Visualising Rave Music in Virtual Reality: Symbolic and interactive approaches

Conference paper

Weinel, J. (2020). Visualising Rave Music in Virtual Reality: Symbolic and interactive approaches. EVA London 2020. London 06 - 06 Jul 2020 BCS Learning & Development. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/eva2020.13
AuthorsWeinel, J.
TypeConference paper
Abstract

The virtual reality (VR) experience Cyberdream VR was presented at various events in 2019, including the Event Two exhibition of computer art held at the Royal College of Art. This short demo for Oculus Gear VR provided a c.5 minute sonic journey, in which the user moves through a series of symbolic environments based on the futuristic techno-utopian or dystopian imagery of 1990s rave flyers. These environments accompanied an original soundtrack of rave music and vaporwave, allowing users to enjoy the music whilst feeling as though they are inside synaesthetic virtual spaces related to the symbolic imagery of rave culture. This paper will discuss the subsequent development of this project, which is now being adapted for the Oculus Quest VR headset. Rajmil Fischman’s concept of ‘music in the holodeck’, suggests a possible new paradigm for performing with sound in VR, which is informative for the latest phase of Cyberdream's development. Drawing on ideas such as this, at a macro level of compositional structure, Cyberdream seeks ways to provide a continuous experience analogous to a DJ or VJ set, through blending of music tracks between scenes. Meanwhile, at a micro level of compositional structure, the user can trigger audio-visual ‘sound toys’ with the Oculus Quest Touch controllers. These are conceived as a means through which the user can intuitively ‘paint with sound’ in 3D space, improvising with the music, whilst also generating synaesthetic imagery. The design of the audio-visual 'sound toys' allows both the macro and micro elements to rhythmically interlock, so that sound can be generated in synchronisation with the music, while the corresponding visual imagery merges with the spatial environments. This paper will discuss on-going work on this project, advancing the discourse regarding the visualisation of hardcore rave music in virtual reality.

Year2020
PublisherBCS Learning & Development
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/eva2020.13
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Publication dates
Print06 Jul 2020
Publication process dates
Accepted06 Jun 2020
Deposited03 Mar 2021
Permalink -

