NEURO OSCILLATIONS

An interactive Brainwave sound / art / science experience.

“What if we could translate the voltage fluctuations from a persons brain into control voltages to “play” music with our minds?”

Friends, Family, and members of the synthesizer and art community.

I have been mentally obsessed ( no pun intended ) with the idea of a sound art installation for months now, and I am reaching out for support to make it real.

Our senses make up all we know of reality. Sight and sound being paramount to our experience and perception of the world around us. These external stimuli are translated by our brains into the experience of awareness. Different areas of the brain fire off electrical signals that are shaped by what we see and hear and our conscious and unconscious reactions to our surroundings.

These electrical signals can be measured by an electroencephalograph, or EEG headset. These neurofeedback devices give us a glimpse into the spontaneous biosignals of the neocortex and allocortex of our brains.

The observed frequencies are subdivided into various groups: alpha (8–13 Hz), beta (13–30 Hz), delta (0.5–4 Hz), and theta (4–7 Hz). These voltage fluctuations, when monitored, mirror those of control voltages used to create and mould sounds in a modular synthesizer instrument.

In short, these waveforms created by neurofeedback devices are not unlike the low frequency oscillators used to modulate the sounds of a synthesizer. These waveforms can be translated to pitch, melody, and intensity.

This is where my potential art / sound experiment comes in. What if I could translate the voltage fluctuations from the brain into control voltages to “play” music with our minds? And more so, what if I controlled the outside stimuli to coax the brain into a desired musical result?

Imagine a white room, with a single chair in the middle. A subject sits in the chair facing away from spectators. They put on an EEG headset that is connected to an electroencephalograph device that translates their brainwaves to control voltages. These voltages modulate the oscillators, filters, and effects of a modular synthesizer. On the wall in front of them, projected imagery specifically designed to stimulate various regions of the brain plays on a constant loop. On another wall we see the waveforms being produced by the brain.

Spectators could take turns in the chair, making this an immersive and interactive experience for both the subject and those observing.

In theory, we should be able to hear, in realtime, how the changes in their brainwave activity create a musical soundscape in direct correlation to how they perceive the stimuli projected before them.

We could also strap in musicians and let them play their instruments with an accompaniment produced by their own brainwaves.

Ambitious? Maybe. Impossible? Not at all. Devices used to translate brainwaves into control voltages exist. But as with anything these days, none of this is cheap.

That’s where YOU come in. I am asking for monetary help to acquire the equipment, building supplies, space rental, and promotional material needed to make this unique experience happen. This sound/art/science piece is a unique performance art experience that can easily travel to different events.

I am acutely aware that the economy is bad and money is tight. That is exactly why I, myself, am asking for help to make this happen. Any donations, no matter the size, will greatly help achieve this goal.

The timeline for this project will depend on donations, equipment accusation, and finding a space to do it in. But I am shooting for late Fall, early Winter.

Thank you so much! Lets make some music with our Brain Waves!

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