Devlog #35
Hi there sonification fans, and welcome to the 35th weekly Loud Numbers development log! The devlog archive is really filling up now, so if you’re new here then it’s well worth going back and having a read through - there are loads of sonification gems scattered throughout. As always, you’re receiving this newsletter because you signed up at buttondown.email/loudnumbers, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
We’ve got a relatively short devlog for you this week, because we’re very, very close to finishing “Tasting Notes” - our sonification of the experience of drinking lots of different kinds of beer. Having recorded our interview with cicerone Malin Derwinger two weeks back, we’ve been spending loads of time chopping little bits out of it - some of those will go in the introduction to the episode, but some will go in the track itself.
Here’s how it’ll sound. Over a minimal backing beat and gently undulating synth line, Malin introduces each beer style in turn and talks a little about it. For some beers she talks about their defining characteristics, for some she talks about their history, and some she shares personal stories. Then you hear the hiss of a bottle opening, and a multisensory explosion begins - first with a sonification of the aroma of each beer, then its appearance and taste, and then finally its aftertaste.
For most of the last week, we’ve been finessing the little details - giving the track structure, adding little rhythmic and harmonic flourishes in places, and choosing exactly the right hi-hat sounds. Who knew there were so many hi-hat sounds? Who knew most of them were so unsuited to this track?
One of our favourite additions is a “palette cleanser” that we placed in between each beer. Originally the backing beat continued throughout, but now it drops out for a couple of bars after each beer plays to give the ears a break. This will hopefully give the listener time to digest what they just heard, and whet their appetite for the next one in the sequence.
Can you tell we’re feeling pretty proud of this one? It’s a lovely, laid-back listen, which plays out over exactly ten minutes, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a beer of your own while listening. In fact, just writing all this is making us thirsty. We’re going to head off and get the track finished. See you next week!