Vol. 1 No. 1 October 29, 1990

 

The Sirius Institute is a soon-to-be tax exempt foundation with the goal of the dolphinization of the planet. The Sirius Institute has acquired initial support and has moved to new quarters for the next phase of the project. As detailed in the proposals, we are exploring and creating more joyful contacts between dolphins and people. One step in this process is the creation of musical instruments that dolphins can play. These we call Song Swimmers. Song Swimmers allow dolphins to play music through synthesizers. This will permit the first interspecies concerts where humans and dolphins play together using similar instruments. We feel musical interaction will attract free dolphins to coastal facilities where we will co-create dolphin/human habitats. Song Swimmer Project Update: The project plan as presented in the proposal has recently been simplified and accelerated. We have begun experiments with a MIDI instrument called the Vocalizer that converts pitch information to MIDI output with about 64 steps per semitone. To our knowledge, this is the first time that whale sounds have been converted to musical data. We have found that it works well with Orca and humpback whale sounds. Our associate, Charles Lucy is analyzing these sounds to determine the scales they use. We will then tune our instruments to the dolphin's natural scales. MIDI representations of Orca and Humpback sounds were recently played as synthetic music. The sound is quite lovely. The MIDI output of the Vocalizer can be processed directly by computer, giving us the option of using single notes or patterns of notes to control synthesizers. This gives us a pure acoustic interface so dolphins can control instruments and computers directly with their voices. John Gibbon and Thomas Hubble have created an instrument called the Shadow Dancer. - two dozen photosensors arranged in a ring. We may lease a Shadow Dancer and modify it for use with dolphins. We will build an array of optical fibers, with one connected to each photosensor. The fiber ends are to be arranged in an arc under the water while the majority of equipment remains dry. When photosensors are shadowed by the dolphin's head, body or flippers, they will trigger musical notes. The resulting music is played through underwater speakers to the dolphin. As additional feedback to the dolphin, lights near each photocell are turned on when it is shadowed. The dolphins will be able to play the photocells with their motions while vocalizing, much like one can sing while playing the guitar. The results will be recorded on video, DAT recorders and as MIDI data in a computer. A hydrophone will record the dolphins' sounds. We will complete instrument development in the next few weeks and then plan to explore what happens when the Orcas, Belugas and Pacific Whiteside dolphin at the Vancouver Aquarium play with our instruments. We invite you to contact us at the address below with your ideas and enthusiasm. Come play with us.   Sirius Institute Iao Valley Lodge Suite 3 R.R.#1 Box 518 Wailuku, Maui, Hawai'I 96793 Phone: 808-244-9573 / 213-281-8241 / (213) 315-1022

|  *PlanetPuna* |  Sirius Home |  Podners | Writings | Projects | Archives | E-mail us |