Sonification Demo 3
This example features a foreboding, march-like rhythm using archetypal compositional techniques to convey tension, particularly through pizzicato on cello or bass1 (p. 94). The surrounding instrumentation fills the sonic space around this rhythmic foundation, with different voices emerging unpredictably to create a shifting and uneasy soundscape. Listeners may hear dissonant ‘trumpet’ voices that disrupt the drone-like melodic lines, highlighting the track’s use of contrapuntal and polytonal qualities1 (p. 233). These elements aim to add layers of complexity and dimensionality distinct from visual data comprehension.
Our interpretation suggests that this example emphasizes “breach fatigue,” with the sounds symbolizing the relentless, organized nature of cyber threats. The march-like rhythm reflects the systematic approach of cyber attackers, while dissonant interruptions and clashing polytonal elements represent the chaos and unpredictability of breaches, as well as the varied and sometimes disjointed responses to them. This sonification may evoke a heightened sense of urgency and murkiness, mirroring the multifaceted and complex nature of cybersecurity discussions.
Example 3 was developed by using Example 2 as a starting point, with only some tracks altered to observe the subtle changes between the two examples. How would the effect change if the instruments in the tracks that form the melodies were different?
Perpetrators and breach remained the anchoring narratives, to which risk was added. Instead of using the double bass to represent the core narratives, I chose the trumpet at 12x. As mentioned before, at this tempo, the trumpet produces a droning sound. The perpetrators and breach tracks are both in D minor with a 1-octave range. The only difference between the tracks is that the perpetrators track is set at a 12x tempo, while the breach track is set at a 6x tempo to slightly differentiate them. The risk track was not altered from Example 2 and is again represented by a trumpet at 12x tempo in E minor. Together, the tracks produce the following:
I wanted to experiment with distorting the key melodies to explore how the framing of data breaches as security crises is also distorted and shaped by the social, political, and historical contexts in which these events occur.
Below is a detailed explanation of the reasoning behind the choices made for specific tracks. Following this section is the complete sonification.
EXAMPLE 3.1 SIZE
In this version, size is represented by the double bass at a 12x tempo. At this speed, the double bass produces a persistent drone with subtle pitch changes, with the most distinctive variations occurring when large data breaches are sonified. It is set at 1 octave so that changes in size are noticeable yet subtle. Combined with the harp used for company named and company risk, this produces a laser-like sound.
EXAMPLE 3.2 PERPETRATORS
In example 2, perpetrators were represented by the bass guitar at a 2x tempo. In this example, the trumpet at a 12x tempo is used, producing a layered and rougher sound. This captures the fluctuations in the intensity of language used to describe individuals and groups held accountable for data breaches. Along with breaches and risk, this track forms the anchor melody of the sonification.
EXAMPLE 3.3 COMPANY NAMED
The harp at 12x tempo represents the variable company named. At this speed, the harp produces a machine-like sound. I chose to work within a 1-octave range to represent the binary coding (yes or no) used in the scoring framework. The continuous droning in the background sonifies the rarity of companies being held accountable. In this version, it evoked a meditative quality that I did not notice in example 2.3.
EXAMPLE 3.4 BREACH
In example 2, the breach variable was represented by the bass guitar at 3x tempo. Since breach is one of three core melody variables along with perpetrators and risk, it is also represented by the trumpet in D minor, like perpetrators. However, it is set at 6x tempo instead of 12x to emphasize more of the melody and to differentiate it slightly from the perpetrators track, allowing it to stand out—an appropriate choice given the project’s focus on data breaches.
EXAMPLE 3.5 DATA
Data is represented by a double bass in A minor with a 1-octave range and a 2x tempo. These settings were chosen to create the backbone of the sonification. The track is characterized by noticeable sections of the same pitch with discernible variations. It was crucial to keep the data variable as the anchor of the sonification, reinforcing how many aspects of contemporary life are defined by and through data.
EXAMPLE 3.6 RISK
Risk continues to be represented by a trumpet at a 12x tempo in the key of E minor. In this version, risk is paired with perpetrators and breach to observe how tensions and resolutions compare across the three narratives. It is set within 1 octave to avoid dominating the sonification. Risk was paired with perpetrators and breach to understand it not as an exception but as a new norm resulting from datafication. What do these variables sound like together?
EXAMPLE 3.7 COMPANY RISK
Company risk is once again represented by a harp at a 12x tempo in F minor. However, it is set an octave higher than in example 2.7 to enhance the droning effect. This adjustment ensures that the few data points indicating when a risk to the company was noted stand out more prominently.