The authors of the 30. MBZ's visuals: Sven Sorić, Hrvoje Spudić & Tin Dožić

Visual identity as image and sound

An identity that is made of both image and sound was the starting point for the design concept of a visual identity of the 30^th Music Biennale Zagreb. It was created by reinterpreting a physical sound record into a diagram of a sound wave amplitude per unit of time. Such a recording is visually depicted as a series of parallel lines of varying density. In this way, a simple yet flexible identity system was created, the distinctiveness of language was reduced to the relation between a neutral surface and varying lines, but its radical simplicity and non-narrative quality is highlighted in a visual cacophony of an everyday urban space. — Sven Sorić

Between the two techniques of the recording

Optical sound is a method of recording sound on a transparent filmstrip. Basically, sound vibrations are translated into light oscillations – that is into black or transparent areas on the film. Film projector translates those oscillations into electrical impulses that are amplified and reproduced using speakers. There are two techniques of encoding: "frequency modulation" (FM) and "amplitude modulation" (AM). AM encoding consists of a waveform image in which the amount of light changes according to the amplitude, i.e. the Y axis. In the case of FM encoding, the change follows the unit of time i.e. frequency — the sound is "encoded" by the use of black and transparent lines in the unit of time. Along with optical sound, a mechanical sound record developed in the late 19^th century. AM sound record, used for phonograph records, is the most frequent encoding. In theory, we believe that an FM mechanical sound recording is also possible, in which case the sound would be encoded into a series of convex and concave lines in the physical material. — Hrvoje Spudić

Click, noise, wave

The sound design of the MBZ jingle was conceptually created as a short 30’’ composition based on three elements – click, noise and sine wave. These three elements were selected because of their simplicity and presence in an everyday sound environment. Urban space is saturated with various noises of different colors as well as with clicks and tones that function as signals or warning signs. One can also claim that these elements represent the basic building materials of music: click represents the rhythm, sine wave tone and harmony, and noise timbre. The simplicity of the elements played an important role because of the possibility of recording those elements on paper using relief printing and the method of FM mechanical sound recording. — Tin Dožić