TED@Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Renzo Vitale: What should electric cars sound like?
蘭佐維特爾: 電動車應該發出怎樣的聲音？
Filmed:
Readability: 4.1
1,783,959 views
電動車非常安靜，為我們的城市提供一些寧靜。但它們也帶來了新的危險，因為行人可能不會注意到它們。它們應該發出什麼樣的聲音，來確保人的安全？聲音工程師和音樂家蘭佐維特爾在這場演說中，說明他如何為電動車創作聲音，同時也讓我們先來體驗一下，未來聽起來可能會是什麼樣子的。
Renzo Vitale - Sound geneticist, musician, acoustic engineer
Renzo Vitale explores the narrative between music, science and human perception -- envisioning sonic spaces for music to evolve, for cities to sing, for people to transcend. Full bio
Renzo Vitale explores the narrative between music, science and human perception -- envisioning sonic spaces for music to evolve, for cities to sing, for people to transcend. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Let's start with silence.
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咱們從寂靜開始。
00:23
Silence is one of the most
precious conditions for humans,
precious conditions for humans,
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對人類來說，寂靜
是最珍貴的狀態，
是最珍貴的狀態，
00:27
because it allows us to feel
the depth of our presence.
the depth of our presence.
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因為它讓我們能夠感受
我們的存在有多深刻。
我們的存在有多深刻。
00:32
This is one of the reasons
why the advent of electric cars
why the advent of electric cars
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這就是電動車的出現讓許多人
00:35
has generated lots
of enthusiasm among people.
of enthusiasm among people.
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充滿熱忱的原因之一。
00:38
For the first time, we could associate
the concept of cars
the concept of cars
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這是第一次，
我們能夠把汽車的概念
我們能夠把汽車的概念
和寂靜的體驗連結起來。
00:43
with the experience of silence.
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00:45
Cars can finally be quiet:
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終於，也有安靜的車了：
00:48
peace in the streets,
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平靜的街道，
00:50
a silent revolution in the cities.
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城市中的寂靜革命。
00:56
(Hum)
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（車聲）
01:05
But silence can also be a problem.
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但，寂靜也可能是個問題。
01:08
The absence of sound, in fact,
when it comes to cars,
when it comes to cars,
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事實上，當車子沒有聲音時，
01:12
it can be quite dangerous.
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可能會很危險。
01:14
Think of blind people,
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想想盲人，
01:16
who can't see a car which is approaching.
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他們無法看見車輛靠近。
01:20
And now, if it's electric,
they can't even hear it.
they can't even hear it.
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如果車又是電動的，
他們甚至無法聽見。
他們甚至無法聽見。
01:24
Or think of every one of us
as we are walking around the city,
as we are walking around the city,
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或者，想想我們每個人
走在街上的時候，
走在街上的時候，
01:27
we are absorbed in our thoughts,
and we detach from the surroundings.
and we detach from the surroundings.
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我們沉醉在自己的思緒當中，
和周圍環境脫離。
和周圍環境脫離。
01:32
In these situations, sound can become
our precious companion.
our precious companion.
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在這些情況中，
聲音可以成為可貴的同伴。
聲音可以成為可貴的同伴。
01:38
Sound is one of the most
wonderful gifts of our universe.
wonderful gifts of our universe.
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宇宙給予我們最美好的
禮物之一，就是聲音。
禮物之一，就是聲音。
01:43
Sound is emotion
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聲音是情緒，
01:45
and sound is sublime,
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聲音是令人讚嘆的，
01:48
and when it comes to cars,
sound is also information.
sound is also information.
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就車子而言，聲音也是資訊。
01:53
In order to protect pedestrians
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為了保護行人，
01:55
and to give acoustic
feedback to the drivers,
feedback to the drivers,
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也為了給駕駛聲音
形式的回饋資訊，
形式的回饋資訊，
01:58
governments around the world
have introduced several regulations
have introduced several regulations
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各國政府推出了一些規定，
02:02
which prescribe the presence of a sound
for electric vehicles.
for electric vehicles.
