New Installation at LEA 26

By Gemma Cleanslate

I actually was able to attend an opening of a new installation in LEA 26. I have been missing so many openings lately it was a real treat! It was a fun party with live entertainment, songs by Luke Auster, danced to by an appreciative audience.  Soon after I arrived I was invited to TP to the ground for a dragon ride  installed by Judi Newell . What a great overview of the project. There is so much to investigate, touch everything  and find out what happens. This is a huge exhibit reaching high into the sky and under the water.  After the ride, which took me over the party area, I returned for the end of the party.  Monday I went back to investigate all that I had missed or not visited yet.There is so much to see and explore! 

I happened upon Lorin Tone who explained a lot to me. Since Madcow is absent from Second Life at this time, Lorin has done most of the building and the sounds. There are many parts of the exhibit that are  pieces they did together in the past which you may recognize from other exhibits but many that have not been seen before. 

One particular part is a section of Las Vegas and I asked Lorin about that...“Ah, we did a machinima with Chantal Harvey of Eric Whitacre's 'Godzilla Eats Las Vegas.' Whitacre came into SL and was interviewed, I met him there. Asked him if I could a SL version of the piece and he said sure.” It is : A Second Life version of Eric Whitacre's "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas," produced and directed by Chantal Harvey and Lorin Tone, featuring Madcow Cosmos, Lauren Weyland and Judi Newall (and a cast of dozens).” You can see it here. Cute and funny! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ybl5JKPwU Las Vegas machinima, or you can view it at the Las Vegas set in the sim as part of your visit. 


The instruments all around the region on and ground and above need to touched and be sure to listen. Some are trampolines, which I found out as I bounced around (laughter). Lorin will be doing some performances and  demonstrations of the instruments and also discussing sound techniques in Second Life. While you are there don’t miss the singing whales, the harps, and try the evolution of a sandwich, and The Steam Dancefloor! There is so much!!

Start here near the dragon ride and grab a notecard at Welcome and Information . The dragon will help you recognize where you want to be and then you are on your own. Pick up some of the wonderful instruments as you move along.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA26/134/123/27

Gemma Cleanslate

Of Sound Mind at the Linden Endowment for the Arts

By DrFran Babcock

Talk about sounds in Second Life and Lorin Tone’s name is bound to come up. Thus, when Judi Newall sent me a notecard to alert me that Lorin and his friends had gotten a sim in the Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) I knew I was in for a treat. I teleported over there, and was met by Lorin Tone himself. He told me to explore, so that’s what I set out to do. I had a wonderful, joyfully noise-filled time, and so will you.

The build is actually a series of several different environments, constructed by Lorin’s long time collaborator and aptly-named recluse, Madcow Cosmos, along with other friends: Glyph Graves, P4ndor4, Quintessa, Meriadne Merlin,Inventor Alchemi, Marcus Parrott, Mia Anais, and Judi Newall. It’s a testament to Lorin’s spirit of teamwork that so many people love to work with him.

It is difficult to describe the builds, especially because they focus on sound—a concept that does not translate well into print. The exhibits are interactive, and rely upon you to touch and walk through characters and sculptures to create and loop sounds. For example: A beach side group of singing creatures loop sounds and chorus when touched. Touch them all for a pleasing cacophony, touch them again to change the loop played, and the whole sound changes completely.

Or, go to the Obligatory Spooky Cave, and walk through the falling water to activate sounds that echo and chime through the space, but beware the monster at the end. There are so many activities: Eat Brains under the giant skull, visit the jellyfish underwater that were made by Glyph Graves , see the Boolean Sequencer by Inventor Alchemi, play full songs on The Mighty SLurlitzer, visit Marcus Parrott’s café where the staff speak to you and sing the Fishead Song, and everywhere on the sim Madcow Cosmos’ alarming, cute and frightening characters, sticking out their tongues, winking, flapping wings, and most of all making sounds, sounds sounds.

The whole point of this installation is this, according to Lorin Tone: Second Life is a place where so many different and amazing environments can be created, but what improves and enhances all of them is sound. Lorin and his friends have a mission to improve how sound is used in Second Life., and the sim is proof that they have succeeded.

Of Sound Mind is open now on LEA Island 19. Did I mention freebies? There are several scattered around the sim. I found a harp and some other goodies to play. There will be events and lectures and sound seminars throughout the installation. Check the Linden Endowment for the Arts website for schedules: http://lindenarts.blogspot.com .

LEA19, (123, 187, 22)

DrFran Babcock