Visual Music / Lesson 1 / Abstract Visualization & Color Organs

Lesson Overview

The synaesthetic relationship between sound and vision continues to be explored by scientists artists working today. “Color scales,” dating back to Isaac Newton, attempt to scientifically correlate musical scales with colors. ”Color Organs,” instruments that generate colors based on notes, date back to the 1850s and continue to be developed. Wassily Kandinksy, one of the founders of non-objective painting, went so far as to create a color code for sounds. He intended for his pieces to be both seen and heard, titling them as “compositions.”

This week, we will create a shape-based color organ, creating and performing forms and colors that represent specific sounds using our inner synesthete.

Lecture Videos

  1. Abstract Visualization & Color Organ: History and basic concepts

(Abstract Visualization & Color Organ Lecture Video)

  1. Abstract Visualization & Color Organ: Using VDMX

(Abstract Visualization & Color Organ Demonstration Video)

Lecture Notes

(Color Organs Lecture Slides)

Resources

Homework

Assignments

  1. Create and record a ~60 second ‘color organ’ along with upbeat music
  2. Create and record a ~60 second ‘color organ’ along with slow tempo music

Notes:

  • Recordings for these assignments can be in h.264.
  • Use ProRes if you plan to use them for further editing in Final Cut Pro, Resolve, After Effects, etc.

Review Questions and Further Discussion

  1. How can we trigger content with sound / MIDI impulses?
  • Prev / next / rand
  • Triggering a specific clip
  • Quantized triggering Manipulating color with sound/MIDI
  • RGB vs HSV (HSB)
  • 'Audio Level to Color'
  • Color organ generator and sound synth
  1. What does is the color of a sound / tone?
  • Color Organs
  • Kandinksy
  • Color scales
  • Translations between sounds and imagery Color representations – RGB vs HSV