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“ I tried to show how this kind of “gimlet” between the musical theory, thus a part of the music, and the theory of mathematics are rolled up one on the other.”

Iannis Xenakis, 1976.

Presentation

chdh is a live hybrid performance, offering a symbiosis between sound and image, where they complete each other until indivisibility. chdh creates a single universe, cold but organic, between visual arts and electronic music. Cubes, rectangles and others minimal geometric shapes become entangled in complex structures in a black and white environment with simples and precises sounds.

This project evokes a virtual world, composed of more or less autono- mous abstract creatures. The behavior of these audiovisual instruments is influenced in real time by two performers who make them live and re- act. These virtuals objects then generate data used for audio and video synthesis. Nothing is recorded.

Movement as a mean of expression

Sound image bond
Since the appearance of sound in movies, the relationship between sound and animations became a ground of research and experimenta- tion for severals artists. By adding “off” elements, expressing multimodal feelings, playing on synesthetic evolution, the offered possibilities are numerous. The digital technology has widen this field as a data can be directly transduced as a sound or as a picture.

Audiovisual instruments
chdh develops a synesthetic performance work. A single algorithm is the source for both mediums, its data are used to synthetize videos and sounds. This “audiovisual instrument” is build like acoustic instruments, except that its conception is studied empirically inside the computer. In- strumentalists then have to assimilate its operation, in order to exploit them.

Movement
chdh’s work is based on generating expressives movements. The struc- ture of the movement is more important than the matter. The movements have an identity, in the same way a form or a sound can be recognized, a behavior is understood and evokes a reality thanks to everyone kin- aesthetic experiment.

The movement is the creative source, bringing energy to the audiovisual matter. An inert object doesn’t emit energy, its movements, displace- ments and deformations gives it life, make it sensitive, communicative.

Physical modeling
Physical modeling is a simple mathematical way to describe a natural phenomenon and to constrain a system into realistic reactions. Working with physical modeling allows the generation of behavior, each instrument owns a structural and energetic coherence that uses our perceptives experiences to bring us inside its reality. Physical modeling also allows a smooth and natural link between the instrumentalist and the instrument he is playing with.

Realisations

After the development of the virtual objects, the project is concretized for events during which the two musicians plays with these instruments. These audio-visual objects does not speak without intervention, the members of chdh insufflate life and express themselves on their instru- ments to create an audiovisual show. The audience attends a movie projection created in real time by the two performers placed next to the screen.

The system is based on two laptop computers connected by an Ethernet connection on which musician control information flows. In order to al- low representation of fast and complex movement, the images synthesis is fast and accurate. The software environment used is the Pure Data which is the principal source of inspiration and exploration.

All the software used and developments made by chdh have an open source license allowing the free use and distribution.

links

see videos extracts

see the tech rider

download the press kit (pdf)

pictures

	"Ondoiement" and "Replis" duo.		The “cylinder” instrument creates a moving harmony while “dragon” tears space.
	Slow melodic drones by the "clock" instrument..		"ondoiement" and "latent" duo.
	A solo by the "pelotte" instrument.		"replis" instabilities and "emergence".