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Sonically Minded Books

A book made with intent to communicate sound whether through an aspect of its content or production.

We must break the conception that books are silent. We flick pages, we rub corners, we tap spines, we caress covers, we fold, we rip…each action, a sound. By promoting discussion that traverses music and book art we develop tangible venues, instruments with pages, artifactual modulations, etc. Let us create books that strengthen content through integration of sight, sound, and touch.

 

 

We must break the conception that music is intangible or invisible. we feel the vibration, the pulse, and meter. So too touch is integral to any musical instrument. To those that see landscapes of objects, shapes, colors, or lines it is time to creat your lexicon. Contribute to the creation and cultivation of a genre. And concern yourself with a book which

 

 

I. activates an internal sound when manipulated.

II. activates an external sound when manipulated.

III. can be performed as an instrument.

IV. implies sound through sonic metaphor, text, image, or symbols.

V. is read like a score in three dimensions.

VI. always makes sound.

 

Let us not compete with technological advancements and instead utilize them in artist books as a means to augment the vocabulary of sonic, visual, and tactile cues. Partner with the similarities and, most importantly, emphasize the differences. Be assured, there is no end in sight for the sentimental, the nuance, the feel. Let us make circuits with spines, amplified folios, sonic book sculptures, synthesizer books, and three-dimensional scores.

   

Nick Kanozik
Nick Kanozik
Nick Kanozik

 

Sonically Minded Book™ Workshops

This workshop series traverses sonic and tangible media. Each workshop explores a topic relevant to both media with intent to inspire sonic pairings with artist books and to expand ones perspective regarding time, form, texture, and dynamic.

 

FORM “Book Art Rondo”: We will first discuss the potential in which book forms, poetic forms, and sonic forms can coexist; this includes an introduction to common musical tactics (e.g. rondo, theme and variations, sonata form, rounded binary, through composed, etc.). During the second part of this workshop participants learn the french door binding technique to solidified their understanding of the rondo form. 2 hr

 

DYNAMIC “Paper Amplification and Listening”: This workshop focuses on the sound of paper itself. With the aid of contact microphones and a localized mic set-up, the intimate sound of paper takes center stage. This workshop includes a demonstration, discussion, exercise, and an interactive portion. 2 hr

 

 

TIME “Meter, Pacing, and Silence”: This workshop is organized to give a sonic perspective to the treatment of time within artist books, in particular, the juxtaposition of content and space through definitions of meter, pacing, and silence. If you are at all interested in producing artful scores, conceptualizing book production, combining linear art forms, or gaining a physical understanding of meter, this workshop is for you. We will analyze some traditional and non-traditional book binding methods and solidify some ideas with a time signature exercise. 2 hr

 

OVERVIEW: Includes a 30 minute overview and introduction to Sonically Minded Books, a 30 minute demonstration of a variety of books (including synthesizer books), and an interactive portion. 3 hr

Sonically Minded book Workshops

Excerpt from paper listening workshop

Nick Kanozik

Examples

Nick Kanozik
The Choloric (2012) 5.75”x4.4”x1”

Hand crafted artist book with embedded contact microphone.

 

Made with watercolor | India ink | papyrus | 140lb. watercolor paper | tracing paper | light gel.

The Phlegmatic (2012)
5”x3”x2.5”

Synthesizor Book

Created by Nick Kanozik and Nick Wang

 

Presented at a "Sonically Minded Book" lecture at Mills College. The circuit uses two 555 oscillators and a single transistor vca. The two oscillators are built using 555 timer ic's with photoresistors added to add an element of light sensitivity to the oscillators' respective pitch content and switching rate. the r-c low pass filter before the output also uses a photoresistor to further alter the light sensitivity of the electronics. when building the circuit, I wanted to ensure a good variety of behaviors given different ambient light conditions.

The Melancholic (2012) 
4.5”x4.5”x1.3”

Hand crafted artist book with embedded contact microphone. Sewn in 56 signatures with paper and paper-like materials: photo paper | museum board | light gel | tracing paper | transparency paper | aluminum foil | watercolor paper of various weights | etc. | ceramic tile (back) | upholstery (cover)

Nick Kanozik
Nick Kanozik
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