Junk Charts

A disconnect

The Times ran a slate of graphics "analyzing" seven nights of concerts by a blogger.  On the left is one of these charts. 

I am not sure what to make of it.    All I can say is the chart designer had fun.  More on his blog.

Source: "7 Nights of Bright Eyes (in as Many Colors", New York Times, June 10, 2007

String music

I have to admit I don't understand this graphic but it looks beautiful and I leave it to you to dicipher it.  This is apparently a visualization of a piece of Western classical music in multiple dimensions using results from String Theory.

Technology Review describes how to read this particular graphic:

In the image, generated by Tymoczko's program, each ball represents a three-note chord. The farther apart the balls are, the farther the voices have to jump between chords. As a song plays, another ball moves around the cone. If it moves in a circle, a chord pattern is repeating. If it moves from the cone's tip to its base, a piece is progressing toward dissonance.

Dimitri has many more, and has been featured in Science, Time, New Scientist, etc. etc.

Source: "Seeing Music", Technology Review, Sept 8 2006.

 

 

Pre-holiday Rock & Roll

Continuing our mid-week entertainment series, thanks to Mike E.-L. for sending this in.