Interview: Lena Vortex on Experimental Sound Design
A deep conversation with the sound designer about creating immersive audio experiences for installations and performances.
"I started making music when I was very young, but it wasn't until I discovered experimental electronic music that I found my voice."
Lena Vortex
Early Influences
"I think about sound as having physical presence, as occupying space."
Lena Vortex
Spatial Audio
"The most interesting work happens when artists use technology in unexpected ways."
Lena Vortex
Technology
The Design Process
When approaching a new project, Vortex begins with extensive research into the context and goals. "Every project is different. Sometimes I'm responding to a visual element, sometimes to a space, sometimes to a concept. The process always starts with understanding what the work needs to do, what experience it should create."
She describes her workflow as iterative, involving many rounds of experimentation and refinement. "I'll create dozens of versions, test them in different contexts, get feedback, and keep refining. The first idea is rarely the final one. You have to be willing to throw things away and start over."
Iterative Workflow
"The first idea is rarely the final one"
Technical Tools and Techniques
Vortex works with a combination of hardware and software, preferring tools that allow for deep customization. "I use modular synthesis a lot because it gives me complete control over every parameter. But I also love software that surprises me, that has behaviors I don't fully understand."
Field recording plays a crucial role in her work. "I'm always recording sounds: environments, objects, textures. These recordings become the raw material for everything I create. There's something about starting with real-world sounds that grounds the work, even when I process them beyond recognition."
Tool Categories
Modular Synthesis
Complete control
Software
Surprising behaviors
Field Recording
Real-world sounds
Processing
Transform sounds
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