Sonic Bike Creative Workshop: We do the RIDE thing
2024 C-Lab, Taipei, TW
The workshop was led by Kaffe Matthews and Po-hao Chi and hosted by the Bicrophonic Research Institute (BRI) and Zone Sound at C-Lab in Taipei. The Sonic Bike is a sound installation that plays sound/music depending on the location and speed of the biker's travel. Our mission was to make sound/music and assign them to locations on the map, creating a 'Sci-fi Opera' for the audiences to ride and explore the city.
Together, we investigated the environment and ambient sound around C-Lab located in the heart of Taipei. We considered the history and meaning of some spots and buildings which could contribute to the context of the sound/music.
Together, we investigated the environment and ambient sound around C-Lab located in the heart of Taipei. We considered the history and meaning of some spots and buildings which could contribute to the context of the sound/music.
The investigation led me to the question of how we can engage our work of sound with the ambient noise in such a metropolis. There was a lot of ambient noise from the hustle and bustle, and construction work here and there. To make our sound heard, we either need to overtake the noise or look for an empty spot to join the hectic spectrum. In our group, I and Gaun-lin took the latter approach. Most ambient noise is concentrated in the middle and low frequencies (image 1). Therefore, I kept the sounds we produced focused on the mid-high frequency to blend in with the environment rather than covering the noise and burdening the hearing.
Apart from this, there are other interesting questions such as if the experiencer must ride to listen, then who is the performer and who is the audience? How does this influence listening in the urban environment? It has stimulated my interest in the ecology of sound.
image 1. The spectrum of the ambient sound around Xing An Elementary School.During the workshop, we were divided into groups and responsible for different small areas in the end to come together with a big map (image 2). Our group was assigned to the west of C-Lab (image 3).
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![image 3.]()
We created a series of sounds with themes according to the use and meaning of the buildings in the area such as the invisible crowd around the elementary, breaking the wall of the fountain surrounding the luxury apartment, music from the choir and the preachers near the churches, and the light corridor on the avenue, etc.
Group project title: We do the RIDE thing
Team: Guan-lin, Lena C.
Tutors: Kaffe Matthews, Po-hao Chi
Date: 7-8 Sep, 14-15 Sep(for public riding experience)
We created a series of sounds with themes according to the use and meaning of the buildings in the area such as the invisible crowd around the elementary, breaking the wall of the fountain surrounding the luxury apartment, music from the choir and the preachers near the churches, and the light corridor on the avenue, etc.
Group project title: We do the RIDE thing
Team: Guan-lin, Lena C.
Tutors: Kaffe Matthews, Po-hao Chi
Date: 7-8 Sep, 14-15 Sep(for public riding experience)