HAVE you ever wondered what Walney Channel sounds like musically?

Click here for your guide to the Full of Noises festival taking place in Barrow this weekend

A project, part of the Full of Noises sound art festival in Barrow this weekend, will see performers play along to sheet music created by the tide.

Former music teacher John Eacott moored his sailing yacht in Buccleuch Dock last week – where the Selandia had been until only a few days before – bringing Floodtide to Furness for the first time.

Following five months touring on the yacht, Jacomina, covering 3,000 miles, 36 ports, with 22 artists in residence and 17 live tidal performances, Floodtide concludes with a 12-hour concert in Barrow Park on Sunday.

Mr Eacott explained: “People find it slightly baffling, but it is an entirely live process.

“My sensor reads the speed of the flow of the water, very, very accurately, and sends it to the web. My software converts that data into musical notation, and people read it on their smartphones.

“It is constantly changing, and every tide is totally different.”

During his time in Barrow, Mr Eacott has been contacting local musicians and artists to explain how it works, and signing them up to appear in the main performance this weekend.

On Sunday, he will drop the torpedo-shaped sensor device – an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter – into the channel, and gather with the assembled performers at the Bandstand to create a totally unique piece of ambient music.

“I don’t expect people to be there for the whole thing, but people can come and listen, and maybe come back later on and see how much the music has changed,” said Mr Eacott.

“With it being live, musicians get so into playing it that two hours can pass without them realising – it’s almost like a musical computer game, and that’s not a bad thing.

“I’ve done a lot of work with computer-generated music, but letting a computer make all the decisions feels a bit soulless. By letting the tide do it, it gives it an earthly connection.”

Floodtide was first performed in London’s Docklands in 2008, and this latest tour saw the yacht leave Rotterdam five months ago, taking in towns on the Belgian and French, Spanish, Cornish, Irish and Isle of Man coasts, before completing its voyage with a visit to Cumbria.

The Barrow-based Full of Noises Festival organisers invited Floodtide to become a centre-piece of the three-day event, having worked with Mr Eacott on different projects over the past two years.

He adds: “I’m very impressed with the festival and I’m glad they’ve asked me to be a part of it.

“Sound art is a really fast growing area, and I just have a feeling that Full of Noises could be something that will help put Barrow even more in the cultural focus.”

How can you get involved?

Floodtide is looking for local musicians of any instrument, style and ability. Performers are invited to take part in the 12-hour event – it does not matter if they read music or not. To take part during a segment of the performance, email  natasha@informal.org

Composer John Eacott will be running a series of drop-in public workshops this week: Monday July 27, from 2pm-3.30pm, and Wednesday 29, from 7pm-8.30pm, at Octopus Collective HQ, Piel View House, Abbey Road, Barrow Saturday August 1, from 11am-12pm, 12.15pm-1.15pm and 1.30pm - 2.30pm, at the Nan Tait Centre, Abbey Road, Barrow

Performances:

Prelude Floodtide (with voices and handbells only) is at 6pm, in St James’ Church Floodtide Navigate (12-hour performance) is at 9.30am-9.30pm, at Barrow Park Bandstand