Wave Creatures is a project aiming to connect two dimensions through a device called oscilloscope.
It is an experiment. And it has been my main focus for two years now.
It is an artistic research during my Master studies at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague.
It is cross-modal art, unifying sound and vision with a one-to-one relationship without compromises.
It is a vision of an immersive multi-sensory experience.
It is authentic. No tricks, no 3D modeling. Just sound, visual shapes and their universal, multi-concrete mathematical ratios.
For the first time, an acoustic ensemble interacts live with an oscilloscope. Music and visuals merge in real time.
Wave Creatures is an escape plan. A way out the prison of our limited and fragmented senses.
The video above shows the first attempt of combining acoustic instruments and the oscilloscope in a live multimedia performance. Since then I have discovered new features of this technique to enhance its creative potential.
I have spent the last two years at the intersection of sound and vision through the innovative use of the oscilloscope in musical composition and performance. Originally a tool for scientific and industrial applications, the oscilloscope’s ability to transform electrical signals into dynamic visual patterns offers a unique opportunity for audio-visual expression. This study is motivated by a fascination with the device’s aesthetic and philosophical potential, as well as its capacity to bridge sound and image, creating a multi-sensory artistic experience. The central research questions guiding this investigation are: How can the oscilloscope be incorporated into compositional practice? Can it function as both a compositional tool and a live performance instrument? Is integration with acoustic instruments feasible, and how does it operate within an ensemble context? The findings highlight the oscilloscope’s potential to redefine traditional musical practices, offering new dimensions of creativity and interaction, bringing unexplored possibilities along with strict limits and challenges. This project contributes to the growing field of multimedia art, providing insights for composers and performers interested in exploring the translation of sound to image, and technology.
Thanks to the De Zaaier Foundation for awarding my research project with a grant in May 2024