Some practicals in the Microcosmos

This is a quick response to 'Megan replies to Pete's Reply'.

We are definitely on the same page here. I have been thinking about the practicalities of making the Microcosmos and this all fits neatly together.

Here's what I visualise sonically - and this is just a discussion point: I see it starting with a single sculpture - I really think sonically it might well begin with the wind and a single piece lit. I think from there it spreads out across the space.

I totally agree with the idea that there should be sudden non-linear moments.

I confess the idea of headphones doesn't appeal to me - it's something usually used in museums for the effect you describe, to hold people's attention, but actually the whole sound-world for me is about interactions across the space - it's about the fact that we experience a sound close to us in relation to a sound on the opposite side of the space - good 'orchestration' should mean that it isn't a constant chaos but that the sound moves comprehensibly within the space.

Here is what I think the practical, hardware aspect of the Microcosmos might be in order for us to realise these ideas effectively:

Rather than the independent iPods I had thought of, I would now look at running things from two JoeCo Black boxes - these are basically high end audio players that each play back 16 independent tracks and are highly reliable. This would mean that fully synchronised sound within the Microcosmos would be entirely feasible. More to the point this could then work in tandem with a theatre light-board which will give you very synchronised controllable lighting so, let's say, there's some big moment where the sound world really changes across the entire space and you suddenly want everything to be red - it would be relatively easy to achieve. The sync between light and sound would then be far easier to control and, as will inevitably be needed, alterations would then be easy to handle.