https://openresearch.lsbu.ac.uk/item/8w3vq

Download files

Publisher's version
078_Weinel.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 235
    total views
  • 161
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Altered states of consciousness as an adaptive principle for composing electroacoustic music
Weinel, J (2012). Altered states of consciousness as an adaptive principle for composing electroacoustic music. PhD Thesis Keele University
Space Temple
Weinel, J (2017). Space Temple. Birmingham University 27 - 29 Apr 2017
Sound Through The Rabbit Hole: Sound Design Based On Reports of Auditory Hallucination
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S and Griffiths, D (2014). Sound Through The Rabbit Hole: Sound Design Based On Reports of Auditory Hallucination. 9th Audio Mostly: A Conference on Interaction With Sound. Aalborg, Denmark 01 - 03 Oct 2014 Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2636879.2636883
ACERemix: A Tool for Glitch Music Production and Performance
Cunningham, S, Weinel, J and Griffiths, D (2014). ACERemix: A Tool for Glitch Music Production and Performance. 9th Audio Mostly: A Conference on Interaction With Sound. Aalborg, Denmark 01 - 03 Oct 2014 Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2636879.2636888
Quake Delirium EEG: A Pilot Study Regarding Biofeedback-Driven Visual Effects in a Computer Game
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S, Roberts, N, Griffiths, D and Roberts, S (2015). Quake Delirium EEG: A Pilot Study Regarding Biofeedback-Driven Visual Effects in a Computer Game. 2015 Internet Technologies and Applications (ITA). Wrexham, UK 08 - 11 Sep 2015 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). https://doi.org/10.1109/ITechA.2015.7317420
Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Consumer Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema
Weinel, J and Cunningham, S (2015). Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Consumer Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema. 2015 Internet Technologies and Applications (ITA). Wrexham, UK 08 - 11 Sep 2015 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). https://doi.org/10.1109/ITechA.2015.7317381
Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Technology Feasibility Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema
Cunningham, S and Weinel, J (2015). Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Technology Feasibility Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema. 2015 Internet Technologies and Applications (ITA). Wrexham, UK 08 - 11 Sep 2015 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). https://doi.org/10.1109/ITechA.2015.7317400
In-Game Intoxication: Demonstrating the Evaluation of the Audio Experience of Games with a Focus on Altered States of Consciousness
Cunningham, S, Weinel, J and Picking, R (2016). In-Game Intoxication: Demonstrating the Evaluation of the Audio Experience of Games with a Focus on Altered States of Consciousness. in: Garcia-Ruiz, M (ed.) Games User Research: A Case Study Approach New York CRC Press. pp. 97-118
EVA London 2018
Bowen, J, Giannini, T, Polmeer, G, Gannis, C, Gardiner, J, Kearney, K, Wands, B and Weinel, J Bowen, JP, Weinel, J, Diprose, G and Lambert, N (ed.) (2018). EVA London 2018. British Computer Society.
Deep Subjectivity and Empathy in Virtual Reality: A Case Study on the Autism TMI Virtual Reality Experience
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S and Pickles, J (2019). Deep Subjectivity and Empathy in Virtual Reality: A Case Study on the Autism TMI Virtual Reality Experience. in: Filimowicz, M and Tzankova, V (ed.) New Directions in Third Wave HCI Springer.
Tiny Jungle: Psychedelic Techniques in Audio-Visual Composition
Weinel, J (2011). Tiny Jungle: Psychedelic Techniques in Audio-Visual Composition. 2011 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC). Huddersfield, UK 31 Jul - 05 Aug 2011
Shamanic diffusions: a technoshamanic philosophy of electroacoustic music
Weinel, J (2014). Shamanic diffusions: a technoshamanic philosophy of electroacoustic music. Sonic Ideas/Ideas Sonicas. 6 (12).
Holophonor: On the Future Technology of Visual Music
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S, Picking, R and Williams, L (2015). Holophonor: On the Future Technology of Visual Music. in: Curran, K (ed.) Recent Advances in Ambient Intelligence and Context-Aware Computing IGI Global. pp. 248-261
Representing Altered States of Consciousness in Computer Arts
Weinel, J (2015). Representing Altered States of Consciousness in Computer Arts. Ng, Kia, Bowen, Jonathan P and Lambert, Nick (ed.) Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2015). London, UK 07 - 09 Jul 2015 British Computer Society.
Technoshamanic Visions from the Underworld II
Weinel, J (2017). Technoshamanic Visions from the Underworld II. in: Cunningham, S, Picking, R, Houlden, N, Oram, D, Grout, V and Mayers, J (ed.) 2017 Internet Technologies and Applications (ITA) Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference United States Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). pp. 345-346
