research_blog.post
What happens when you apply quantum mechanics principles to audio engineering? This experimental piece explores polyrhythmic layers existing in multiple tempos simultaneously, microtonal-tuning creating harmonic impossibilities, and psychoacoustic techniques that make sounds exist only in the difference between channels.
The track "Quantum Superposition" is built on the idea that a piece of music, like a quantum particle, can exist in multiple states at once until it is "observed" by the listener. To achieve this, we employed several advanced audio production techniques. Polyrhythms were programmed at competing tempos (40, 78, and 180 BPM) that phase in and out of alignment, creating a sense of temporal uncertainty. The harmony utilizes a superposition of multiple tuning systems, including 24-TET and 31-TET, resulting in chords that are simultaneously consonant and dissonant.
Furthermore, psychoacoustic effects like binaural beats, Shepard tones, and the Risset rhythm are used to create auditory illusions where the brain is forced to "collapse the waveform" and interpret the ambiguous signal. This post breaks down the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of these techniques, offering a glimpse into the future of generative music and sound design.