[phase/shift] is an interactive audio installation exploring the phenomenon of audio feedback and the phaser effect through embodied interaction. The work invites visitors to directly manipulate sound by moving a microphone through a surround sound environment, creating a cascading feedback loop where frequencies continuously shift higher.
This work was made in collaboration with Floor Stolk.
CONCEPT
[phase/shift] explores the materiality of sound and the physical relationship between audio input and output. By creating a system where visitors become active participants in generating the soundscape, the installation makes visible (or rather, audible) the often imperceptible mechanics of sound propagation and transformation.
The work operates at the intersection of acoustic physics and interactive art, turning the scientific phenomenon of phase shifting into an embodied experience. As participants move through the space, they discover how subtle changes in microphone positioning dramatically alter the sonic outcome, creating unique acoustic patterns that continuously evolve.
EXPERIENCE
Visitors enter a dimly lit space where they encounter a microphone positioned centrally. As they pick up and move the microphone through the room, they immediately hear how their actions influence the surrounding soundscape. The initial low-frequency oscillator tone gradually transforms as the feedback loop intensifies, creating an escalating pitch that demonstrates the phaser effect in real-time.
This direct cause-and-effect relationship creates moments of discovery as participants experiment with different microphone positions, distances from speakers, and movement patterns. The experience shifts between states of harmony and tension, control and chaos, as visitors learn to navigate the delicate feedback threshold.
TECHNICAL
Pure Data: Custom-built audio processing patch creating a dynamic oscillator system
Surround Sound System: Multi-channel speaker arrangement creating an immersive sonic environment
Physical Interface: Physical microphone on a standard serving as the primary interaction device
Feedback Loop: Real-time recording and playback system that captures, processes, and amplifies audio signals