Audio

CyberGourds is a demonstration of 3D audio in VRML. Embedded within each gourd is a TouchSensor that triggers a percussive sample when clicked on. By assigning samples of varying styles and timbre to the gourds and triggering them, unique rhythms and colors are created serendipitously. Samples that were authored for one musical genre, when combined randomly with ones from another, can spawn off entirely new combinations of musical styles. This is analogous to how a music producer or DJ would key in or out musical tracks using a multi-channel mixer. CyberGourds is 3D drum machine meets 3D multi-channel mixer.

The samples were either performed live and recorded digitally with a high-quality microphone, or fed directly from MIDI source into a digital recorder. In most cases, musicians performed to a 110-tempo click track, without hearing the music on the other tracks. The end result was often a surprise to even us.

Using common digital media software (soundtrack & soundeditor) bundled with the O2 workstation, the various samples were edited down to their proper lengths, EQ'ed, seamlessly looped, and converted to 32kHz mono samples in MPEG-1 audio format. Care was taken to ensure soundbytes that needed sychronization were trimmed to the exact size (or multiples of) in order to maintain synchronization across the samples.

Because each sound source has a distinct location in 3D space, by navigating around the gourds or changing the viewpoint, the sounds take on a 3 dimensional quality in the stereo spectrum. We recommend using either headphones or stereo power speakers to enhance this effect.

VRML

VRML modeling and behavior programming were performed in CosmoWorlds 1.0. Lighting was achieved using CosmoWorlds' lighting editor. Note that lighting changes from cold blue to red hot as time passes. This is in tune with the dynamic surface temperature of the CyberGourds Planet.

CyberGourds utilizes VRML 2.0 features including keyframe animations, spatialized audio, and material animation allowing the gourds to glow while bumping and swaying to the music. CyberGourds also uses color per vertex shading combined with 1-component texture to achieve its organic appearance.