Lost in Narration

Short description

"Language refracts meaning as it moves across mediums. In this performance, a live script flows through multiple phases of narration and musical transformation, each filter subtly altering the narrative before it's turned into a fixed, printed record. Viewers are invited to experience the tension, misinterpretation, and elasticity of language as the narrative shifts and the original is forgotten."

longer version and drafts can be found → https://pad.xpub.nl/p/Speech_to_project_description

Cookbook

[Meeting-01] 08/11/2024
https://pad.xpub.nl/p/Speech_to_project_
Thinking about the structure of the performance, timetable and spacing.
Now Zuhui is writing the first draft of the description.

[Meeting-02] 11/11/2024
Actually deciding on the floor plan, material needed and description on the project.
Handing the info over to Logistics

Recipe for the Python script

First step was to make the sounddevice python library work through [vosk].

How to install and run the speech recognition (windows recipe)

create a dedicated folder on the computer, where you want to store the scripts and written files
install souddevice with pip install sounddevice
install vosk with pip install vosk
download this file and put it in the folder
cd in your folder through the terminal
run python test_microphone.py
You can now see the text being printed in the console while you speak!!! The program is stopped with CTRL+C.
(optional) you can go modify the test_microphone.py by commenting lines 80 and 81. This prevents the program to print the partial result of it trying to recognise what's being said
if you want to print the content being recorder into a text file, run python test_microphone.py ›› stderrout.txt. The ›› means that it will append the new data in the file if you stop the program. If you want to overwrite everytime, simply use ›.
Printing in a file makes the terminal output invisible

This is now working, and we can choose to either stop there or print the result with the thermal printer The aim being to send it to the thermal printer, let's try to do this.

How to install the thermal printer

obviously connect the thermal printer to the laptop and turn it on
install pyusb with pip install pysub and download the libusb-win32 packages here
install lib-usb and all the drivers through Zadig: in Options select List All Devices and from the dropdown select the printer device. Then, go through the list of drivers with the arrows and install the WCID Driver for each. IMPORTANT: Replace the printer's driver with the libusb-win32 driver, this is what allows the connection. Zadig will also give you the printer's id, which are needed in the script.py file we're creating later.

install ESC/POS with pip install python-escpos
create a new .py file in your folder, via the code editor, call it script.py and put the code below, don't forget to change the ids in the parenthesis. Now you can run python script.py to see the magic happening!

from escpos.printer import Usb
iprinter = Usb(0x0483, 0x811E, in_ep=0x81, out_ep=0x02) #here you replace 0483 and 811E with the ids provided by Zadig
iprinter.text("hello world")
iprinter.qr("https://xpub.nl")

Okay. We have the sounddevice recording, and the printer printing. Now, we want to have the printer printing what the microphone is getting.

How to merge the scripts
- Ask ChatGPT (not proud about this one...) to merge test_microphone.py and script.py

M A G I C

On the first try of the script working, I tried speaking French to it, not working but amusing.
The print!!!!

VCV config

Refs and resources

Stranger than fiction (movie)
Lost in translation (movie)
curl -v https://google.com

Bunch of links for the python process (Kiara)

Zadig
PyUSB
Debugging PyUSB
test_microphone.py file
How to use libusb on Windows
What was actually the solution to get the printer to work
For when I was still looking into the printer errors
That too
Python ECP/POS official page

Event Rider

Items

Laptop x3 (kiara, eleni, zuhui)
big screen with stand (from xpub).
Microphone PA50 PZI-FA (from xpub)
Microphone SHURE SM58 (from xpub)
Thermal printer EPSON M267E + USB (from xpub)
Less-toxic paper rolls (to fetch on our own)
Mixer BEHRINGER XENYX1204FX (from xpub)
Logilink UA0053 soundcard (from xpub)
kiara's + xpub usb soundcard
Jack 2x (input computer to mixer from xpub)
Speakers MS40 (from xpub)
Tables x1 (2x1 from WORM)
Chairs x5 (from WORM)

UPDATE

one more table 75h 75l 125w

Space

X x Xm
Internet needed
Power plugs - at least 2 or 3

Time

start at 3pm and run the whole day (not constant), people relaying
Sound output is working live and also after

(After 30 minutes to an hour into the performance, audience is invited to approach the microphone and read the script aloud.)