Grass is a 24 channel sound installation that explores systems of synchronicity in large environments of rhythmic sounds as well as continuous sounds. In other words, synchronicity in time as well as in pitch. These kinds of sound are often generated by large populations of insects (crickets, cicadas, etc.) within ecosystems, where moving in and out of synchronicity is often one important aspect in communication within these populations. The sounds in this piece are generated both using ambisonic and other field recordings, but also in a more mathematical way – creating a kind of sonic moiré pattern of interference. Nonetheless, the reference to natural ecosystems is also quite specific and important .
While previous pieces of mine have incorporated multiple loudspeakers – often in very large numbers – for example Prairie, Green, and others – these pieces used digital outputs to create patterns of clicks that simulated various insect sounds and other natural sounds, but were limited in the sounds they could produce, in particular their amplitude, frequency range, etc. Grass employs 24 channels of regular audio allowing for a broad use of field recordings, generative audio and other techniques. The 24 custom-made speakers are placed on the ground and arranged within the exhibition space in a site-specific configuration.
