The way we situate spatialised sound installations has a great effect on how the work is perceived by the audience.
Considering how to make an environment suitable for the work is an important part of the work itself. The physical appearance of the space in which we hear sounds has a physiological effect on our perception.
Sonic bed – Kaffe Matthews
The audience is invited to lie in the bed with pillows, encouraging comfort. Usually, when we are lying in bed we close our eyes to sleep the audience may feel more comfortable closing their eyes compared to if the piece was situated in a different location allowing them to focus more intently on the sound. The composition consists of 12 channels consisting of a subwoofer, mid, and tweeter. The speakers are placed within the upholstery of the bed producing sonic, physical, and physiological effects on the listeners.
Matthews described the sonic bed to create “Music to feel rather than just to listen to” The Sonic Bed makes me consider where the bodies of the audience are positioned in relation to the speakers. The piece massages the body of the audience, this physical effect of frequency on the body is a valuable feature of the installation as the physical sensation is only possible when inside the Sonic Bed and cannot be recreated.
The sonic bed plays with the audiences’ perception of sound, the effect of one not being able to see the sound source but only hear and feel it adds another dimension to this installation, “It is normal to rely quite heavily on the visual sense for information about events within the visible field” (Rumsey, 33)
References Malham D. Francis Rumsey, Spatial Audio. Focal Press, Oxford. 240 ppISBN: 0-240-51623-0. Organised Sound. 2004;9(1).
https://www.kaffematthews.net/project/sonic-bed_london