Swarovski, Tord Boontje and Yamaha collaborate
- Details
Yamaha audio equipment is bringing the unique interactive sound design to life. Visitors and people around the globe can tweet to alter the composition of the music by using one of the following hashtags on Twitter to change the soundscape: #crystal #light #reflection #water #swarovskicrystalpalace #tordboontje
The installation is accompanied by a quadrophonic, surround soundscape, delivered by four Yamaha VXS3F loudspeakers and a VXS3S sub in each room. The use of a Yamaha MTX5-D matrix processor assists the soundscape to be altered in real time by people using Twitter.
The sound field in each space has been created from four separate tracks of composed music and ambient effects, run from a Macbook Pro via a Steinberg UR824 audio interface. The MTX5-D is used to create an audio matrix and control EQ and speaker processing.
“Shimada has created a randomly-programmable software control, which responds in real time to tweets from anyone, anywhere in the world. Working with Swarovski, he has allocated key trigger words which will adjust the parameters for each individual track in real time,” explains Yamaha senior product specialist Karl Christmas, who designed and specified the Yamaha system.
“Each trigger word will change one if the parameters, including direction and position within the soundfield, velocity, pitch, volume and channel on/off. Because of the randomness with which trigger words will be tweeted at any time, every minute of the soundscape will be unique.”
Tord Boontje comments, “Having worked with Swarovski crystal for 15 years I understand how light and crystal work together - it can illuminate a room with bright sparkle or create dazzling glamour as jewellery. I have also gained an insight into possible innovations, what the future of crystal could be, and for the first time I have had the opportunity to change the shape of the lighting crystals. I wanted a ‘soft light’ effect; the quality of light you see in a misty or snowy landscape or on a lake as dancing light reflections. For me these chandeliers really celebrate an organic quality of light that crystal can create."
(Jim Evans)
