Gedoe of Gedaan

The show

Together, Patricia, Tamara and Tineke were supposed to form an ‘Interface Band’, playing an audio-visual show together with three SenSorSuits connected to my audio-visual instrument, SenS I.

They were supposed to record and trigger videos, create audio-visual rhythms/melodies/harmonies, play with audio-visual effects, generate visuals, skrtZz and mix videos with their SenSorSuit.

SenSorSuit

For Gedoe of Gedaan I completely re-designed my SenSorSuit to create SenSorSuit 2.0. I am still using this SenSorSuit today.

Experiments

I did many experiments to improve the Frame Drummer Pro software and to make it work with the SenSorSuit. This resulted in SenS I. Some of these experiments were recorded on video (watch some of these recordings below). Aart Muis, Thijs Koerselmans, Rob Donkers, Chris Heijens and my father helped me with the development of the SenSorSuit and SenS I. First in my studio and then at Huis a/d Werf production house.

Audio-visual bass

The aim of my software is to create the ultimate audio-visual instrument that merges the creative processes of making music and making visuals into one, unified creative process. Ideal for audio-visual and visual music artists.

These videos show experiments to create and control audio-visual basslines. Body motion is translated into bass sounds and generated visuals.

In 2004, computer hardware was not capable of generating complex visuals and sounds in real-time. With EboSuite that is no problem nowadays. You should try it yourself!

skrtZz

Playing with timing is an important aspect of playing an instrument. The skrtZz concept offers great control of the timing of audio/video. The skrtZz pen had shown me that this way of manipulating video live created a lot of creative freedom. So, for Gedoe of Gedaan I tried to find a way to skrtZz video with the SenSorSuit. We didn’t manage to do that completely (1st and 2nd video below), but soon after we did for the Verknipt show (3rd video).

Since 2005, I did many performances with the SenSorSuit and the skrtZz concept. Often combined with the live video sampling concept.

Live rhythm

These videos show experiments to create rhythms with body motion. The video on the right (NSFW) shows an experiment to translate a walking motion into a rhythm. Walking is a repetitive motion, in theory ideal to create a repetitive rhythm.

I liked the results of the experiment in the first video below (NSFW). In this experiment I use pitch and MIDI effects to control and change a rhythm. The second video below shows an improved version of this concept. The third video shows Tamara using these concepts for a rhythmic improvisation.

The first video below shows Patricia triggering video samples directly with the SenSorSuit. This concept didn’t work well. In the second and third videos she creates video rhythms with an interactive sequencer. Different poses are connected to differen sequence patterns. Changing poses changes the rhythm. Doing this quickly creates entirely new rhythms.

For this experiment we created the ‘Sample Kitchen’ to mix and arrange visuals into a ‘decor’. This software later evolved into the Decor Builder. The Decor Builder was.  3D video mix and real time motion graphics software, part of SenS III, SenS IV and SenSei, that I used for many projects and shows.

Melody

This video shows Patricia creating audio-visual melodies with the SenSorSuit.

Audio-visual effects

Audio-visual effects play an important role in my work. Audio-visual effects are effects that manipulate the image and sound of a video simultaneously. It is a great source of artistic expression. The videos below show some real-time audio-visual effects experiments. 

In 2004, computer hardware was not powerful enought to process complex audio and visual effects in real time. Nowadays, EboSuite offers virtually unlimited possibilities to play with complex audio-visual effects live. You should try it out yourself!

Live sampling

Live video sampling is a great way to involve the audience into a performance and to improvise live with audio-visuals. The first and second videos below show some live video samplig experiments, the third video shows this concept successfully used in the Verknipt show.

Since 2005 I did many successful live video sampling shows. The video on the right shows a live video sampling performance in 2008 with SenS IV. Sony PlayStation had invited me to introduce their new video game ‘Little Big Planet’ in Brussels (BE) and Utrecht (NL) with a performance.

AGT

The videos below show experiments with the AGT and the EboLyZzer. This software is designed to create rhythms and melodies intuitively. It analyzes a video segment to filter out points that sound like a snare-drum, percussion/hi-hat or bass-drum and maps these points automatically to sequencer patterns. The way it analyses, filters and maps these points and interprets sequencer patterns can easily be controlled live. All tracks of the Verknipt show are created this way (see third video below).

En garde!

In this experiment Tamara and Patricia control a kung fu fighter and fight each other.

Presentation

In the theater of Huis a/d Werf we presented the results of the experiments in september 2004. Tamara, Patricia and TIneke did short performances and I showed the SenSorSuit and SenS I and talked about the development process.

For the Gedoe of Gedaan show I made this track (unfinished) with the AGT. The track shows how commercials in different cultures look and sound the same.

Software

For Gedoe of Gedaan SenS I was created. SenS I was my first attempt to develop a full functional audio-visual instrument. It combines the skrtZz pen, the Frame Drummer Pro, the DVJ mixer and other AV instruments into one, creative AV system.

Because hardware in 2004 was not powerful enough to play, mix, distort and skrtZz multiple videos and run Logic Pro at the same time, SenS I ran on serveral laptops controlled by a ‘master’ computer and/or up to three SenSorSuits. The master computer ran Logic Pro and communicated with the laptops through MIDI.