This blog contains thoughts, ideas, and links to various projects and media that I create. I've also carried over relevant content from years of blogging and continue to provide content relative to Sociology.
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Bats...bats....these experiences
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Introduction to my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/chadgesser.org
I wanted to take a minute to say hello to new page followers (welcome and thank you!) and to give you an idea of what this is all about.
I've thought about creating this specific page for several years, and obviously moved forward with that idea. Let me first say that the new Facebook page is not about hustling or making money. I've maintained a web presence since the early 2000s and simply have evolved with my inspirations, ideas, and projects. I'm looking for this page to be an extension of my website www.chadgesser.org . You can get a lot of info about me there if you'd like to know more about me and my work (career, hobbies, interests).
Saturday, April 8, 2023
A step into spatial audio
How I got here
First off, I don't get here without my decision to dive into sound and music production with computers and related technology in mid 2010. Around that time I became interested in modern, electronic music. While walking for exercise and wearing over the ear headphones, I discovered a very unique sonic experience I had not heard before. I remember being struck by my perception of the music in my mind.
I then began to consider music produced historically with these considerations, and I realized that the Beatles were one of the first bands to use stereo recording techniques. I also discovered that if I listened to Rush with headphones, that I could flip them and imagine sitting on the drummer's throne and having a better understanding of how Neil Peart played his set.
Like most studio produced music, that music was produced from the vantage point of the engineer, not of the musicians. I was particularly interested in this because I taught myself how to play drums in my late teens but always noticed that when listening to most music produced from the 1970s-1990s, the instruments seemed to be "flip flopped" in the sound field.
A very important part of my early sound/music/DJ process and my modern sound/music production is the use of Ableton Live. Fast forward now to 2023 and I have discovered the recent capabilities with Envelope for Live, ambisonics, and the Surround Panner effects. These features allow me to better create more complex and immersive soundscapes.
Very recently too I also discovered the work of Prof. Michael Wagner, who is an expert in ambisonics. Given the equipment needs, the creation of a true ambisonics environment is currently out of my realm of possibility. Reviewing and researching similar sonic phenomena, I soon realized that I could though create a similar environment with my existing sound equipment. I conducted a brief test of a configuration, and once my son told me it "feels like the sound is passing through me," well I decided it was worth an effort to scale this beyond the headphone and vehicle experience as a potential project in the community.I decided to go public with the possibilities of this project. I was surprised by the positive feedback I received, and I was encouraged to continue the effort. And as a result, I was approached by the Owensboro Museum of Science and History about an immersive experience, including an installation for Earth Day.