CesarPortillo
Nella Fantasia
Binaural recording notes
2019
Sound is a semantically rich attribute of physicality and stripped from their reverberation it would be holly disoriented dead almost space less and depthless words (Doyle, p.38).
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Through planning and organisation, it was possible to ensemble the aspect necessary to assemble a set of five recording experiments based on reverb and azimuth sound spatialisation in a song called “Nella Fantasia” by Morricone (1998). The set of experiments are based on the analysis of Cinematic and Opera productions where opera performances accomplished the maximum expression from the most minimal of settings. Examples include songs such as Aurora by Hans Zimmer, Da Pacem Domine and Dies Irae by Gregorian Chant, in which the dependency of vocal and reverberation complemented a sense of “intimacy” that slowly progressed among the pieces. The piece was selected due to its subtle progressions and musical structure which allows a choreographed performance to revolve into partitions and vocal lines that work as one with the binaural recording techniques. The aforementioned is aimed to recreate a sense of transition within the song; aiming at audiences to feel engage with the lyrics, the performance, and the non-uniform location of the singer.
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The main aim for this project is to approach five sonic experiments that offer experimental approaches to uniform vocal spatialisation in opera productions, where audiences can constantly navigate to understand the location of the performer while testing the liability of binaural recording to accomplish such aims.
Nella Fantasia
“Nella Fantasia” shares similar verse structure where the lyrics plays as the only point to differentiate the passages of the piece. The lyrics of the song touches the topic of a dream or fantasy of a better world. Such ideology was the main influence for the sonic experiments proposed within this paper, as the reverb and locations selected are aimed to represent “something out of this world”. The aforementioned followed Hollander’s statement (1957) on how long echo and reverb could work to showcase for “spiritual authority, human sociality and individual transcendence”. Hence, the idea for this set of experiments is to constantly change the locations of the recorded material depending on the verses of the piece, starting with a high reverberant space to represent the start of the “dream” and ending with a dry sounding location to represent the “real world/waking up” point. Furthermore, the implementation of choreographed movements around the binaural recording was planned as a method for the singer to invite the listener to be in an aural glimpse, were audiences are drawn to pay more concentrated attention to the acapella piece. Appendix A to B present the Preproduction Planning for the experiment proposed in this paper
Sonic Experiment Approach
The five sonic experiments are concerned with place, space and movement which determine the effect of reverb over the accuracy for listeners to identify the performer’s location in binaural recordings. As in reverb and location, the listener’s attention is directed to a real world physical phenomenon that is represented by musical changes from the performer and the space. The landscape spatiality is overridden by a more arresting sense of a different place, that varies over five locations, where the reverberation time starts at 9 seconds reverb and decreases slightly until achieving a dry sounding space. Within these sonic experiences, listeners do not have any strong pictorial reference to aid visual imaging. Hence, it was predominant to move the KU100 across multiple positions to find the optimum place that captures a real three-dimensional fingerprint of the singer among the acoustic behaviour of the five different locations. Reference measurements included the distance between sound source (singer) to sound receptor (microphone) between 3 to 4 meters in reverberant environments (to test navigation among far-front-back parameters) and less than 2 meters for dry locations (to understand the effect of ITD IID on sound location) (Wightman and Kistler, p.868, 1989)
Testing Procedure
The secondary aim of the sonic experiments was to compare the apparent positions, captured over binaural recording (KU100 microphone) and under headphones to perceive a singer in constant movement among the azimuth axis in five sonic fields. The aforementioned locations worked as sonic experiment that support the statements presented in the lyrics of “Nella Fantasia”. Therefore, the paradigm used to gather apparent spatial position for headphone listening followed the "absolute judgment" technique on sound localisation as presented in figure 1 (Wightman and Kistler, p.868, 1989). In this method, five participants were asked to draw uninterrupted lines that describe the apparent spatial position among three fields defined as A, B and C, where A stipulates locations closer to the listener’s pinae until one meter apart; B: from one to three meters away from the sound source; and lastly C comprising any distances superior to three meters.
Sonic Invation
Experiment 1:
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The degree of intimacy invasion was the main initiative within this experiment, given the narrow frequency and amplitude range recordable in the room. Within this location, the audience and opera performer’s intimate space has been invaded, which, due to the sound source to receptor position (less than 1meter), allows the listeners to feel closer to the singer than the remaining experiments. The aforementioned, correlates with Welch’s statement on how the soloist can be transformed into the living room to create a sense of intimacy (2005, p.57); where the soloist is singing just for one listener.
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The dry sound of the studio and the acoustics of the room showcased noticeable frames on the voice, establishing a remarkable consistency and evenness of texture. Nonetheless, the performer moves to a friendlier, calm-bodied tone, where the tranquil breathy quality of the voice at the beginning of the piece allows the artist to establish intimacy with the listener. The performer’s defiance of perfection (projection and intensity), is, the seemingly “imperfect” (soft and tranquil) as the quality of these passages, among verse one and two, assures the audience that the performer’s voice is a real element, while aligning her performance with classical crossover, where paralinguistic sounds, such as breathy phonation and constant movements among the piece are the norm.
