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Natyam Simulator

Attempting to reinvent the relationship between dance and music, the Natyam Simulator explores an innovative way to bring traditional ancient dance conventions to the modern world of technology. Inspired by ancient Indian dance style, Bharatanatyam, the Natyam Simulator embodies a creative solution for Carnatic music to be delivered from a dancer’s lens.

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Utilising two android phones, with Sensors OSC (Mayer and Junior, 2017) installed, the movement of the dancer is mapped and converted into rhythm and melody through Cycling 74’s Max 8. It’s body-focused approach and reliance on human interaction makes the generated music unique, expressive, and personal.

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The interface simulates the following:

Tabla Percussion Model | Moving Ghungroo Bell Model | Raga Melody Selector

Product

mistry sound.

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Bharatanatyam dance is one of the oldest classical dance styles in India. It is performed by an ensemble of Carnatic musicians and illustrated by one or many dancers. Through precise footwork and meaningful hand gestures, dancers perform to narrate spiritual tales of Hinduism. The word Bharatanatyam stands for:

Bha - Bhavam - Expression | Ra - Ragam - Melody | Ta - Talam - Rhythm  | Natyam - Natyam - Dance

(Rajesh, 2021)

In attempts to reinvent traditions, this project was driven by interpreting the meaning of Bharatanatyam through an alternate perspective. As opposed to using the art of dance to visually narrate the music's tale, the project proposed to use sound to emphasis the dancer's story. 

Praising the advancements of wearable musical instruments, the Simulator was developed through an understanding of previous gestural technologies. Inspired by pioneers such as Imogen Heap, Laetitia Sonami and Onyx Ashanti, a collection of concepts and physical models were analysed to create a unique interface that maintained the essence of Bharatanatyam - Footwork remained synchronous with rhythm and hand gestures were reinterpreted to accompany the expression, or Bhavam, of the stories told.

Development

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Accelerometer

Additive Synthesis

ADSR Envelopes

Data Mapping

Digital Signal Processing

Orientation

Peak Detection

The Natyam Simulator is a rudimentary wearable musical instrument that focuses on the concept of data collection. With a basic application of audio fundamentals such as producing sound from samples, additive synthesis and reverbs, the Simulator demonstrated a solution to translating movement to animated noise. The generated noise was then further contextualised by connecting it with Carnatic Music theory. For example, the pre-set Raga generator.

 

In terms of translating human interactions, specifically, digitising footsteps, data analysis was conducted. Using data of an accelerometer in the Y-axis, the velocity of each foot movement was converted to isolated data peaks. Utilising this method, the accelerometer and orientation data of all directions were contextualised into a series of co-ordinates, mapping various dance attribute to sound parameters.

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Demo

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"Without changing the original purpose and essence" of Bharatanatyam from its "spiritual, divine, and meaningful addition to our society", there is "room for improvisations and imaginative interpretations" (Foundation, 2017).

Imaginative Interpretations.

- Precise Carnatic Music Interpretation-

The Natyam Simulator, despite honouring the basics of Carnatic ideologies, is musically restrictive. Moving forward, the project aims to visualise a complete percussive ensemble, for both feet, accompanied by an accurate vocal melody generator, adjustable by the dancer.

- Development of Gloves for Hand Detection -

Using bend sensors to conceptualise each Hand gesture to sound would add an additional layer of  expression, further encapsulating the story told.

Future
Tropical Leaves

references.

Acharyanet (2021) ‘Carnatic Ragas’. Available at: https://www.acharyanet.com/carnatic-ragas/ (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

 

Android Developers (no date) SensorEvent. Available at: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/SensorEvent (Accessed: 9 January 2022).

Anjali (2009) ‘Tala System’, Online Bharatanatyam. Available at: https://onlinebharatanatyam.com/2009/08/13/tala-system/ (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

 

Cycling '74 (2022) 'Forum'. Available at: https://cycling74.com/forums/page/1 (Accessed: 9 January 2022).

Foundation, T.M. (2017) ‘Bharatanatyam’, The Mudra Foundation. Available at: https://themudrafoundation.org/bharatanatyam/ (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

Ipassio (2021) ‘Breaking down Ragas, one note at a time (Part I)’, Carnatic Vocals. Available at: https://www.ipassio.com/blog/list-of-ragas-in-carnatic-music (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

Mayer, T. and Junior, A.D. de C. (2017) ‘Sensors2OSC’, Sensors2. Available at: https://sensors2.org/osc/ (Accessed: 5 January 2022).

MiMU (2022). ‘MiMU Story’. Available at: https://mimugloves.com/mimu-story/ (Accessed: 5 January 2022).

 

Rajesh, N. (2021) ‘The History of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Classical Music’, The Loop. Available at: https://www.theloopnorwich.co.uk/the-history-of-bharatanatyam-and-carnatic-singing (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

Sonami, L. (2021) ‘Lady’s Glove’. Available at: https://sonami.net/portfolio/items/ladys-glove/ (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

 

VoxGuru (2018) ‘7 Talas in Carnatic Music ft. Pratibha Sarathy’. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcMqTycAizA (Accessed: 4 January 2022).

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Deepali Mistry

Sound Designer | Audio Engineer

BSc Music Technology - Birmingham City University

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