If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”
~ Nikola Tesla

Cymatics offers a window to what we cannot normally see, making the invisible into something visible that individuals can connect to. A revealing intersection of the material and the immaterial world.

A sinusoidal vibration of 11 Hz within a circular container. Jordi Torrents, 2015.

As a visual artist with a deep interest in metaphysics, this phenomena captured my imagination. The idea that sound turns matter into energy and into form, inspires deeper insight into the universal principles of nature. It leads to questions of how our reality is influenced and manifested. How do the ambient sounds of the city or a forest affect my body? How does my own voice affect my body and the matter around me? In my artwork and energy practices, I have sought out approaches to visualize and express the invisible force of energy.

There are a number of modern artists and musicians who also have been inspired by Cymatics. In 2002, photographer and researcher Alexander Lauterwasser published his book Wasser Klang Bilder (Water Sound Images) containing images of water surfaces set into motion by complex sound sources ranging from pure sine waves, gongs, overtone chanting to music by Beethoven.¹ Sound vibrations were transmitted into a round water vessel that vibrated from below by sine waves. A lamp positioned above the water surface revealed the wave crests and troughs from the reflected light.²

Thomas J. Mitchell a Scottish musician had an interest in the ancient diatonic scale, the basis of all music, and its relationship to the sacred geometry of architecture and art. This interest led him to study the ornate carvings in the ceiling of 15th century Rosslyn Chapel.³

Over 27 years of observation, he discovered that the faces of 213 cubes contained geometric patterns similar to the Chladni forms. Mitchell deduced that the designs related to musical notes and decoded the musical arrangements. In 2006, his son Stuart orchestrated the music and named it ‘The Rosslyn Motet’. Thomas and Stuart also published a book ‘Rosslyn Chapel: The Music of the Cubes’ in 2006.⁴

In 2011 while working on her album Biophilia, Bjork collaborated with Evan Grant to visualize in water her song Crystalline. Biophilia, explored how music and nature intersect and celebrated the cosmic, atomic and musical sounds as a whole.

Bjork and naturalist David Attenborough met and discussed Biophilia and the nature of music in the 2013 documentary television film Björk Met Attenborough. The film included neurologist Oliver Sacks, who spoke about the effect of music on the brain.⁵ Björk also teamed up with artist Meara O’Reilly and artist/developer Scott Snibbe to create a series of cymatic projections for her 2013 world tour. Cymatic patterns were choreographed to the basslines of the songs from the Biophilia album.⁶

Artist Nigel John Stanford explored the visualization of sound using various approaches including Cymatics with sand on a Chladni Plate, Ruben’s Tube, Tesla Coil and with ferro fluids and magnets. Inspired by a documentary on ‘Synesthesia‘, he teamed up with filmaker Shahir Daud to create a music video where each sound had a corresponding visual element. Be sure to read his behind the scenes article where he describes the process to create the video.⁷

If these articles really piqued your interest – check out Make magazines project on making your own Chladni Plate or the article – Mechanical Wave Driver for Chaldni Plate in the Technology section of Instructables. Be sure to read my journal post Cymatics Part 1: the process of visualizing sound.