During the milleplateaux festival (4. - 7. Feb. ‘99 ) Staalplaat will install a 14-channel loudspeaker installation in the Sternfoyer on the first floor of the Berlin Volksb?hne using the software Sigma 1.

The Sternfoyer is a lounge with a split level balcony and on both levels a long hall in witch the placement of speakers provides a flexibility in all 3 dimensions.

The software provides plausible arrangement of sounds and movement of sounds in 3D-space, not only calculating the proportions of volume on each speaker, but also run-time differences and filters (in case a sound moves beyond a speaker), creating the impression of the sound moving throughout the room, and not merely jumps from speaker to speaker. The installation is not only for playback of multitrack recordings, but primarily for the real-time navigation of Sound.

The installation includes different settings for performances, from background ambient style to concert like situations. The circumstance of having French restaurant during the festival in the same space is a benefit to the installation, because even whilst performing live, it shouldn’t be regarded as a concert performance, nor should the installation be exhibited like that, because we want to focus on the dynamic of the created sound.

Besides the pieces, which are exclusively made for the purpose of this installation, it is intended to be used by any participating artist and musician as an instrument and a platform. For example, existing multitrack recordings or premaster tapes could be brought along and be mixed in 3D, involving the space in real time or with a short- term pre-production on the location.

Furthermore DJ’s could use the installation, especially considering the restaurant-situation. Different groups of people can be supplied with different kinds of music simultaneously, people can be pursued with music or sounds, or the mix can shift into the room, so that the audience is enabled to regulate the balance of the mix by moving themselves.

Now if you are interested to use the staalplaat Sigma 1 installation, we ask you to contact us as soon as possible. So that we can provide you with extra information, like a floor plan with the speaker setup, and communicate on artistic possibilities.

Sigma 1 runs on Pro Tools-platform, so it would be perfect to bring along any sources as a Pro Tools Session. Any other format (ADAT, Tascam DR 88 etc.) should be discussed soon. Of course its also possible to feed the system with a stereo-sum or with monotracks of single sounds. Cool.

http://www.staalplaat.com/