Adam Guzman: Thesis Blog

I have uploaded the clips used in the live show for Nosaj Thing. These are the formatted for mixing in Modul8. Each clip belongs to a certain part of a song. We triggered and manipulated each clip live with 2 midi controllers. Our performance is focused around disorientation and using the projector as a light source. The first half of the show is dedicated to slowly building a visual style. The images are black and white lines and squares. The positive/negative space is used to create rhythm that is synced with the audio. As the set progresses, the imagery becomes less abstract and focused less on light. Patterns begin to form and space begins to open as if the two dimenions exploded into a third. The relationship the graphics create with the performer is interesting. As the graphics become more spatial, the performer flattens, becoming a 2-D cutout version of himself. This effect is unexpected, but pleasantly welcome.

Interesting project concept going on at If You Could: Collaborate.

Switching the traditional role of a sleeve designer and a musician, whereby the designer interprets visually the music of an artist. This proposal aims to switch the role. The designer (Build) will produce a series of images that the musician (Flying Lotus) will react to and interpret into music to accompany the images. The images will be projected in the gallery space with the accompanying music played alongside.

On Tuesday, I met with Ben Hooker, a member of the core faculty. I presented two ideas I have been working on for the last few weeks. The first is an installation- a further investigation of the project “small sounds.” I am making a 2 foot by 2 foot cube, lined with speakers and hard drives. The hard drives are modified to be a consistenly moving color wheel, based on persistence of vision. The speakers will be playing the amplified sound of the hard drive. I will achieve this by using ultrasonic microphones, the same microphones used in picking up bat’s communication signals. The viewer will step into the box, as if putting on a helmet. They will be immeresed in this barrage of sound and color.

This weekend, I met up with my colleague and good friend Chris Hamamoto. We discussed the ideas I have for my thesis projects. Chris has always been very good at articulating ideas. He has the ability to see things in a different light. He pointed out that my work so far (including the new idea I have for this term) is a social commentary. The immersion of technology. Each project is about creating an immersive experience for the viewer, but is immersion the right word? It’s almost as if I am trying to engulf the viewer. Does it get to the point where my projects are so immersive that I am able to break down a conscious barrier? How can I seize the viewer’s control to the point where they cannot control their physical or mental reaction?

Norman Klein has been an influence on my work since I started working with Nosaj Thing. He has a way about his words that makes sense with my nonsense. His constant spewing of ideas is integral to articulating my thoughts. I come to him with a vision. I say “Norman, I’m making a project that does this.” He says a million and one things in response.

When I began synching visuals with Nosaj Thing, Norman supported my ideas with a myriad of references. Fischinger has done this, this reminds me of this novel, you are playing with the diagetic space, talk to this person, etc. Now I have approached him with a new project.

The subliminal physical. Why did rock and roll get so loud? It goes right through your spine and warps your brain. David Byrne was right. The body understands its. Music is a sensation. How does it affect senses other than your hearing?

When you watch a movie, the sound has become so intense and exaggerated, it is meant to make the experience more believable in order to make the viewer comfortable. If there is dissonance between the sound and vision, the movie becomes something else. I am playing in this strange zone.

So what are my intentions? What can happen if I really get to the bottom of things?  I’m looking for a new direction in sound engineering and space. Performance and production. Musician and artist.

Praxis in my work is defined by goal-oriented actions. The action can be done for sake of being done, but will shape the end product.

Jacues Attali’s book Noise was recommended to me by Norman Klein. Attali takes a divisive approach to explaining his political theories on music. He divides music into two categories- lent and carvinal/fesitval. Lent is referring to the game of catch. It makes us value everyday activities, valuing the harmony of the world. Carnival is referring to the ring dance, or the creation of music for pleasurable means. My work has focused on both aspects of attali’s theory. Small Sounds clearly illuminates lent, while the Nosaj Thing project revolves around festival. The graphics are created out of pleasure and used to enhance the experience. The chapter on Representing is the most pensive. Attali states:

The use-value of spectacle involves parallel developments of music. As music develops as a commodity and as harmonic developments display rational progress, music makes us believe in social cohesion.

His theory makes sense, but I prefer to view with the tandem of sound and vision. As the visual aspect of music develops, the harmony created between the two is a powerful device for social cohesion. This is the power of the live performance. A strong performance is unrivaled in its momentary glory.

Last night Julia and I had our first live performance mixing visuals. We performed alongside Jason at Low End Theory in Los Angeles. The capacity at Low End is around 175. There were well over 600 people present. Insane! For that reason, the fire marshall shut us down twice. We got through the first 3 songs of the set on the outside stage. Julia and I controlled the graphics from a raised booth behind the crowd. In the middle of Fuk/Busta the power was shut off. We relocated to the upstairs stage inside, and frantically gathered our setup to continue the show with visuals. We set up a makeshift station to the side of the stage and picked up where we left off. The graphics had a very different feel indoors. In a way, having to relocate the performance was good for us. We got to see our work in two different settings. This will help us with future performances.

Clips can be see here .

The Nosaj Thing record release show is tonight. Julia and I have finished all the visuals we will be mixing live during his performance. We will be set up in a tree house like booth to the side of the stage. This is the midi controller we have mapped to our video clips vis the program, Modul8. More later…

The first major project of my M5 term. Julia, Jason and I are collaborating on the live show for the “Drift” record release. This is a continuation of the work I had done in my M4 term. We have taken a different visual direction than before. Because we will have to make visuals for each song in his 40 minute set, we are choosing to use simple geometric shapes and positive/negative space. Using the projector as a light source enables us to synch the visuals on the fly. I am creating half of the videos, while julia is creating the rest. The show is happening on Wednesday, June 10 at Low End Theory. If you are in the area, come check it out.

“There’s no way these people should own planes and there’s people who don’t have houses, apartments, shacks, drawers, pants”

“I know you’re rich, I know you’ve got 40 billion dollars. But could you just keep it to one house? You only need one house. And if you’ve only got 2 kids, can you just keep it to 2 rooms?… I mean why have 52 rooms and you know there’s somebody (out there) with no room!? It just don’t make sense to me.”

2pac shaped my childhood. I listened to his jekyll and hyde-esque rants throughout my developing years, and held onto every single word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAmK_xbLHe4

Damn son. Phoenix has an excellent new video for the song 1901. The director of the video has managed to use the projector as a light source-and the end effect is highly original. The emphasis becomes the stature of each band member. If I could describe this video in one word, it would be vertical. The video technique accentuates the length of each body. Great concept.

This video is all style and no substance- to a fault. The video lacks the human presence necessary for live performance. Daft Punk successfully treads the line of human/non-human with their live show and masked faces. But to have a complete absence of the creator leaves the viewer feeling cold. The timing is great but I am definitely left wanting more.