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規範電動車的聲音。
02:07
In particular, they require
minimum sound levels
minimum sound levels
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它們特別要求車的聲音
要達到最低音量標準，
要達到最低音量標準，
02:11
at specific frequency bands
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且要在指定的頻帶內，
02:13
up to the speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
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速度最高為每小時三十公里。
02:17
Besides this speed,
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除了這速度之外，
02:19
the natural noise of the car
is considered as sufficient.
is considered as sufficient.
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車的天然噪音也被
認為是足夠的了。
認為是足夠的了。
02:24
These regulations
have generated different reactions
have generated different reactions
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這些規定造成了不同的反應，
02:28
among those who favor sounds
and those who fear the presence
and those who fear the presence
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畢竟有些人喜歡聲音，
有些人則害怕城市中有太多噪音。
02:32
of too much noise in the city.
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02:35
However, I don't see it
as the noise of the car.
as the noise of the car.
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然而，我不會將它
視為是車的噪音。
視為是車的噪音。
02:41
I rather see it as the voice of the car.
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我會將它視為是車的聲音。
02:46
And this is one of my biggest challenges,
and privileges, at the same time.
and privileges, at the same time.
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這既是我最大的挑戰，
也是我的殊榮特權。
也是我的殊榮特權。
02:50
I design the voice of electric cars.
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我設計電動車的聲音。
02:55
We all know how a combustion
engine sounds like,
engine sounds like,
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我們都知道燃油引擎
聽起來是怎樣的，
聽起來是怎樣的，
02:59
and we do actually also know
how an electric engine sounds like.
how an electric engine sounds like.
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我們其實也知道電動引擎
聽起來是怎樣的。
聽起來是怎樣的。
03:03
Think of the electric tramway.
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想想看電車軌道。
03:05
As soon as it moves,
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電車移動時，
03:06
it creates this ascending
high-frequency pitch sound,
high-frequency pitch sound,
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會產生一種上升的高頻高音，
03:10
which we called "whistling" sound.
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我們稱為「汽笛」聲。
03:13
However, if we would
just amplify this sound,
just amplify this sound,
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但，如果我們把這種聲音放大，
03:17
we would still not be able to fulfill
the legal requirements.
the legal requirements.
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仍然無法符合法律的要求。
03:21
That's also why we need
to compose new sound.
to compose new sound.
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這就是為什麼我們
得要創作出新的聲音。
得要創作出新的聲音。
03:25
So how do we go after it?
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所以，我們要怎麼做？
03:29
In many cities, the traffic
is already very chaotic,
is already very chaotic,
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在許多城市，交通已經非常混亂，
03:32
and we don't need more chaos.
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我們不需要更多混亂。
03:35
But the streets of the 21st century
are a great case study
are a great case study
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但二十一世紀的街道
是很棒的個案研究，
是很棒的個案研究，
03:40
teeming with transience,
cross purposes and disarray.
cross purposes and disarray.
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充滿了無常、相互誤解，
以及無秩序。
以及無秩序。
03:45
And this landscape
offers a great opportunity
offers a great opportunity
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這種地景提供了很棒的機會，
03:48
for developing new solutions
on how to reduce this chaos.
on how to reduce this chaos.
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可以針對減少混亂
來開發新解決方案。
來開發新解決方案。
03:54
I have conceived a new approach
that tries to reduce the chaos
that tries to reduce the chaos
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我想出了一個新方法，
試圖用和諧來減少混亂。
03:59
by introducing harmony.
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04:02
Since many people don't know
how an electric car could sound like,
how an electric car could sound like,
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既然許多人並不知道電動車
聽起來應該是怎樣的，
聽起來應該是怎樣的，
04:07
I have to define, first of all,
a new sound world,
a new sound world,
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首先，我得要定義
一個新的聲音世界，
一個新的聲音世界，
04:11
something that doesn't belong
to our previous experience
to our previous experience
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它不屬於我們過去的經驗，
04:15
but creates a reference for the future.
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但它能為未來提供一種參考。
04:19
Together with a small team,
we create lots of sonic textures
we create lots of sonic textures
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我和一個小團隊一起
創造出了許多聲音的質地，
創造出了許多聲音的質地，
04:23
that are able to transmit emotion.
