Cymatics & Holographic Modeling

The holographic nature of sound was contemplated several years ago by John Stuart Reid; it assumes that every atomic particle of air carries all the data that describes a particular sound. The holographic concept for sound found recent support with esteemed acoustician, Andrew Munro, who visited the CymaScope laboratory in 2015.

Now the principles of holographic sound have been used by Digital Artist and Musician, John McGowan, who applied VFX modelling techniques to a MusicMadeVisible (MMV) video that he commissioned. MMV is an experimental medium being developed by the Reid's team in which a physical analog is created by imprinting music's vibrations onto a water membrane in the CymaScope's vizualising cell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtXYzj-iDRs

Photos and images by John McGowan

The music used for this experiment was Mr McGowan's own composition titled ''Stretch''. He commented, ''I was inspired by the CymaScope's ability to render music visible in quasi-3D and for my Master of Science project I had the idea that if I could model quasi-3D imagery into full 3D, the technique could enlighten and educate, providing a visual tool to help show the true nature of sound. I used VFX techniques including particle dynamics, texturing and modelling methods. I analysed and modeled the individual frames from the MusicMadeVisible video, interpreting the shapes using Maya Nurbs modelling techniques (Autodesk Maya 3D Software). Colours and ''wave like'' effects were added to the particles by using scripted mathematical expressions in Maya, as well as having a separate translucent layer of the geometry with a 'soap bubble material applied. Finally, the many layers were assembled in Nuke compositing software.

The project took around 4 months to complete. John Stuart Reid commented, ''John McGowan's achievement is highly significant and has provided not only a launch pad from which a new audio-visual entertainment medium could emerge but also a technique to diffuse knowledge concerning the spherical nature of sound in a new and powerfully visual way. It also carries the potential to help advance scientific understanding of the nature of holographic sound.''

The original MMV track prepared by John Stuart Reid and James Stuart Reid can be viewed on the CymaScope YouTube channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHjMrY6TmwE