Tim Cole on The Disambiguation Room Sound Design

As a sound engineer and producer I have been exploring the theme of music following patterns in nature both in composition and through the harmonic timbres of acoustic instruments. This approach resonated with Effe’s vision for the Disambiguation room, to create a space as an emotional sanctuary, where the participant feels safe to be with their deeper feelings.

So my aim was to produce a soundtrack that was empathetic to the participant’s emotional space not to heavily emotionally weighted and also not to recognisable or demanding to be listened to. I believe the unconscious aspect of our psyche the deep subconscious memories we all share, have a sympathetic relationship to natural patterns and tones aside from cultural bias.

So I chose, with Effe’s direction, three natural soundscapes an ocean – (waves, recorded at Smithy Beach, Margret River W.A), a forest – (Bush storm approaching Wombat State Forest) and a creek (Venus Baths, Gariwerd National Park, The Grampians). All dealing with the theme of the movement of water as a metaphor for the emotions.

Then I asked three musicians who I knew would be sensitive to the project and would play with empathy and intent, on acoustic instruments rich in natural timbre recorded at a distance to allow the tones to mix in the air in miked in surround as the speakers are designed.

• Helen Mountford – Cello (very rich in natural harmonics)
• David Bridie – Piano (warm familiar tones)
• Amy Valent – Vibraphone (pure one frequency sound waves)

They each improvised to the soundscapes in different sessions without listening to each other (just a key was chosen for harmony). The idea being that the individual elements of a natural enviroment find their own patterns, i.e- the different birds in a forest are listening more to their own species than the other birds, they each find their own space in the acoustic enviroment, yet all come together to create the forest symphony. Similarly the different instrumental takes were combined creating unintended musical forms, based on natural patterns. Various elements of the sessions were then mixed and presented so the participant in the room could choose their own combinations.

Visit Tim’s website - timcolesoundart.com