Harmonizing sound and image has been the goal of countless artists ever since talkies first hit the silver screen in the 1920s. Modern artists obviously have more sophisticated technology than the filmmakers of yesteryear, but the M.O. remains the same: create an experience that brings the eye and the ear together in mutual joy.Bass Shapes is one sound visualizer from new media experimenter Nick Hardeman that strives to fuse sound and image with an elegant aesthetic, kissed by watercolors and geometric forms.
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The visualizer's frame centers on a watercolor ball puttering along an out-of-control watercolor line. As the tempo amps up, the ball races forward at breakneck speeds, swerving back and forth across its increasingly chaotic line. More complex sounds—especially the titular bass—cause colorful obstacles to appear in front of the ball, which crashes right through them. The cubes, rectangular prisms, and spheres satisfyingly shatter into smaller geometric shapes as the ball eagerly races forward toward the next obstacle.
These few powerful elements can combine into an impressive array multicolored combos, powered by your favorite tunes. Its simplicity is part of its charm—you just activate and go. No need to tweak and toggle between settings and options like multiple scenes and themes, strobe lights, or blurring. As Hardeman told The Creators Project in an email, the app was rejected by the App store who claimed it wasn't "very useful." The company suggested that he add more features, but the artist said it was his goal "to combine traditional watercolor style with non-traditional modern 3D-rendering techniques."Visualizing anything from Apashe toDr. Dog, Bass Shapes is entertaining for anyone looking for a new screensaver or testing their hand at VJ'ing. The pigment-tinged possibilites are limited only by your ability to make a Spotify playlist or pick a Pandora channel. The 3D visualized, watercolored world is your oyster.
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These few powerful elements can combine into an impressive array multicolored combos, powered by your favorite tunes. Its simplicity is part of its charm—you just activate and go. No need to tweak and toggle between settings and options like multiple scenes and themes, strobe lights, or blurring. As Hardeman told The Creators Project in an email, the app was rejected by the App store who claimed it wasn't "very useful." The company suggested that he add more features, but the artist said it was his goal "to combine traditional watercolor style with non-traditional modern 3D-rendering techniques."Visualizing anything from Apashe toDr. Dog, Bass Shapes is entertaining for anyone looking for a new screensaver or testing their hand at VJ'ing. The pigment-tinged possibilites are limited only by your ability to make a Spotify playlist or pick a Pandora channel. The 3D visualized, watercolored world is your oyster.Download Bass Shapes for free at Hardeman's site here.
