Electrochemical Synthesiser 2007

Through the audio amplification of low level electrical activity, this work demonstrates the highly complex electrochemical activity occurring between copper and aluminium in salt (Sodium Chloride) solution. The sounds give an indication of the many invisible oscillating
electrochemical processes occurring between the two metals. The work serves to illustrate the natural complexity available through simple materials contrasting the amount of electronics or software programming that would be needed to realise the synthesis of equivalent sound effects.
The inspiration for this work was from a previous installation monitoring electrochemical activity between dissimilar metals, “The Preservation of Entropy” and the web page, “Peculiar sound from Aluminium” by Nyle Steiner.
The electrochemical synthesiser demonstrates once again the incredible complex properties possible with non-digital systems. The formulae that might describe the oscillatory electrical activities that are heard are likely to be esoteric and difficult to understand, however the rendering into sound serves to communicate the complexity in an aural manner, giving us an immediate sense of what we cannot see, or visualise, but we hear. Gordon Pask dramatised many of his complex ideas, referring to theatre and mechanical visualisations as a means of conveying his theories. This work attempts to do something similar, it provides a means of engagement with what are essentially complex theories of electrochemistry.

Electrochemical Synthesiser from mimetics on Vimeo.

Direct Audio Recording Version!

Electrochemical Synthesiser - direct audio recording from mimetics on Vimeo.