Corner Feedback Situation – Performed by Barbara Hall

Piece or twenty minute duration ...
… Acoustic Feedback for Performer in Corner Situation

A corner of a room in cordoned off with a five foot length of rope, fixed at waist height, and stretching from one wall to the adjoining wall. Both ends are attached equidistant from the corner
Within this area is placed a microphone and two speakers, All are situated on the floor.
A two-channel tape recorder is placed on the perimeter of the defined area. The tape records all sounds that occur externally to the defined area, but which are nevertheless audible within the microphone's location.
The recording lasts for five minutes. At the end of five minutes, with the tape still running, a performer enters the defined area and, finding a comfortable position, remains still until the passing of another five minutes.
All sounds recorded by the microphone from the defined area are then played back. These sounds are again re-recorded on the second channel this time with the volume control excessively high. This initiates acoustic feedback (a high-pitched whistle) which can be controlled by the bodily movements of the performer.
For the remaining ten minutes, the performer moving in relation to the 3 sound-producing elements, (microphone and two speakers) will attempt to find the highest frequency, lowest frequency and the most pleasant combination of frequencies.

Technical Directions: Video recording should be from a pre-determined point which will cover all activity in the corner. The video microphone may be included in the defined area.

Peter Kennedy 1971