The Leamon Sound Device (LSD) is astonishly easy to make compelling sounds

for. I am eager to hear what kinds of things others can create for it.

The LSD currently runs Digital Performer only. However, most DAWs (digital audio

workstations) will let you create 24 audio tracks and save them in a common format

(MP3, WAV, AIFF, etc.) that Digital Performer can import.

The LSD is set up in the following manner:

There are three sets of speakers, A1-A8, B1-B8, and C1-C8. Note the locations

in space of each speaker if you plan on doing location manipulation. (East wall: B6-B8.

South wall: C1-C7. West wall: C8-A3. North wall: A4-B5.)

If you use Digital Performer, here are some sample files that should get you started

(please let me know if there are any problems with them). If you do not, here's what

you should do:

- Set up as many tracks as you wish to play on the LSD. Name them according to

their eventual speaker location (A1, etc.). If you have multiple tracks going to the same

speaker, name them A1a, A1b, etc. (and remember to watch your levels). You can use

stereo tracks as well as mono tracks.

- Record or import audio to each track.

- Apply effects, volume changes, pan changes, etc.

- "Bounce to disk" each track as its own discrete audio track with all effects, etc.,

applied.

- You will end up with X number of audio tracks in a common format (MP3, WAV,

AIFF, etc.) -- be sure to name them in keeping with the track names you set up in your

editor.

- Burn the tracks to CD or DVD and contact me for how to send them in.

It's important to remember that we make certain kinds of music because of the format

it will be played in. Stereo music has certain characteristics because it is going to be

played on a stereo. The LSD begs you break out of your stereo-centric way of thinking.

For me, this has induced an exploration of ambient and other sound that is not

dependent on a beat. You should feel free, of course, to do whatever you want to do,

but the LSD encourages sound textures and movement; it doesn't need a beat to be

compelling.

If you do create beat-driven music, consider moving the beat around the system, or

assigning different elements of the beat to different speakers at different locations.

Also, my LSD is a fairly intimate space. That's not to say future LSDs wouldn't be

bigger and more public. But sending loud bass beats to all 24 speakers at once is likely

to overwhelm the listener.

A tip about moving sound around the space: the easiest way to do this smoothly is to

have the same sound event on different tracks (and hence speakers), and to adjust the

volume in such a way that the sound is louder on Track 1 at the start, then grows louder

on Track 2 in the middle, and finishes louder on Track 3 at the end, all the while

diminishing the volume where the sound has "passed." Here is a screenshot

example.

At this point, anything you send me will be for my own edification. In the future,

however, I would like to set up performances of the best LSD audio, whether it's

mine or yours. Certainly the best of anything I get before then will be considered

for inclusion. More details to come as things move forward.

Finally, thank you in advance for considering sending something in. I'm dying to hear

what others can do with the system.

© 2004 by Roy Leamon