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Acoustic Inertia




The experiment
A bowl is placed over an oval speaker cone. The vibration of the cone causes the bowl to rock back and forth. When using ball bearings, the balls move around in the bowl adding rattling tones to the sound. When using a liquid, the vibrations make cymatic patterns in the liquid, but also inertia means that the liquid appears to stay in the same place while the bowl moves around it.

The object
Perhaps four speakers are arranged, two with ball bearings, two with liquid. They can be arranged in a number of patterns or configurations.

Sound
Responds to low frequency bass sounds - can provide bass lines in overall installation soundscape.
Pre-recorded.

Audience experience
Unmediated

Use
Installation and performance bass lines

Equipment
4 x speakers with oval cones
2 x stereo amps
4 x metal bowls matching the speaker cone size
ball bearings
rheoschopic liquid

Also viewable on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/337667196

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