The annoying thing about ars electronica is that even if you spend 5 days there, you’ll always discover that you’ve missed several projects once you’re in the plane on your way back. In the case of Tank-FX, honorary mention in the net vision category, it’s ok cuz the work is online.

The project processes a sound file submitted by the user through an unused tank of 11 x 7 of reinforced concrete built in 1032 at the central station in Obenhauser (Germany.) By installing a linux server, some audio software, microphones and speakers right inside the tank, Tank-FX allows you to upload up to 60 seconds of audio material. It is played immediately in the water tank. The surface of the tank causes a particular reverberation which is picked up by the stereo mics. The reverberated version is recorded and mixed with the original one at a radio set that you can set in advance. The outcome is then converted in the desired output format for you to download and use.

The website is in german but there’s an how to in english at FieldMuzik.

There’s some samples here.

A work by German artists Sandro Catallo and Markus Cremers.