where asked to interact with the sounds they where hearing by drawing graphical representations. The installation was performed at the American Museum in Britain on May 2nd 2013. 7
Installation and Performance
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The Sonic Christmas Tree
Behaviour
The Sonic Christmas Tree combines live electroacoustic and visual performance, manipulating the sounds of a Christmas tree prepared with contact microphones and interesting sonic decorations.
Behaviour is Bath Spa University’s live electroacoustic improvisation ensemble. I was a member during 2013. The performance I have highlighted is a 2013 concert as part of the Seeing Sound Symposium.
The lights on the tree respond to the audio through the use of bespoke software controlled using Arduino. The electromagnetic sound produced by the lights was also fed into the audio, creating a feedback loop between sound and visual.
For this particular performance the ensemble featured four graduates of the Creative Music Technology program performing alongside audio-visual artist and PhD student Jon Piggott. Behaviour Ensemble directed by Dr Andy Keep. Featuring Ollie Owen, Dan Tapper, Mark Lawrence and Dan Kay. Visuals created by Jon Piggot.
Audio processing was performed through a variety of bespoke and proprietary software. The performance took place in December 2013. 9
Thunderhead Thunderhead is an audio-visual installation, creating an abstract representation of the forces taking place within thunderstorms. The piece is a generative film work, manipulating images of thunderstorms into chaotic shapes, interacting with a generative composition created with maxMSP. The piece was displayed in 2012 in Bath, UK.
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Kaleido
GlitchmyFace
ColorImage
Morph
WarpFace
Visual Toy Collection
GlitchmyFace: Glitches an input image.
The Visual Toy Collection comprises of five interactive image manipulation tools and games. They are intended for play and designed with simple and colorful interfaces. Several of the toys also interact with audio as well as visual elements.
Kaleido: Creates a kaleidoscope effect from a source image. The kaleidoscope can be interacted with by creating loud noises. Morph: Morphs between two images WarpFace: Warps an image using multiple points. The number of points, gridsize and underlying geometry can be changed by the user.
The Visual Toys were presented alongside Thunderhead. Since this time I have developed a simple manual to explain to users how to install and use the tools on their own machines.
ColorImage: This down-samples an image and remixes it – the color value of the remixed image affects the sound output of a crude granular synthesizer controlling playback and grain position. 11
Sound and Broadcast
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North American Sound Diaries
Inverness to Edinburgh: Sonic Memories and Geographies
North American Sound Diaries is a project that explores the North American continent through a series of sound documentaries, field recordings and electroacoustic compositions taken from my travels around the North American continent.
Inverness to Edinburgh: Sonic Memories and Geographies is created from a series of recordings taken on a 200 mile journey by bike across Scotland, traveling over hills and wild camping.
The resulting works look at echoic memory and abstractions from place creating a psychogeographical map based on my experiences and interactions with each place.
The real and imaginary space of the recordings is explored through presenting the original unaltered field recordings (Geographies) alongside sound compositions based on imagination and memory (Memories).
The field recordings, compositions and writing from North American Sound Diaries have been broadcast and performed across a number of platforms including: NAISA, Cities and Memory and Sonic Terrain
The piece has been presented in the UK, Canada and online. 13
Instruments
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Ven_d Suite Ven_d: gesturally move though a number of samples represented using overlapping circles, X-Y axis of mouse controls pan and filtering. Delays, feedback and playback rate can be controlled via a fader bank.
Ven_d
Envelope Imposition: writes the envelope of one sound to another, also can be re-routed to control fx or other paramaters. Singing Bowls: freeze sound and manipulate it by rotating around a 360 degree space. Control speed and modulation.
Envelope Imposition
Grain Streamer: granular synthesizer with grain repitching. FFT Narrow Band Filter: FFT filter that allows very narrow bands of frequency to be isolated - gestural controls are included to move quickly between filter points.
Singing Bowls
Grain Streamer
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FFT Narrow Band Filter
SymbioSynth
Magnetised Strings
SymbioSynth is a patchable synthesizer system with three photo resistors. The sound generation circuit is made using a CMOS chip.
Magnetised Strings explores creating selfsustaining stringed instruments. My initial prototype consisted of a monochord setup. By running an electrical signal through the string with a strong magnet placed underneath I was able to vibrate the string, creating a tone.
By patching the inputs and the outputs of the chip in various ways interesting results can be achieved. Additional systems can be patched into the main synth board.
I developed the instrument to incorporate four strings, each string could have a separate signal running through it or the strings could be connected in series.
These act as control signals and can be utilised to create more interesting, complex sounds.
I used the Magnetised String instrument in a number of performances and recording experiments – including The Sonic Christmas Tree.
The photo resistors can be used to create sonic gestures. SymbioSynth made by Dan Tapper and Richard Tapper
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Feedback System
App based modular system
Augmented Electronic Systems During my time at Bath Spa University I developed several performance instruments made from modifying and creating interconnected systems of music technology, apps and sensors. I used ideas from systems theory to create optimum performance tools and also experimented creating my own electronics; electromagnetic coils, contact microphones, hydrophones and even attempted to grow my own piezo electric crystals.
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Code
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Code Poetry
Code Nebula
Code Poetry is a project that celebrates the beauty and simplicity found in code.
Code Nebula is a recent exhibition of digital art, part of the Wrong Biennale.
It is presented in the form of a blog, which was begun in 2013, to try and introduce generative art to new audiences by comparing it to Zen and Haiku poetry forms.
My work was featured alongside a number of successful digital artists including LIA, Glenn Marshall, Paul Prudence and Julien Bayle. The exhibition was also featured on the Creators Project where my work was mentioned and showcased.
