Variations

A live electroacoustic piece involves sonification of real-time electroencephalographic (EEG) data and computer-controlled stage performance. During the performance, the performer is asked to do a series of actions including meditation, reading, calculating and memorizing numbers, while wearing an EEG headset which read his/her brainwave activity. While the first four actions are ordered randomly, starting from the fifth, the order of the actions is determined by the computer according to the performer’s level of concentration and frustration. The EEG data are sonified with various techniques such as audification and parameter mapping. The headset used for this piece provides 14 channels of EEG data stream which corresponds to 14 areas of brainwave activity over the skull. The resulting sonification of each channel is mapped to speakers that correspond to the position of the head.