Exploring the World of Biodata Sonification: How Plants and Fungi "Sing"

Biodata sonification, the process of translating biological data into sound, offers a fascinating intersection of music, science, and technology. By connecting sensors to plants or fungi and converting their bioelectric signals into musical notes, we gain a unique perspective into the natural world. This blog post delves into the history, technology, artistic interpretations, and philosophical implications of biodata sonification.

A Brief History and the Underlying Science

The idea of plants having a "secret life" captured public imagination with the 1970s book, The Secret Life of Plants. While its scientific merit was debated, it encouraged people to consider plants as more than just silent, unreactive beings.

Modern biodata sonification relies on the principle of galvanic conductance, measuring the electrical conductivity between two electrodes placed on a plant or fungus. This method, derived from "lie detector tests," detects variations in electrical signals. These signals aren't necessarily evidence of consciousness but rather indicate a plant's ability to sense and react to its environment.

The Technology Behind Plant Music

Several devices and methods exist for capturing and converting biodata into music:

• MIDI Sprout: Developed by Data Garden, the MIDI Sprout was one of the first commercially available devices for biodata sonification. It runs a small electrical current through a plant's leaf and measures the changes in electrical conductance. This data is then converted into MIDI notes, which can be used with synthesizers or digital audio workstations (DAWs). The inventor of MIDI Sprout, Sam Cusumano, has made the source code and design files available online.
• PlantWave: Another device created by Data Garden, PlantWave wirelessly connects to plants and translates their biodata into music via an app.
• Damanhur’s "Music of the Plants": The Damanhur Foundation, an ecovillage in Italy, produces a device that uses clamps and ground pins to connect to plants. It features an onboard synthesizer and can also send MIDI data to a DAW.
• Scion: Instruo's Scion is a Eurorack module that generates control voltage (CV) from plant biosignals. It integrates with modular synthesizers and allows users to manipulate the raw signal.
• Custom-built interfaces: DIY enthusiasts can create their own interfaces using electronic components like op-amps and microcontrollers. Software like Max/MSP can then be used to process the signals.

From Data to Music: Artistic Interpretations

Once biodata is captured, artists and musicians employ various techniques to transform it into music:

• Direct mapping: The most straightforward approach involves mapping MIDI values directly to musical notes.
• Quantization: To create more organized sounds, artists use quantizers to map chromatic notes to specific scales or rhythmic grids.
• Algorithmic composition: MIDI data can be used to trigger changes in tempo, orchestration, or dynamics, creating complex, automated musical systems.
• Sound sample indexing: Biodata can trigger pre-recorded sound samples, adding another layer of interpretation.

Notable Biodata Sonification Projects

• Augustine Leudar's sound installations: Leudar created site-specific sound installations in rainforests, using plant biosignals to control the panning of sounds across multiple loudspeakers. His work emphasizes plant autonomy and incorporates the natural soundscape.
• Data Garden Quartet: This group created a "bioband" with different plants assigned to lead synthesizer, rhythm, bass, and ambient/effects roles. Their performances layer diatonic and pentatonic notes over ambient textures.
• Mamoru Fujieda's Patterns of Plants: Fujieda uses plant data to create complex piano compositions. He identifies melodic patterns within the data and arranges them into musical scores.

Musical Style and the Role of the Artist

The style of music created through biodata sonification often falls into the categories of ambient and postminimalist. The degree to which an artist intervenes in the data influences the final result. Some artists prioritize the raw, unedited data, while others manipulate it to create more structured compositions.

Philosophical and Ethical Considerations

Biodata sonification raises questions about the relationship between humans and the natural world. It invites us to consider plants as active participants in a semiotic exchange. Ethically, it's important to question whether biodata sonification is a genuine collaboration with plants or simply a technological exercise.

The Future of Plant Music

Despite the challenges, biodata sonification offers exciting possibilities. It can foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world, challenge our anthropocentric perspectives, and inspire new forms of artistic expression. As technology advances and artists continue to explore this field, we can expect even more innovative and thought-provoking plant-based music to emerge.

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