The project has proved hugely popular with over 10,000 followers on Tumblr and features in WIRED and the Creators Project.
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WIRED My work with Code Poetry was featured in the April 2015 issue of WIRED UK. The artwork I provided headed the Play section of the magazine, I also contributed four additional images for the digital version of the publication. 20
Bjork, History of Touches
Dan Tapper, Juno Sketches
Sonic DNA Sonic DNA explores embedding audio data into static visuals and objects. This information can be viewed as beautiful images and also used as a medium to store information.
Clark, Winter Linn
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Publications
+-
+-
Microscopy
SCIENTIFIC MACHINERY
+- Magazine is copyright © of Dan Tapper and Juna Abrams, all work featured is copyright © of the contributing artists 22
+- Magazine +- is a new media publication and arts platform that I co-founded in 2013. Each publication looks at the intersection between art and science, exploring a specific area where these fields meet.
HeLa Cells, Microscopy
My role involves finding appropriate contributors within the arts and science community, commisioning new work, permissions and devising DIY art science experiments. I have also contributed written articles several times. The +- imprint is also used to publish my publication VLF: A Sound Artist’s Guide, Second Edition. Junko Mori, Microscopy
Scientific Haiku, Microscopy 23
BioArt Camp, Microscopy
Microscopy + Microscopy + is a DIY art experiment using homegrown microbial cultures made from combining yeast with a number of household foodstuffs - marmite, milk and orange juice. These three cultures were applied to a reel of analogue film in a dark room and then developed. The experiment resulted in over thirty images with each yeast culture having its own distinct colorations. In areas where the mixtures were applied strongly the images clearly show how parts of the film were eaten away, degrading it and leaving areas of patchy colour and scratch marks. Project devised by Dan Tapper and Juna Abrams
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Ivanpah, Scientific Machinery
Travis Southworth, Scientific Machinery
Ivanpah, Scientific Machinery
BioArt Machines by Elaine Whittaker, Scientific Machinery
Oramics Machine, Scientific Machinery
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Imagined Machine, Scientific Machinery
CV Education/Study: 2015 NAISA Sound Travels Intensive 2013 BA Creative Music Technology Exhibition, Installation and Video Works: 2015 Recording the Spirit Level, Extreme Weather, Murmur Gallery, Atlanta, USA 2015 Code Poetry, The Wrong Biennale, Code Nebula Pavilion, Digital Show 2015 Some Call it Noise, NAISA, Toronto, Canada, New River Studios, London, UK, Bath Spa University, UK 2015 Loch Ness - Resonant Waters, Kymmata, 03 Gallery, Oxford, UK 2013 Changing Signals, GV Art Gallery, London, UK, Cinecycle, Toronto, Canada 2013 A Machine to Listen to the Sky, American Museum, Bath, UK 2012 Thunderhead, Burdalls Yard, Bath, UK 2012 Visual Toy Collection, Burdalls Yard, Bath, UK Broadcast and Composition: 2015 Some Call it Noise, Resonance FM, Sonica FM 2014 Tour de Levis, Cities and Memory, Oxford, UK 2014 Monoliths on the River Elbe, Erinnerungen an eine Stadt, released Mobius Spin, Germany 2014 Tour de Levis, Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art, NAISA, Toronto, Canada 2014 Lake Ontario Sound Walk, World Listening Day 2014 Sonic Terrain Compilation - Decisions 2014 Inverness to Edinburgh: Sonic Memories and Geographies, Cities and Memory, Oxford, UK Resonance FM, London, UK, NAISA, Toronto, Canada 2014 Exploring Spaces, Sweet Thunder Music Festival, San Francisco, USA 2013 The Sonic Christmas Tree, CIUT FM, Toronto, Canada 2013 Sunsong - radio documentary on VLF by Patrick Sykes, Resonance FM, London, UK 2012 Recording the Spirit Level, Radius FM, Chicago, USA, Free Music Archive, Kunstradio, Austria,WGXC, Columbia, USA, Wave Farm/FREE103POINT9, New York, USA, radioCONA, Slovenia
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Publications and Workshops: 2015 Code Nebula featuring Code Poetry, Creators Project 2015 Guided VLF sound walk, New River Studios, London, UK 2015 VLF: A Sound Artist’s Guide, Second Edition, online resource 2015 Code Poetry feature, Wired UK 2015 Code Poetry feature, LAB Magazine 2015 Elegant Generative Art Explores the Haiku as Code - Code Poetry feature, The Creators Project 2014, 2015 Magnetic Signals and Radiophonic Soundscapes, VLF Workshop, NAISA, Toronto, Canada 2014 Scientific Machinery, +- Art Science Press, 2013 Microscopy, +- Art Science Press 2013 VLF: A Sound Artist’s Guide, online resource, Arnolfini Library, Bristol, UK, Radius Library, Chicago, USA Performances: 2015 A Pastoral Scene for a Digital Age, Glenville Rd Space, London, UK 2015 Deep Wireless Festival, NAISA, Toronto, Canada 2014 Tour de Levis, Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art, NAISA, Toronto, Canada 2013 The Sonic Christmas Tree, London, Glenville Rd Space, UK 2013 Behaviour Ensemble, Seeing Sound Conference, Bath Spa University, UK 2013 Tapper Branea, 44AD Gallery, Bath, UK 2013 Tapper Branea, Frome Noir, Somerset, UK 2013 Behaviour, Bath Fringe Festival, Bath, UK 2013 Sonfied Architecture, Burdalls Yard, Bath, UK 2012 FEED, Arnolfini, Bristol, UK Awards: 2013 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Music Technology, Bath Spa University
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www.dantappersounddesign.com
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