Turning tree rings into music

Last updated on: May 10, 2014 at 10:16 am by Joanne Brokaw

Turning tree rings into music 2014-05-10T10:16:41-04:00 Joanne Brokaw

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Media artist Bartholomäus Traubeck turns tree rings into music.

Today I came across what might be the most amazing thing I’ve seen in a long time: the rings of a tree translated into music.

Media artist Bartholomaus Traubeck has found a way to take the rings that appear naturally in the trunk of a tree and turn them into musical sounds using a high speed camera, a mathematical formula, and a special turntable.

In a 2012 interview with PRI’s environmental news magazine Living On Earth, Traubeck explained:

“The tree slice is turning like a disk and the tone arm is constantly being moved to the inside of the disk like on a regular record player. The difference is that basically it’s just a camera and this camera is a modified camera, a very fast one, and the camera has just moved in and it waits until there is a tree ring passing the camera’s field of view and then it is translated into a sound. Sometimes it is a series of piano tones, sometimes it’s just one sound and the melody is defined, for instance, by the rate of growth. In essence, I play the tree’s year rings.”

Different trees produce different music, knots and cracks produce even more sounds, and the distance between rings also varies the musical patterns. But each ring on the slab tells the tree’s story.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, it may or may not make a sound – but with Traubeck’s process we can go back and hear it growing, living, breathing, ring by ring, year by year.

I know this story is a couple of years old, but I am always in awe and filled with wonder when it comes to nature, always embracing the mystery of creation that is all around us. It’s a mystery we may not be able to hear with our ears but can feel in our spirit. Now, Traubeck has made audible that emotional and spiritual connection between man and nature.

For more about Bartholomäus Traubeck, visit his website.

Music

Nature

Art

Bartholomaus Traubeck

music

nature

trees

Previous Post

May 1, 2014

Mrs. Robin lays her egg

Next Post

May 4, 2014 Mrs Robin adds to her nest - three more eggs!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Animal behavior Animal health Animal history Animal rescue Animal research Animals and entertainment Animals and fashion Animals and food Animals and military Animals and science Animals and the law Animals in the news Be Nice Project Bears Bees Bible verses Birds Books cats Celebrities Christianity Circus Critters Dogs Elephants Farm animals Featured Shelter Pet Guest blogger Holidays Humor Interviews Movies Music National News Nature Ocean mammals Paganism Politics Quotes Reader photos Recalls Reviews Science Space Supernatural Technology Television Uncategorized Uncategorized video Wildlife Zoo

Select a Month November 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 November 2015 May 2015 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 May 2014 April 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Old Testament book does not mention God?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ecclesiastes Esther Ruth Song of Solomon