"It's like playing a Theremin with your brain" -
Luciana Haill, New Scientist January 27th 2007
Lu Chi generates live 'Psi-chic' unique music evoked by her brainwaves.
Requiring audience interaction, biofeedback and 3D spatialisation of sounds she intuitively controls ethereal digital instruments, samples, visuals, time & space. With altered states, detached focus, she makes mood-music that is themed for exploring the beauty of the brain.
(Performance for 1 or more players)
Psi Chic performances 2004 -2008 include : BAFTA, The Royal Institute, BBC Radio 4 live, The Octagon in Queen Mary University London, Manchester - Futuresonic, Liverpool's FACT & ReActor3, The Sage, The C17 Arts Chapel in Norwich, Mystery and magic in special locations
Performing feels like weaving transient thoughtstreams, with multiple looming ghostly Theremins. Jamming with higher cognitive functions to improvise unique soundscapes. Using self-propagating concepts of relaxed focus and synchronistic brainwave activity to invoke a real-time feedback loop between the conscious and subconscious Mind, and the coherence of her left and right brain hemispheres
So flow, less Ego, no need for eye contact, its good in the dark, feel my EEG, a sensory delight
When the self is forgotten, ten thousand things come to the fore
Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, Gamma from 0 - 240 Hz stereo
Softly, you entered the aural theater - generative brainwave 'noodling'.. otherworldly sounds. Delicate emissions, transient microvolts of mental ether, spell-binding the audience listening to a brain séance (a form of mediumship in which one or more people communicate with entities on another frequency)
Lu chi uses Neurofeedback and Hypnotic states to sustain notes without constant reinforcement. A sound is triggered because she has entrained to hold a concept that will continue to take her into a more focused and synchronous place. To add emphasis, I deepen the state, through practice not rehearsal
Sweepng physical movement with 3Daudioscape software, Gain, pitch bending, velocity, control and volume parameters are also all Midi controllable by the brain
Brainwaves are delicate, measured in microvolts, and constantly phasing, cresting like the ocean's white caps. Techniques for navigating this collective ocean are required as it ebbs and flows, untamed and captivating. Large projected animations, Psionic symbols and patterns are are also neurally navigated, to VJ and DJ straight from the brain.
How do we sound ? Unique, but patterns emerge as the self gradually dissolves. Brainwave frequencies (Hertz) manifest as soundwaves (Hertz) perhaps using a fast Beta wave to waft the displaced vibes around the auditorium. Maybe a little Delta wave with echo for a lonely slide guitar, and using Eye movement to trigger subsonic tones. To think in Theta for sublime organs, a fleeting state, hypnotic musical boxes, shamanic bells..?
Not knowing how is perhaps the most intimate knowledge of all
Connectivity with the audience, assimilation, coherence of our brainwaves, so EEG with me, let's make this memory last forever
ALpha EEG with IBVA by Lu Chi
Lu chi has recorded raw biofeedback with Stelarc, used IBVA with Matt Black (Coldcuts / Ninja tune), Mariko Mori (Wave UFO)...and currently with Martyn Ware ( Heaven 17, Illustrious) in The Future of Sound tour
An Interactive Neurofeedback artist mentored by Roy Ascott in Interactive Art in 1994. Since then Lu chi has recorded thousands of different individuals' EEG internationally, in altered states, ages and awareness. These all add to her compiled material for an ongoing virtual handbook entitled 'Thought Depository'.
Her company IBVA UK supplies the technology internationally and her research has led to connections with some top NLP trainers and Hypnotherapists including Richard Bandler, Owen Fitzpatrick, Ursula James and Meta-NLP where some profound shifts in EEG have been recorded. Also Holistic spiritual healers & chakra work with EEG energy have produced changes such as faster Gamma waves.
Believe and Explore, the electric sea in the brain realm is beautiful, drift away with electronically assisted meditations & Telematic dreaming
if you are looking to explore and promote Science Artists I hope you can come to a show, or invite me to perform at yours.
Performances include :
The Future of Sound tour 2005-2007
www.futureofsound.org
Bio-Tracking 2006
EEG sonification for Anna Dumitriu in Brighton Photo Fringe
The Institute for Unnecessary Research, Head of Neurofeedback
The Institute for Unnecessary Research
Rhizome
Rhizome - Connecting Art and Technology
BBC News 24 - The Future of Sound in The Sage 18.01.07
New EEG sonifications, sounds of the total eclipse of the moon 2007
