This month we hosted the NW Audiovisualist’s (NWAV.org) monthly event in Portland, Oregon to highlight creativity and technology. Below is a summary of the event to spark new ideas that tie into the above notions social + real-time intereractive media.
I believe that we are in a massive cycle of convergence that will re-create the notion of “social media”. Today, social media is more about “social” than “media” because the media production tools are still somewhat fragmented, expensive and hard to integrate quickly. This next year we will see this rapidly change with the launch of the Apple iPad and downward pricing pressure on multimedia laptops, Pico Projectors, HD video cameras and other converging technologies.
Soon we will start to see collaborative music and media production across social networks in real-time. WiMAX wireless broadband penetration and increased broadband over cable and fiber will add velocity to the new “social + digital interactive media” convergence. Multi-Touch screens, computer vision, gestural inputs via FLIR thermal sensors and other sensors will collide to create new interactive media experiences. These technologies will then enable a new level “Augmented Reality” experiences that will merge the digital world with the real world and create a new generation of business models.
Visit http://www.modestudios.com/#/home and click the bottom right link “Interactive Installations” to better understand what is possible today.
NWAV.org is a group working to perpetuate a grass-roots movement that educates and inspires a new wave of synergy across computer, music and visual technology. Currently, we are connecting the NW new media and audio-visualist community from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver B.C. .
Visit: http://www.nwav.org for events and information
Follow: http://www.twitter.com/nwav
Friend up: Facebook Fan Page
Thomas Wester from Second Story will share details on how they built the Market Data Mirrors using OpenGL and the Body Collective using VVVV.
“Integrated into the architecture of the Bank of America Tower trade floor elevator bank, the Market Data Mirrors interact with live data feeds and visualize financial information on a mirrored surface. These dynamic 3-D visualizations bring form, color, and motion to live market data in an intelligent and elegant manner, allowing viewers to quickly grasp current data and market trends over time. The different data sets—indexes, commodities, rates, and currencies—are realized in colorful patterns and shapes on different planes, each taking their turn on the stage communicating their value, volume, and historical trajectory.”
Chris demonstrated his multitouch audio cutup system. As you will see in the videos and photos below the system looks space-age and demonstrates what is possible by blending various technologies together to create a new concept in audio visual music synthesis.
multi-touch the storm - interactive sound visuals - subcycle labs from christian bannister on Vimeo.
This type of experimentation is a great way to explore new paradigm shifting “experiences” that merge music production and visual synthesis. I am sure that if you put a traditional piano and Christian’s Multi-Touch system next to each other in a mall, that 99.9% of the people would gravitate to the multi-touch system. I can imagine tying this system to a performance recording system that then syndicates across the social sphere.
We have yet to even “scratch the surface” of what people will create with the new Apple iPad using multi-touch audio and visuals. The business implications are global and may re-shape how music is created in the future. Now you see that the NWAV.org group is not a bunch of “ravers” playing with electronic music and visuals. The group is made up of cutting edge experts, creatives, musicians and visualists who are working to spread knowledge how to merge technology with creativity.
Brandon demoed a few a songs and answered questions on building and running a one-man show. In his demonstration we watch both music and audio working in sync to create a new performance experience. This is the future of real “music television” or “music videos” because CPU and GPU speeds allow us to mix music and visuals in parallel.
The experience as a performer and spectator is a whole lot more exciting and fun when our eyes are connected to our ears. This is why huge global acts like U2 and Nine Inch Nails merge the two mediums at rock concerts.
Brandon’s system leverages - Ableton Live, VDMX, Quartz Composer, Molar and a Monome music interface.
In 2007 I hosted the first “New Media Synergy” underground media event at my loft space in Pioneer Square. The idea was to create a non-corporate type of technology gathering that explores new media technology. From my standpoint most of the best new technology ideas bubble up from the underground, thus Seattle was in need of a place to gather without the typical business crowd mix where everyone is trying to sell you something.
The next year in 2008 I connected with Bryant Place via the multi-touch music interface company called Jazz Mutant, famous for their space-age looking Lemur touch-interface product. Bands such as Daft Punk use the Lemur for live music shows because of it’s progressive multi-touch design. A few month’s later, Bryant connected me up with Surya Buchwald, known for is creation of Los Angeles Audio Visualists group (LAVA). Surya moved to Portland, Oregon, and started NWAV to bring LAVA style networking and events to the Northwest region. Shortly after his move to Portland, we connected online and then collaborated to create the first Seattle NWAV event (and follow up events) with a number of video dj “VJ” friends in Seattle like T.J. Davis, Scobot, Bob Bonniol, Jacob Stone among others. This is how our NWAV Seattle group started as a grass roots effort. I want to add that Surya Buchwald is one of the most down to earth and nicest people I have ever met. He is very open and shares his technology, ideas and secrets.
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