Inner Sound: Altered States of Consciousness in Electronic Music and Audio-Visual Media
Weinel, J (2018). Inner Sound: Altered States of Consciousness in Electronic Music and Audio-Visual Media. Oxford Oxford University Press (OUP).
Bass Drum, Saxophone and Laptop: Real-time Psychedelic Performance Software
Weinel, J (2010). Bass Drum, Saxophone and Laptop: Real-time Psychedelic Performance Software. eContact. 12 (4).
Mutations (megamix): exploring notions of the ‘DJ set’, ‘mashup’ and ‘remix’ through live piano-based performance
Ratcliffe, R, Weinel, J and Kanga, Z (2011). Mutations (megamix): exploring notions of the ‘DJ set’, ‘mashup’ and ‘remix’ through live piano-based performance. eContact. 13 (2).
Digitized Direct Animation: Creating Materials for Electroacoustic Visual Music Using 8mm Film
Weinel, J and Cunningham, S (2014). Digitized Direct Animation: Creating Materials for Electroacoustic Visual Music Using 8mm Film. eContact. 15 (4).
EEG as a Controller for Psychedelic Visual Music in an Immersive Dome Environment
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S, Roberts, N, Roberts, S and Griffiths, D (2014). EEG as a Controller for Psychedelic Visual Music in an Immersive Dome Environment. Ng, Kia, Bowen, Jonathan and McDaid, Sarah (ed.) EVA London 2014: Electronic Visualisation & the Arts. London, UK 08 - 10 Jul 2014 British Computer Society.
Easter Eggs: Hidden Tracks and Messages in Musical Mediums
Weinel, J, Griffiths, D and Cunningham, S (2014). Easter Eggs: Hidden Tracks and Messages in Musical Mediums. Joint Conference ICMC-SMC 2014. Athens, Greece 14 - 20 Sep 2014 International Computer Music Association.
Affective Audio
Weinel, J, Cunningham, S, Griffiths, D, Roberts, S and Picking, R (2014). Affective Audio. Leonardo. 24 (24), pp. 17-20. https://doi.org/https://www.doi.org/10.1162/LMJ_a_00189
Optical Research: A Curated Visual Music Collection
Weinel, J (2015). Optical Research: A Curated Visual Music Collection. Ng, Kia, Bowen, Jonathan P and Lambert, Nick (ed.) (EVA 2015) Electronic Visualisation and the Arts. London, UK 07 - 09 Jul 2015 British Computer Society.
EVA London (Electronic Visualisation and the Arts): Proceedings of EVA London 2019
Weinel, J, Bowen, JP, Diprose, G and Lambert, N (2019). EVA London (Electronic Visualisation and the Arts): Proceedings of EVA London 2019. British Computer Society.
Designing Game Audio Based on Avatar-Centred Subjectivity
Weinel, J and Cunningham, S (2019). Designing Game Audio Based on Avatar-Centred Subjectivity. in: Filimowicz, M (ed.) Foundations in Sound Design for Interactive Media Routledge.
Augmented Unreality: Synesthetic Artworks & Audio-Visual Hallucinations
Weinel, J (2019). Augmented Unreality: Synesthetic Artworks & Audio-Visual Hallucinations. in: Grimshaw-Aagaard, M, Walther-Hansen, M and Knakkergaard, M (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Sound & Imagination Oxford Oxford University Press (OUP).
States of Being: Art and identity in digital space and time
Bowen, J, Giannini, T, Polmeer, G, Gannis, C, Gardiner, J, Kearney, J, Wands, B and Weinel, J (2018). States of Being: Art and identity in digital space and time. EVA London Symposium. London, UK British Computer Society. pp. 1–8-1–8
High-Level Analysis of Audio Features for Identifying Emotional Valence in Human Singing
Cunningham, S, Weinel, J and Picking, R (2018). High-Level Analysis of Audio Features for Identifying Emotional Valence in Human Singing. Audio Mostly 2018: A conference on interaction with sound. Wrexham Glyndŵr University, North Wales, UK 12 - 14 Sep 2018 https://doi.org/10.1145/3243274.3243313
Simulating Auditory Hallucinations in a Video Game: Three Prototype Mechanisms
Weinel, J and Cunningham, S (2017). Simulating Auditory Hallucinations in a Video Game: Three Prototype Mechanisms. Audio Mostly 2017. London 23 - 26 Aug 2017 Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3123514.3123532
An Interactive Music Playlist Generator that Responds to User Emotion and Context
Griffiths, D, Cunningham, S and Weinel, J (2016). An Interactive Music Playlist Generator that Responds to User Emotion and Context. Bowen, Jonathan P, Diprose, Graham and Lambert, Nick (ed.) Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2016). London, UK 12 - 14 Jul 2016 British Computer Society. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/EVA2016.53
Entoptic Phenomena in Audio: Categories of Psychedelic Electroacoustic Composition
Weinel, J (2016). Entoptic Phenomena in Audio: Categories of Psychedelic Electroacoustic Composition. Contemporary Music Review. 35 (2), pp. 202-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/07494467.2016.1221633
The Sound of the Smell (and Taste) of My Shoes Too: Mapping the Senses Using Emotion as a Medium
Cunningham, S and Weinel, J (2016). The Sound of the Smell (and Taste) of My Shoes Too: Mapping the Senses Using Emotion as a Medium. Audio Mostly 2016 (AM 2016). Norrköping, Sweden. 04 - 06 Oct 2016 Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 28-33 https://doi.org/10.1145/2986416.2986456