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能夠用來傳遞情緒。
04:28
Just like a painter with colors,
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就像是畫家使用各種顏料，
04:30
we are able to connect
feelings and frequencies
feelings and frequencies
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我們能夠將感受和頻率連結，
04:34
so that whenever one is approaching a car,
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當一個人靠近車子時，
04:37
we can feel an emotion
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就能夠感受到一種情緒，
04:39
which, besides fulfilling
the legal requirements,
the legal requirements,
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這麼做除了滿足法律的要求之外，
04:43
speaks also about the character
and the identity of the car.
and the identity of the car.
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也是在呈現出車的個性和身分。
04:49
I call this paradigm "sound genetics."
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我把這種範式稱為
「聲音遺傳學」。
「聲音遺傳學」。
04:54
With sound genetics, I define,
first of all, an aesthetic space of sound,
first of all, an aesthetic space of sound,
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有了聲音遺傳學，我首先
定義出聲音的美感空間，
定義出聲音的美感空間，
05:00
and at the same time,
I search for new, innovative methods
I search for new, innovative methods
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同時，我也在尋找新的、
創新的方法，
創新的方法，
05:04
for generating soundscapes
that we don't know,
that we don't know,
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來產生出我們不知道的音景，
05:08
soundscapes that allow us
to envision abstract worlds,
to envision abstract worlds,
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讓我們能夠想像抽象世界的音景，
05:14
to make them tangible and audible.
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並將抽象世界具體化且能夠被聽見。
05:18
Sound genetics is based on three steps.
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聲音遺傳學的基礎是三個步驟。
05:22
The first one is the definition
of a sonic organism,
of a sonic organism,
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第一步是定義出一個聲音有機體，
05:27
the second one is a description
of sonic variations,
of sonic variations,
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第二步是對聲音變化的描述，
05:31
and the third one
is the composition of sound genes.
is the composition of sound genes.
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第三步是聲音基因的組成。
05:38
The description of a sonic organism
is based on a cluster of properties
is based on a cluster of properties
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聲音有機體的描述
根據的是一組特性，
根據的是一組特性，
05:44
that every sound
that I compose should have.
that I compose should have.
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我所創作的所有聲音
都應該具有這些特性。
都應該具有這些特性。
05:50
[Sound is moving.]
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〔聲音就是移動〕
05:52
I transfer to a small sound entity,
such as the sound of a car,
such as the sound of a car,
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我轉移給小型聲音實體（如車聲）的
05:58
the power of the motion of music,
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是音樂的動作力，
06:01
so that sound can move so.
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這麼一來，聲音也能移動。
06:04
[Sound is acting.]
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〔聲音就是演戲〕
就像舞台上的舞者，
就像舞台上的舞者，
06:05
And just like a dancer on a stage,
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06:07
sound will project trajectories
of sound in the air.
of sound in the air.
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聲音會投射空氣中的聲音軌道。
〔聲音就是記憶〕
重點並不只是車的聲音。
重點並不只是車的聲音。
06:14
[Sound is memory.]
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06:15
And it's not just about
the sound of a car.
the sound of a car.
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06:18
It's the memory of my father
coming back home.
coming back home.
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還有我爸爸回家的記憶。
〔聲音就是催眠〕聲音有能力
06:23
[Sound is hypnotizing.]
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06:25
And sound has the power to create
an unexpected sense of wonder,
an unexpected sense of wonder,
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可以創造出未預期的驚奇感，
06:30
which hypnotizes.
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能夠催眠人。
06:34
And ultimately,
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最終，
〔聲音就是超人的〕
06:35
[Sound is superhuman.]
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聲音能超出人類的條件，
06:36
sound goes beyond the human condition,
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06:38
because it allows us to transcend.
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因為它讓我們能超越。
06:44
As a second step,
we define the sonic variations.
we define the sonic variations.
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第二步，我們定義聲音變化。
06:49
[Identity prism]
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〔身分稜柱〕
和人一樣，不同的身體
會產生出不同的聲音，
會產生出不同的聲音，
06:50
Just like humans, where different bodies
generate different voices,
generate different voices,
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06:54
also different car shapes
have a different acoustic behavior
have a different acoustic behavior
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不同的車型也有不同的聲音行為，
06:59
which depends on
the geometry and the materials.
the geometry and the materials.
