Distortions on air

From XPUB & Lens-Based wiki

The Distortions on Air will be an attempt to navigate through our current (past or future) thoughts, research threads and vocal memories via distorted voices and different languages. To do that we will explore the concepts of 'code-switching' and 'audio mask'.

'Code-switching' occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages in the context of a single conversation or situation. There are several reason that somebody uses this technique. The 'audio mask' is a term borrowed from Laurie Anderson and refers to the electronic alteration of the voice. Similar to the theatrical mask, this audio mask served Laurie to transform her present voice into the recorded and polyphonic speech of a machine. She used it to transform to a man on stage.

We will visit different scripts of vocal distortions and reflect together on ideas, that expand to the digital/online realm and datasets, through our collective or individual alter egos. We could alternate from codes we use daily to coding languages, mother tongues, from less formal to more formal settings. The voice you choose may represent you, may not, may be unknown to others, or represent something you are against to. A voice that may be rejected or misinterpreted but helps you speak to the public. You may also use a confusing and ambiguous language, and an accent that sounds annoying to others.

This vocal online dialogue will happen through the exchange of small voice samples that we will produce. Our voice data will be processed and reconsidered. What happens when voice samples separate from us and in what contexts do they travel? Are they accumulated together with others? Do they scatter or disappear?

https://radioactive.w-i-t-m.net/


Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Code Switching, 2014
::::::..... ....... ....... ..D i s t o r t i o n s O n A i r. ... ..... .::::::::::::...... . >>>

<<<.. .. ::::::....... ....Radio Implicancies - Special Issue #15. .... ... ... . ...... ..... ..::::......

Distortions as 'audio masks'

  • Lowpass filter: gendered voice on air
  • Lowpitch filter: from female to male
  • Repetitions/loops: cultures in loop
  • Human microphone

online scripts (web-audio)

  • Lowpass:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title></title>
</head>
<body>
  <p><button id="btnStart">START RECORDING</button>
    <button id="btnStop">STOP RECORDING</button>
  </p>
  <h2>Lowpass</h2>
  <audio id="player" controls>
  </audio><br>
  <script>
    let constraintObj = {
      audio: true,
      video: false
    };
    //handle older browsers that might implement getUserMedia in some way
    if (navigator.mediaDevices === undefined) {
      navigator.mediaDevices = {};
      navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia = function(constraintObj) {
        let getUserMedia = navigator.webkitGetUserMedia || navigator.mozGetUserMedia;
        if (!getUserMedia) {
          return Promise.reject(new Error('getUserMedia is not implemented in this browser'));
        }
        return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
          getUserMedia.call(navigator, constraintObj, resolve, reject);
        });
      }
    } else {
      navigator.mediaDevices.enumerateDevices()
        .then(devices => {
          devices.forEach(device => {
            console.log(device.kind.toUpperCase(), device.label);
            //, device.deviceId
          })
        })
        .catch(err => {
          console.log(err.name, err.message);
        })
    }

    navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia(constraintObj)
      .then(function(mediaStreamObj) {
        let audio = document.querySelector('audio');
        audio.onloadedmetadata = function(ev) {
          audio.play();
        };

        //add listeners for saving audio
        let start = document.getElementById('btnStart');
        let stop = document.getElementById('btnStop');
        let audSave = document.getElementById('player');
        let mediaRecorder = new MediaRecorder(mediaStreamObj);
        let chunks = [];

        start.addEventListener('click', (ev) => {
          mediaRecorder.start();
          console.log(mediaRecorder.state);
        })
        stop.addEventListener('click', (ev) => {
          mediaRecorder.stop();
          console.log(mediaRecorder.state);
        });
        mediaRecorder.ondataavailable = function(ev) {
          chunks.push(ev.data);
        }
        mediaRecorder.onstop = (ev) => {
          let blob = new Blob(chunks, {
            'type': 'audio/mp3;'
          });
          chunks = [];
          var context = new AudioContext();
          let audioURL = window.URL.createObjectURL(blob);
          // lowpass
          source = context.createMediaElementSource(player);
          var biquadFilter = context.createBiquadFilter();
          biquadFilter.type = "lowpass";
          biquadFilter.frequency.value = 400;
          biquadFilter.gain.value = 25;
          source.connect(biquadFilter);
          biquadFilter.connect(context.destination);
          audSave.src = audioURL;
          console.log(audSave.src);
        }
      })
      .catch(function(err) {
        console.log(err.name, err.message);
      });
  </script>
</body>

</html>

offline scripts (python)

'damaged' voices | clips

podcast Ballout, D. (2019) ‘Good Morning, Kafranbel’, This American Life: Wartime Radio
podcast Gladstone, B. and Garfield, B. (2019) ‘How Radio Makes Female Voices Sound “Shrill”’, The Disagreement Is The Point. On the Media
article Singh, A. (2018) ‘Jason Cundy: women’s voices are too high for football commentary’, The Telegraph, 25 June
article Moraine, S. (2011) '“Mic check!”: #occupy, technology & the amplified voice', The Society Pages, 6 October and video Angela Davis Occupy Wall St @ Washington Sq Park Oct 30 2011 General Strike November 2

Code-switching

Alternate between languages
When using speech recognition tools the the accent may not be recognised.

Exchange voice messages, pre-recorded samples

Use the audio output as mic input

  • Download and install JACK:
https://jackaudio.org/downloads/
  • Connect the sources:

PulseAudioSinkJack.jpeg
https://puredata.info/docs/JackRoutingMultichannelAndBrowserAudio/

links of experiments | projects | research

Retrieved from "https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mw-mediadesign/index.php?title=Distortions_on_air&oldid=194825"