The PlantWave device converts the plant's changes
in surface conductivity data to MIDI data, which is
the type of computer language that's used for elec-
tronic music, heart monitors, Apple Watches, etc.
With the use of a computer running a digital audio
workstation, such as Ableton Live, this data can be
intentionally tuned to scales and assigned to specific
instruments in the same way that a wind chime is
designed and tuned to be played by the wind so that
it creates an intentional array of pleasing sounds.
During the pandemic, Shepard turned Moore onto
audio engineer and music instructor David Gibson
who took Moore on as a student at his Globe Institute
of Consciousness and Sound Healing in Sausalito,
California. It was here that Moore learned how sound
design and audio engineering can be used to create
intentional emotional effects on an audience. These
teachings played a huge role in choosing the instruments
and effects played by the plants in Palm Reflections,
as the intention was to create a therapeutic atmo-
sphere that draws the audience into a sense of peace
and connectedness with the plants around them.
To take the installation to the next level and align
with the visual intentions of the festival, the data
generated from the plants was also converted to
DMX via a computer running DMXis, which con-
trolled eight multi-colored LED stage lights spread
throughout the Palmetum. Colors on each light were
assigned to different musical notes, meaning that the
plants would turn various LED lights on or off as they
transmitted different electrical impulses, vibrantly
uplighting the lush jungle landscape in blends of
red, green, blue, ultra-violet, amber, and white.
What did the installation actually
look and sound like?
Palm Reflections was tucked far away in the back
corner of the Festival, and the isolation helped add
to the mystery and otherworldliness of the instal-
lation. Before people could see it, they could hear
the melodic ambient sounds from far away, drawing
curious minds closer to the dense palm jungle.
The corner of the Palmetum that housed Palm
Reflections was approximately 50 × 50 feet (15.24 m ×
Blake Shepard setting up the nerve center for
Palm Reflections Photo by Heather Alarab
34 CityTREES
