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Subject: Dead Media Working Note 07.9
Dead medium: Sonovision
From: jackr_AT_intrepid.axess.com (Jack Ruttan)
Source: KINETIC ART: THEORY AND PRACTICE, Selections
from the Journal Leonardo, Frank J. Malina ed, New York,
Dover Publications Inc. 1974.
This is a book full of information about kinetic and early
computer and holographic art. I'll quote something
relatively contemporary, from "SONOVISION: A Visual
Display of Sound," by S. R. Wagler:
"A new device has been invented by Lloyd G. Cross
that makes a visual display in color correlated to sound
by projecting a krypton or helium-neon laser light beam on
to a translucid screen or opaque surface (((below is a
diagram, which simply shows a laser beam being reflected
off a membrane stretched over the cone of a speaker, and
hitting a screen or wall))).
"When there is no sound input to the device, the
beam gives only a pinpoint of light. When one simple sound
or musical note is introduced into the device, the dot
moves in an ellipse at the frequency of the sound
supplied. The size of the ellipse is related directly to
the loudness of the note and can be adjusted by turning a
knob on the control panel. When the note is changed to
another one, a different ellipse with a new orientation is
formed. When two notes are introduced simultaneously, the
laser beam produces a combination of the two ellipses,
similar to the Lissajous patterns obtained from cathode-
ray tubes. Thus a symphony of notes will result in a
symphony of ellipse interference patterns on the display
screen.
[...]
"Repeatability means that a way is now available
for the deaf to 'see' music and obtain a new experience
and the device may also be useful in speech therapy.
"A second mode of operation is available in the
same set. A spinning prism produces a circle in place of
the dot when the beam is at rest. When one or more notes
are fed into the device, petal-type deviations from the
circle result.
[...]
"The invention of Cross has been incorporated in
several kinds of commercial units under the trade name
_Sonovision_. [...] Editor's note; Attempts to contact
Sonovision, Inc. and S.R. Wagner in 1972 were
unsuccessful.
Jack Ruttan
Dead
Media | 0.01-02.0 | 02.1-04.0
| 04.1-06.0 | 06.1-08.0 |
08.1-10.0 | 10.1-12.0 |