Acoustic Sigils
From: Kevin Max Krebs 
To: zee-list
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 1996 20:14:12 -0800 (PST)

As some of you may remember, i was discusing a method for developing
rather complex electro-acoustic sigils.  for this method, you will
require a program capable of generating (at least) sine waves.  to those
using a windows based PC, i would recommend Wavegen v2.1. (no, i don't
have an address for it, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find.)

As with normal sigilizing, you generate your statement of intent:

my will for new shoes

Reduce as per usual:

mywilfornesh

Devise a scale to convert the alphabet to hertz (cycles per second).  For 
example:


              a = 20hz.
              b = 40hz.
              c = 60hz.
              d = 80hz.
               . . . etc.


Of course, this need not progress logically, and some prior
experimenting to discover any personal relations between tones and
letters may be necessary.

Progressing with the above scale, which i find most effective
personally, our statement of intent would become.


  m     y     w     i     l     f     o     r     n     e     s     h
260hz,500hz,460hz,180hz,240hz,120hz,300hz,360hz,280hz,100hz,380hz,160hz.

 
Now, load up your tone-generating software.  before you begin
generating the sigil-tone, divide 100 by the amount of
letters/components in the statement.  the example contains 12, which
results in a little over 8.  this number denotes the maximum amplitude
you can use when generating each tone of the sigil.  to be safe, we'll
reduce this number to 7, so as to aviod any clipping or peaking of our
generated tone.

Now, generate a sine wave (you may try other wave-forms, but i find a
sine works the best) with the first value (260hz), at an amplitude of
7%, with a length of one second.  if your software can generate another
tone over the previous one (modulating it) then you can continue
generating each value within the statement of intent.  if your software
cannot do this, you may have to generate each tone seperately and then
cut and paste them over one another (if this is the case, you may want
to consider getting better software!).

Once you have finished all the values, you will have a one second long
complex tone created with additive synthesis of simple tones,
metaphorically similar to an audible sentance.  save the file,
preferably with a number-based name to aid forgetting the original
intent.  you can play the sample and loop it, and it should sound fairly
smooth.  you can leave it running, essentailly having your computer
recite a mantra for you.  you can record it onto a tape, playing either
in the foreground or barely audible.  play it when you are falling
asleep.  incorperate it into music.  broadcast it.  etc. etc.

zdb