week 4

picturing my target outcome

descriptive

as we had to start on experiments soon, i should be looking into a possible final outcome of my research. initially, i thought of developing a data collection / archive for experiences of burnout. initially, i avoided directly dealing with burnout itself, as burnout is something that people deal with mentally, i felt like solutions would definitely vary, and what might work for some might not work for others. but dealing with burnout as an experience as mentioned by andreas seemed plausible.

i was going into the direction of a visual journal or a visual experience. but i realised that sounds played a huge part in getting people to relax as well. i quite enjoy studying sounds and music as well. i thought that i could create an experience by merging visual study and sound study together. a relaxation period for individuals who desperately require some time off to relax and take their mind off work. or just something fun

sound and emotions

i.e. when exposed to music with heavy bass, an individual would feel dominant, powerful, that they have a sense of control.

moodboard

i am sure of what type of contraption i like, i don't know if i'll be able to pull it off though.....

i dont really know how to start…. koka’s beat machine makes use of arduino. the ideal way would be to start my experiment with some simple arduino exercises. i guess another experiment i can do is to use p5js.

i find it quite difficult translating ideas onto a digital platform directly, however. maybe i could start with something practical. i found a virtual oscilloscope.

hopefully growing are.na moodboard link

analytical

translating a project from one form to another is difficult for me. i think the only way a sound machine would look good for my project is if it truly manages to create a relaxing/stimulating experience or a productive mood for its users. but this is also hard to achieve. the experience of sound is all up to one’s own preference, and also i am not a music or sound therapy major. i am an avid enjoyer of music though, so i will try to experiment a little as much as possible with this first. sound does not need to be the final outcome, but can be an add-on to the final burn out experience.

i thought using sound to enhance experiences would be a more interesting choice. i love asking people about their music choices, and i think a lot can be said about one’s personality through their taste in music. something interesting however, is that some people would listen to music completely out of their usual taste just to be productive. i’ve had numerous people tell me they listen to spiritual (buddhist temple music) genres while they are trying to generate new ideas. some enjoy listening to orchestral/symphonies. all of these while having mainstream music as their favourite genres to listen to usually. for me, i have to be listening to upbeat wind orchestras while working on my readings. the lack of lyrics helps me concentrate, but the upbeat tunes ensure that i don’t fall asleep. i think there's something in non-digitally produced sounds that helps us be productive.

definitely, this is all still based on my own personal findings and reviews. i have to be reading up more on this. stuff related to the science of sound therapy… but this is just a start on why i’ve decided to list down an audio experience as an outcome of my research.

reflective

although not concrete, this gives me something to start with for my practical developments. i’ve mentioned that i don’t know how to start, however. i have confidence in the music making part of the project, not the machine part. i’ve done a little bit of research on koka’s beat machine, and it seems that it makes use of arduino for the programming of its movements. i’ll get some advice on how i can get a start on doing arduino projects during consultation. i plan on starting out small, of course.

as for the emotional part of the experience, i will need some user feedback on how the experience makes an individual feel during low parts of their creative work. i’m not too worried about collecting this sort of data, as it’s final year, and i foresee many of my classmates will suffer from some form of creative mental exhaustion. my project aims to be a fun goofy in my words little experience that lifts people’s spirits. i can’t foresee any ethical troubles concerning such a device yet.

seeing that others already seem quite clear with the exact outcomes they want to achieve, i’m aware that i’m quite behind time. but i……. still don’t feel the rush or panic lol