Between The Body & The Bass

Artist and composer Stefanie Egedy has long been captivated by the potent effect of low frequency sound (LFS) on the human body. Her inspiration to investigate sprung from a feeling of bodily invigoration she felt after substantial periods bathed in LFS.

“I always wondered why I was addicted to dancing in nightclubs and I realised it was because it made me feel good,” says Egedy. “I could feel the sub-bass throughout my entire body, and for me that was an exhilarating form of medicine. Our skin feels and our body listens to the unique sound massage enabled by low-frequency sound waves and subwoofers.”

What started out as a small idea rapidly evolved into Egedy’s latest artistic concept. ‘Bodies And Subwoofers’ (B.A.S.) is a series of site-specific sound installations where the possible interactions among sub-bass, infrasound, and bodies are explored via unorthodox subwoofer arrangements. These arrangements are an ongoing collaboration with Rafael Lins, whose idea is to explore enhanced responses from the subwoofers and, when possible, explore the creative effects of sound cancellations.

“I believe low-frequency sound has the capacity to touch bodies and offer what I call a vibrational experience,” continued Egedy. “These sound waves are capable of filling the air with pressure while caring about the bodies. For me, it is about feeling whole and connected.”

To prepare for these installations, Egedy studies the dimensions of a space, creates a sub-arrangement for it and then composes a piece for that specific room. The aim for the audience upon entering the space is to explore sound pressure and cancellations throughout the room.

Egedy’s first sonic experience using d&b SL Series subwoofers in her work was in 2020, an interaction she describes as ‘love at first sight’. From that point on it was clear that SL subs would be her number one choice. 

“Based on the quality of the SL subs, it’s clear to me that if low-quality subs are the only ones available at a venue, I simply won’t proceed with the project because I know that my work is now much more effective when it’s produced with that certain standard that only d&b can provide.”

It was Jonas ‘Jones’ Wagner from d&b Education and Application Support in Germany who first discovered Egedy’s work. Since then, the relationship with d&b has only grown.

“d&b have been incredibly supportive of me and this concept. They understand my vision and are doing everything they can to ensure it can be delivered,” says Egedy.  “Seeing my work validated by a pro audio giant like d&b is really rewarding and has given me a huge confidence boost.”

Egedy’s research, which is still in the early stages, has found that exposure to LFS results in the reduction of anxiety, stress, and headaches, and provides reinvigoration. Her upcoming project involves 12 SL subs, the largest scale subwoofer installation in the world.

‘Bodies And Subwoofers’ will be showcased using d&b SL subs at CTM Festival in Berlin in January.