CodeChain

Devices connected to each other enable chain processes involving several players. In »CodeChain«, sounds are generated according to the principle of the popular children’s game »whisper down the lane« or »telephone,« which are sent to other players and processed by them. Thus the players alter a sound step-by-step, and may change it until it bears no resemblance to the initial sound.

The chain begins with rushing sounds, various oscillators, frequency modulators, and own or prepared recordings, which users select via double click. The selected sound is sent to one of the devices in the pool, where a fellow player can add effects. Available effects are echoes and reverberations, delay, treble and bass filters, granular synthesis, and distortion. In addition the sounds can be formed into a melody with a sequencer. After the sound has had as many effects as desired added to it, it is sent to the next player. Each player changes the sound one more time. The sounds resulting from this process are therefore the result of a collective, partially random, partially deliberate process.

You can listen to all exported »CodeChain« sounds at codechain.zkm.de.

A production of the ZKM_Hertz-Lab