This installation translates the waves in the harbor into sound made by a musical kinetic sculpture. A tidal estuary, like the one outside
of the exhibit space, is in continuous movement activated by the moon (tides) and atmospheric pressure (wind). In Wave Music for
Strings, our interface interprets the power and nature of waves through a musical instrument made of recycled harbor materials such
as docking line and shock absorber, thus composing a symphony whose sound is unique to a nautical environment.
The physical installation is built from 6 docking lines connected in the middle by a shock absorber. Each line is connected to a motor,
which determines the tension on the ropes. The motors are actuated according to live data streamed from NDBC buoys in New
York Harbor. (National Data Buoy Center buoys are a series of floating devices that transmit daily data about sea conditions.) The
wave height determines the amount of tension in the ropes; the wave periods determine the amount of time the rope is in tension.
The ropes are pulled and released making the shock absorbers creek and whine, emulating the sound of the dock lines in a harbor.

 

Project under constuction