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The recorded field had attained a new spatial ambiguity were the performer’s position is accurately perceived among all the subjects of the experiment for very close locations (defined as A in figure 1). A contribution to the accuracy of the results were the sound source’s proximity to the receiver, as presented in figure 2, and the low acoustical properties of the room. The aforementioned, correlates with Brown’s statement on how a sound’s reflection on various surfaces can bring complications associated with judging the location of the source due to low interaural time differences (ITD) (2005, p.7). Correspondingly, the information obtained showcases how IID, ITD and low reverb play a role in diminishing the ambiguities that give descent to front-back confusions of position, where majority of volunteers represented sounds within the A field.
Atmospheric location
The performer collectively creates a particular production quality in which dynamic interactions are determined by the physical reaction to a space, which, in these experiments can be described as “alive”. The main aim of this experiment was for the singer to call for augmented intensity among the background noise; reaching a journey that slowly increases depending on the verse performed as shown in figure _. The spatial rivalries were not defining the musician's location among the azimuth the elements as the recorded material further evolves the real world-spatialities and divisions. Correspondingly, the experiment invites the listener into the physicalities of the place while creating a zone to connect with the surroundings of the territory, interfered only by sonic boundaries. The physical properties were intended to represent the “reality” stage of the journey within the song while testing the ability for audiences to monitor the singer’s location.
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The position of the microphones facing the hit of the waves at Cutty Shark and the singer moving within a 1,3 meters radio distance aimed to enlarge the musical field. Nonetheless, the location selected to accomplish such aims created a zone where physical space and the singer’s coordinates are in discord. An element that Doyle (2005, p.90-91) defines as “Concave recordings”, where the listener is located at a physical space that makes itself present and removed from the music. Peters (2005, p.90-91) compares such phenomenon with Roland Barther’s terminology called “punctum” as it is an element that rises from the scene and fills the hole image and changes the perception of the viewer/listener to add higher or lower value. As a result, the spasialisation practises were contradictory to the desired expectations which resulted in a disturbing landscape that affected both the location and the singer’s performer. As a result, the singer lost captivation and stimulation due to the lack of interactivity between performer and sonic landscape. This Interposed a challenge for audiences to recognise the location of the performer among the spatial location where certain recurring sonic spatial qualities might be identified (waves, boats, and constant change on wind).
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The presence of interfering sounds had a small impact on the perception of the singer’s location across points A,B,C and D shown in figure 3. The aforementioned is attributed by the constant intensity on the singer’s performance which reassures her presence to the audiences among systematically varying location of the azimuth. (Stern, p.156). Nonetheless environmental sound sources whose loudness were greater than 6dbs masked the target, make it inaudible for the audience and decrease the accuracy results among points E, F and G shown in figure 3 and to achieve the results showcased in figure 4. This is consistent with Yost et al studies which showcases how a source’s perceived location would be accurate as long as the target is audible (1996, p.1026)
Centrifugal Journey
This experiment provides sudden voice shifts with “angular” movements, where a tempo is set and interrupted by sudden shifts of reverb/walking sets. The improvisation freedom was aimed to provide a channel shift in which the performer gives the impression of accidental control by punctuating the vocal lines. The listeners, among this experiment, follow a sequence where the intimately focused attention is given to the small sounds produced by the room, the performer’s position and the acoustic behaviour. Hence, the performer’s location is aimed to become less apparent and non-invasive to be recognised by the listeners due to the acoustics of the Vestry Hall. Doyle (2005, p.81) presents a similar example where the production tests the spatial limits of the recorded material in songs such as “Come on in my Kitchen” by Robert Johnson, where the singer provides a virtual aural dimensionality within the recording; allowing the performer to be “the creator of the world and the actor within it”.
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The KU100 microphone aimed to be positioned in the middle of the venue as shown in figure 6 while the singer was constantly moving on a 1,6m distance from the sound receptor, in order to create a coherent pictorial sense of space. The voice works centrifugally with the reverb and moves from the center out within the sonic space. Hence, the singer continually builts the environment as an acoustic compliance for musical artistic effects. Within this experiment, the listener has a sense of nearness to the original movement as Vestry Hall provides an extra personal sonic regime (3seconds reverb), were the reverb blooms into the sides areas and moves upward to warm at the top. Correspondingly, the sonorities among the venue were maintained by setting up simultaneous nearness and remoteness (Doyle, p2).
