Of Signals and Systems with Nolan Lem (Sound Researcher and Auditory Artist)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert)
Guest: Nolan Lem
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Host note
Nolan Lem is a sound researcher and auditory artist whose work has shown at the Museum of Modern Art Buenos Aires, Pioneer Works, and the Danish National Museum of Music, with residencies at IRCAM, MassMoCA, and the Bemis Center. He trained as a jazz saxophonist first, toured and played gigs out of Miami, then folded in electrical engineering, a combination he describes as balancing intellectual curiosity with something that still connected to a future in music.
We get into what that combination actually produces: sound generated mechanically through physical systems rather than triggered digitally, the binaural work he's done from his time at Stanford's CCRMA through his current research at Chalmers University, and what he calls the trust and art involved in sonification, turning data into something you can hear and feel.
Selected moments
- Nolan's diverse background 3:03 Nolan discusses his unique combination of music and technical skills.
- The foundation of his love for jazz 4:18 Nolan reflects on his early passion for jazz music.
- Transition to professional music 5:49 Nolan explains his journey from university to touring professionally.
- Importance of engineering in music 8:29 He describes how electrical engineering complements his music career.
- Exploring auditory textures 16:45 Nolan talks about how we perceive sounds and textures.
- Physical computing and sound art 11:14 He shares insights on creating sound through physical interactions.
- Binaural sound experiences 35:48 Nolan elaborates on the complexities of producing binaural audio.
- Challenges in sound design 42:36 He speaks about the challenges and joys of working with kinetic sounds.
- The emotional connection to sound 41:16 Nolan discusses how sound evokes emotional responses in audiences.
- The essence of music and presence 57:28 He shares his core belief about music bringing us into the moment.
Selected excerpts
I’ve always been a huge jazz fan, I mean I still am; I actually still play. It's always been a huge passion, so I went to jazz school...
From a young age, I really wanted to play saxophone or drums. I chose saxophone...
I stayed in Miami for a year after [music school] and was just playing gigs...
It was kind of a nice balance between exploring intellectual curiosities with things that I could relate to a future in music...
Most of my work that I make now that deals with sound... sound is produced purely just mechanically...
There's a lot of trust and a lot of art to the sonification...
FAQ
What does Nolan Lem do as a sound researcher?
Nolan Lem specializes in creating immersive audio-visual environments, combining technology and sound research to explore new auditory experiences.
How does Nolan Lem integrate engineering and music?
Nolan uses his background in electrical engineering to inform his approach to sound art, allowing him to create complex sound systems and interactive pieces.
Why is improvisation important to Nolan's work?
Nolan emphasizes improvisation as a core aspect of his musical journey, reflecting its significance in both jazz and experimental music.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. The episode itself is on the listen links above.