Mushrooms are used to DJ: Biodata Sonification

Did you make it until 2023 without a mushroom coming your way? It's hard to imagine. Perhaps it is the newest addition to the menu of your coffee shop, a cunning vegan burger, or one of the many mushroom supplement brands that pop up. Mushrooms remain in the spotlight, this time for a very obscure reason.

Biodata sonification; There is no "discovery date" of it, but you can take its history back to the mid -20th century when early pioneers of electronic music and researchers started exploring ways to present data as sound. Nowadays it has evolved from pure research into pleasure and fascination.

A quick search on every social media platform will reveal accounts that Millions of views get from mushroom music for their videos. This movement does not stop here; There are even concerts and guided walks to experience these bizarre sounds themselves.

 Let's take a step back and learn what these sounds are and how they are made.

Biodata Sonification is a fascinating fusion of science, technology and art that revolves around a fundamental concept: the transformation of organic data, derived from living organisms, in audible sounds or music.

In the core, Biodata Sonification gives Life to raw biological information by translating it into sonic landscapes. This transformation goes beyond mere data visualization and involves our auditory senses to observe, understand and appreciate complex biological phenomena. The result is a symphony of sound that reflects the hidden rhythms and patterns within the living world.

Before you start pressing your ear against mushrooms in the hope of moving, it is crucial to understand that the mushrooms themselves do not produce these sounds inherently. Instead, it is the skilled musician or artist who takes the raw biological data, such as electrical signals, and carefully selects synthesis techniques and parameters to convert that data into the enchanting and extraterrestrial sounds that we hear.

"At these events we use the bioelectric changes of flora and fungi by translating electrical changes into central heating and gate signal synthesizers ..." Tarun Nayar, a modern biologist, guides mushroom music excursions around the world (these Autumn in Stockholm, London and Amsterdam). With a total of almost 1 million followers on social media, his videos reach tens of millions. And it's not hard to understand why;

"I recorded this track with a red band mushroom - a shell mushroom that grew on an old spar in the forest near my house. I love the idea of ​​composing with lack of resources - and took my modular synthesizer setup into the forest for an early spring session. I used the bio-electricity of the mushroom to influence the main melody in the synthesizer by using small changes in conductivity to activate tone changes in the synth. Then I went back to the studio and used other random sounds (and some field recordings ) To make a number of this mushroom recording. I was actually in the forest to record mushrooms for an upcoming Earth Day NFT project with the famous artist FVCKRender. I was so happy with how the recordings went that I decided a version of to release the music as an actual song. When I returned to the studio and started adding bass lines and supporting pads, I got pretty fixed on the idea of ​​this as a single. "

Meet another social media star who is experimenting With a variety of fungi: Mycolo

Paul Stamets

The world famous mycologist, author and advocate Paul Stamets has also put his teeth in this. In general, his work has had a significant influence on our understanding of the essential roles that fungi play in the natural world and their potential applications in different fields.

Biodata Sonification is more than just a scientific curiosity; It is a bridge to bring people into contact with mushrooms in a simple and pleasant way. It enables us to explore the hidden rhythms and patterns within the living world, while we avoid the stereotypes that often surround mushrooms. This encourages openness and a deeper appreciation for these remarkable organisms.

Biodata sonification is not only as a scientific curiosity; It is a bridge that connects people in a simple and pleasant way with mushrooms. It enables us to explore the hidden rhythms and patterns within the living world, and all as we avoid the stereotypes that have been around for a long time around mushrooms. Through this unique lens we encourage openness and promote a deeper appreciation for the fascinating and bizarre world of fungi.