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會依據幾何和材料而異。
07:03
So we have to know, first of all,
how this car propagates the sound outside
how this car propagates the sound outside
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所以，我們得要先知道
藉由聲音測量來得知
這台車如何傳播外界的聲音。
07:10
by means of acoustic measurements.
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07:13
And just like a single voice is able
to produce different tones and timbres,
to produce different tones and timbres,
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就如同單一聲音能夠產生出
不同的語調和音質，
07:19
at the same time, we produce
different sonic variations
different sonic variations
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同時，我們也會在我所定義的
07:22
within a space
of eight words that I defined.
of eight words that I defined.
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八個字的空間中產生不同的聲音變化。
07:28
And some of them are,
to me, really important,
to me, really important,
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對我來說，當中
有些是非常重要的，
有些是非常重要的，
07:30
such as the concept of "visionary,"
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比如這些概念：「幻覺的」、
07:33
of "elegance,"
of "dynamic," of "embracing."
of "dynamic," of "embracing."
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「優雅的」、
「動態的」、「擁抱」。
「動態的」、「擁抱」。
07:39
And once we have defined
these two aspects,
these two aspects,
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一旦我們定義好了這兩個面向，
07:42
we have what I call the identity prism,
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就有了我所謂的身分稜柱，
07:46
which is something like
the sonic identity card of a car.
the sonic identity card of a car.
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它有點像是車子的聲音身分證。
07:53
And as a third step,
we enter the world of the sound design,
we enter the world of the sound design,
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第三步，我們進入
聲音設計的世界，
聲音設計的世界，
07:59
where the sound genes are composed
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聲音基因就是在那裡組成的，
08:01
and a new archetype is conceived.
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原型亦是在那裡構想出來的。
08:05
Now let me show you another example
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讓我再用一個例子
08:08
of how I transform
a sound field into a melody.
a sound field into a melody.
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說明我如何把聲場轉變成旋律。
08:13
Think that I am a violin player on stage.
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想像我是舞台上的小提琴家。
08:16
If I would start to play the violin,
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如果我要開始拉小提琴，
我會產生出一個聲場，
我會產生出一個聲場，
08:18
I would generate a sound field
which would propagate in this hall,
which would propagate in this hall,
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它會在這個廳內傳播，
08:22
and at some point, the sound field
would hit the side walls
would hit the side walls
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在某個時點，這個聲場
會撞到旁邊的牆，
會撞到旁邊的牆，
08:26
and would be scattered all over the place.
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會散落到整個地方。
08:29
And this is how it looked like.
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它看起來就是這樣。
08:31
Some time ago, I captured
several ways of sound to hit side walls.
several ways of sound to hit side walls.
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不久前，我捕捉聲音
撞到旁邊牆壁的數種方式。
撞到旁邊牆壁的數種方式。
08:38
And last year, I was asked
by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
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去年，巴伐利亞廣播交響樂團找我
08:42
to compose ringtones
that they were going to play.
that they were going to play.
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幫他們創作手機鈴聲讓他們演奏。
08:46
So one of them, I had the idea
to start from this sound field.
to start from this sound field.
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我有個點子，打算
從這個聲場著手，
從這個聲場著手，
08:51
I took a section,
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我挑了一個部分，
08:53
I superimposed the section
over the distribution
over the distribution
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把這個部分疊在舞台上
08:56
of the musicians onstage,
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音樂家的分布上，
08:58
and then I followed
the blooming of the sound field
the blooming of the sound field
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接著我遵循著聲場的消漲，
09:01
by means of three parameters:
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用到三個參數：
09:04
time, intensity and frequency.
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時間、強度、頻率。
09:06
Then I wrote down all the gradients
for each instrument,
for each instrument,
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然後，針對每種樂器，
我寫下所有的梯度，
我寫下所有的梯度，
09:11
and as you can see, for instance,
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你們可以看到，比如，
09:13
the piece will start with
the string section playing very softly,
the string section playing very softly,
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這件作品一開始是弦樂器
非常柔和地演奏，
非常柔和地演奏，
09:17
and then it's going to have a crescendo
as the brasses, the woods will jump in,
as the brasses, the woods will jump in,
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接著有銅管樂器的漸強音，
木管樂器再加入，
09:23
and the melody will end
with a harp and a piano
with a harp and a piano
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旋律的最後是豎琴和鋼琴，
09:27
playing on the highest range.
