The Sirius Institute PO Box 1619 Wailuku, Hawaii, USA 96793-6619 Phone 808-244-9573

 The Voice of the Dolphin

Vol. 1. No. 6 3/23/91

The Sirius Institute is an organization whose commitment is the dolphinization of the planet. We are realizing human-dolphin co-creative habitats where free dolphins and humans are interacting on a continuing basis. This is bringing the joy of dolphins to more people and deepening our appreciation of them.

As one step to this goal, we are developing musical instruments that the dolphins and whales can play called Song Swimmers the first instrumentation consists of a hydrophone to receive cetacean sounds and a Vocalizer (a MIDI instrument) that translates their sounds to computer-readable data. As they sing, their sounds are converted to instrumental timbres which may be played back. Human musicians may respond to this in many ways, including improvisation, orchestration, or further composition. This gives cetacea and humans the opportunity to participate as co-creators of the first interspecies musical language. In other developments, the cetacea are able to use their sounds and gestures to control Song Swimmer parameters such as tuning and timbre. We see the device evolving into a general computer interface for them.

By using Lucy scales to analyze the dolphin and whale sounds, we can tune the Song Swimmers to play in the appropriately microtuned scales. This is the first time that cetacean communication has been approached on a musical basis where they are able to play with us and start long-term relationships with humanity. Already we know that dolphins love people. The dolphins are meeting people around the planet. We have much to learn from their harmonious societies. Help us meet them with our best and develop lasting communication with these large-brained sentient mammals of the sea. Together we can create Philadelphia (love of dolphins). You can participate in the integration of dolphins into our world culture.

The first Song Swimmers is being tested with dolphins and whales in Maui, Hawaii. Field testing began in January, 1991. We shall be recording cetacea during the great eclipse, 11th July, 1991. Join the wave. Your gifts to Sirius Institute are tax-deductible.

Please visit us anytime at the Iao Valley Lodge; we are always pleased to meet members of the Dolphin family.

Siriusly yours,

Michael Hyson - Biologist, Delphinologist

Renee Stanley - Dolphin Communicator, Language Sculptress

Charles Lucy - Music, Dolphin Scales

Christos Koutrobis - Dolphin Poet, Lyricist

Ariel Stanley - Dolphin Toy Specialist