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Within the sonic experiments in Vestry Hall, it was noticeable the listeners were able to identify the abrupt movement and directionality of the singer across multiple locations in the azimuth plane. Participants were consistent with the corresponding judgement of the free-field signals and showcased results within the axis presented in figure 5. Reflections within this experiment arise
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from many directions, which could lead towards certain discrepancies for volunteers to determine back locations. The aforementioned correlates with Brown (2002, p.2) who states how “reverberation introduces level changes which degrade decreases the recognition of the’ performer”. Nonetheless, the intensity of the singer played an important role for audiences to determine the source location, showcasing how gain or IID could be considered for future binaural recordings to enhance localization.
Congregation
The interior of the church provides a theatrical effect that enables to represent simultaneously the journey between the real and the as the singer’s location is constantly up front and less present in the mix. Correspondingly, the ideology for this experiment follows Doyle’s notes (2005, p.45) on how the reverb works for individual transcendence; elements that reinforce the lyrics exposed in Nella Fantasia. Hence, the acoustics in the church act as a congregation for two remote seats of power between the singer and the venue.
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The binaural recording and position imprinted presented the location of the singer among acoustic behavior of the church, moving it around to find the optimum place to provide a real three-dimensional sense. The perception position for the dummy head was located at 4,2m from the sound source’s first position (point A), who was in constant movement as shown in figure 7, which is the best broadcast location by the analysis of the acoustic behavior. Correspondingly, the location of the KU100 microphone as exposed in figure 7 allowed to capture both, the side to side and the rear decay necessary for audiences to navigate among the Left, Right and Back parameters. The performer finishes at the altar (point D), where the projection of the singer’s voice could be caught and send back due to the curve present on the structure. Furthermore, the wooded roof, from an acoustic point of view, lends a warm character to the track which blooms into the sides of the church and warms up at the top.
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​Given the fragility and required location coherence of the reality dramatised by the performer to complete the choreographed path stipulated in figure 7 and 8, the opera singer discredited the expressions of the performance to be fosters by the reverberation present within the venue. Correspondingly, the expressive coherence dramatized by the performance was disrupt by the binaural information control. Nonetheless, the audience attracted supportive information of the singer’s location that is described for them from the binaural recordings, among back and side locations in comparison with experiments 2 and 3. The aforementioned could be the result of both the interaural intensity difference (IID) produced on the source’s projection on levels greater than 7 db; and the interaural time difference (ITD) due to the set location for the singer among the left, right and front position.
Subliminal Building Effect
Within this experiment, it was predominant to provide an implicit space to be occupied for the performer to showcase a strong authority while not being overwhelmed or intimidated. Correspondingly, the priority for this experiment was for the singer to calmly and confidently take possession of the sonic space where the production, excitement and reaction relies on the adjustment of the performance depending to the resonance of the room. Doyle (2005, p.77) defines such term as sonic authority, where the clarity “allows the performer to be in control of an entire sonic environment” as “the singer plays the room”.
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The Greenwich’s Tunnels are 370 meters long and the Earthworks microphones were positioned in the middle to capture, evenly, the rear and front reverb produced in it. The singer traveled across point A (m) to point B (m) as shown in figure 10 in order for the sound to slowly converge to the binaural microphones to achieve a subliminal building effect. The singer’s projection was particularly larger and produced a stridently midrange sound attributed to the 9 seconds reverb; in which the display volume is without noticeable fluctuations. The voice has a strong authority within the space, which demands audiences to play close attention to identify the performer’s location.
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The artist made use of spatial tensions in the recording to represent a “sense-of-self” from a front to back path with small pauses that translates the reverb and performance into the “dream” for the piece. As a result, the acoustical conditions of “Greenwich’s Tunnels” aimed to trigger the listeners’ to “imagine” a non-physical space where the singer is fade out by the reverb and felt closer by the relative proximity to the receptor in points B and D (figure 8). The aforementioned adds size, depth and a narrative for the journey within the song as reverb provides locality to the overall sonic scene by giving the impression of drama (Doyle, p.28).
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The recorded filed in the “Greenwich’s Tunnels” attained a new spatial ambiguity where the loss of high frequencies and the resulting impossibility of localizing the sound makes the audience more dependent of the performance rather than the artist location across the azimuth. The results subjected poor performance in localization which could be attributed by the binaural recording technique and the reverberation time among the tunnels. The aforementioned was a result of systematically varying responses obtained across points E, A and C. Nonetheless, sounds that were closer to the sound receptor’s position, such as B and D, achieve a clear perception from the participants as shown in the video.
Thoughts on the session
It was noticeable how the ease for recognition was achieved in low or short reverberant venues such as the “Basement 1 studio”, Chatty Shark and “Vestry Hall” as sound were easier to separate from the acoustic reaction of these venues. Further research and practice will be required to approach sonic experiments that explores in depth the effect on distance, location and acoustics of the sound sources among given environments. However, the sonic experiments implemented in “Nella Fantasia” showcased majority of the planned and desired techniques, proposed in the production stages; taking into consideration the technological distribution of sound, the impact on the analysis of lyrics for creative vision, and, lastly, sonic experiments that can be described as intimate for the performer and “alive” for the listener.
Written by Cesar Portillo
2019