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在最高的範圍中演奏。
09:34
Let's listen how it sounded like.
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咱們來聽聽它。
09:39
(Ethereal music)
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（飄逸的音樂）
09:56
(Music ends)
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（音樂結束）
09:59
So this is the sound of my alarm clock,
actually, in the morning.
actually, in the morning.
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事實上，這是我早上
起床鬧鐘的音樂。
起床鬧鐘的音樂。
10:03
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
10:05
And now let's go back to electric cars.
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咱們回到電動車。
10:09
And let's listen to the first example
that I showed you.
that I showed you.
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來聽聽我最先提出的例子。
（車聲）
10:20
(Hum)
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10:28
And now I would like to show you
how a potential sound,
how a potential sound,
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現在，我想讓各位知道，
有聲音遺傳學做基礎，
有聲音遺傳學做基礎，
10:33
based on the sound genetics
for electric cars, could sound like.
for electric cars, could sound like.
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電動車的聲音有可能
變成什麼樣子。
變成什麼樣子。
10:39
(Ethereal music)
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（飄逸的音樂）
10:43
(Pitch rises with acceleration)
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（音調隨著加速升高）
10:52
Cars are a metaphor of time,
distance and journey,
distance and journey,
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車子象徵的是時間、
距離、旅程，
10:59
of setting out and returning,
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象徵出發與返回，
11:02
of anticipation and adventure,
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象徵預期和冒險，
11:05
but, at the same time,
of intelligence and complexity,
of intelligence and complexity,
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但同時，也象徵智慧和複雜，
11:10
of human intuition and accomplishment.
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人類的直覺和成就。
11:13
And the sound has to glorify all that.
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聲音必須要能夠讚頌所有這些。
11:17
I see cars both as living creatures
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我把車子視為是生物，
11:21
and as highly complex
performative art installations.
performative art installations.
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以及非常複雜的表演藝術裝置。
11:27
The sounds that we envision
through sound genetics
through sound genetics
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透過聲音遺傳學所想像出來的聲音
11:31
allow us not only
to celebrate this complexity
to celebrate this complexity
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不僅讓我們能夠頌揚這種複雜度，
11:36
but also to make the world
a more elegant and safe space.
a more elegant and safe space.
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也能夠讓世界成為
更優雅、安全的空間。
更優雅、安全的空間。
11:42
Thank you.
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謝謝。
11:43
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Renzo Vitale - Sound geneticist, musician, acoustic engineerRenzo Vitale explores the narrative between music, science and human perception -- envisioning sonic spaces for music to evolve, for cities to sing, for people to transcend.
Why you should listen
Renzo Vitale is an Italian pianist, composer, sound designer, acoustic engineer and artist. His creative process involves an interrogation of the relation between music, science and human perception.
As a musician, Vitale has composed a wide spectrum of works ranging from dance theater to performative installation pieces and virtual reality experiences. His solo works focus on vulnerable states of human condition, such as the sublimity of emotional gravities and the irrational nature of disorders. As a scientist, his research encompasses architectural acoustics, psychoacoustics, vehicle acoustics and music communication.
Vitale holds a PhD in Acoustics from RWTH Aachen University, two master's degrees in electronic engineering and in piano performance as well as further studies in electronic music, composition and conducting. Previously he has been a research scholar at the Institute of Technical Acoustics in Aachen, Pratt Institute in New York and KTH in Stockholm.
In 2015, Vitale joined the Research and Innovation Center of BMW Group as a Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) engineer. Since 2017 he designs the sounds of electric vehicles. He conceived a new generation of sounds through a novel approach that he calls "sound genetics," which defines the aesthetic space of sounds in order to generate soundscapes to enable us to envision abstract worlds and make them tangible and audible.
Renzo Vitale | Speaker | TED.com