Chordeograph Augmented Reality

Instrument and graphic scores as interactive video installation

The project “Chordeograph Augmented Reality” allows one or multiple participants to discover vast constellations of resonances.

Strings stretched on a large sounding board is an ancient sound concept. »Chordeograph« extends this concept, integrating interactive graphic scores and computer-based realtime string activation and vibration. 

The interactive units, known as software bots, explore the resonant frequencies of each individual string. The score is the interface between the players and the software bots. It controls the parameters and behaviour of the software bots in order to offer degrees of freedom for playing with shifting resonant options.

At the same time the score gives a visual feedback to the actions of the players. The player interacts with the software bots triggering multiple acoustic options by their movements. An electrical signal is triggered by the participants body movements, resulting in frequencies that are converted into precise mechanical vibrations of one or all of the strings.

Koenig developed the work at ZKM's Hertz Lab supported by ARTOXIN in 2018. Subsequently, Chordeograph Augmented Reality was presented at ZKM's Cube, in a workshop series and as part of ZKM's Open Codes exhibition.