The Setup consists of:
- a Snare;
- two Exciters placed on the respective membranes of the Snare (Top/Bottom);
- t.amp TA50 Amplifier
- an electric Piezo placed on the side of the Snare;
- a lavalier Microphone inside the Instrument;
- Coffee Beans;
- 4 metal Wires attached to the Screws to tune the top Membrane;
- MIDI Controller;
- Sound Card.
The idea of the Piece is to perform a LE through a feedback System applied to a Snare. Since the Instrument has two Membranes, I applied two different Exciters in order to combine their timbral properties.
By using external Materials such as coffee Beans and metal Wires, I create a kind of “prepared Snare” which, thanks to the excitation of the Membrane, alters the sound output.
The Piece is mainly divided into two Sections, marked by the Performer´s introduction of the Snare´s ” Wire ” (WIRE in the score):
- The first is of concrete nature, using the two Feedback Signals combined with the use of beans and metal wires;
- The second, on the other hand, is purely electronic and uses two rhythmic Pulses that are reproduced by the Exciters on the two Membranes (Top/Bottom).
The Time is expressed on the Score by means of vertical red Lines that divide the piece each Minute till the end (~7´).
My sonic Idea is that of a continuous Feedback that is altered by concrete Elements that are gradually replaced by electronic ones. The result is a Drone that changes as the Amplitude changes.
Using the RMS of the input Signal of the Microphones, I try to make the array of Delays to interact, modifying the Index through the continuous variation of amplitude Peaks due to the interaction of the Performer with the System:
delay = DelayL.ar(local, 2, [2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53]**1.3/1000 * rms)
For the Performance, the Performer has 6-Faders at his disposal, which interacts with the feedback System via a MIDI Controller to adjusts its Amplitude:
- Amp Top;
- Amp Bottom;
- Kick1 Rate;
- Kick1 Amp;
- Kick 2 Rate;
- Kick 2 Amp.
The whole System is based on two feedback Signals. The Exciter on the top of the Snare is combined with the lavalier Microphone inside it, while the Piezo one is connected to the Exciter on the bottom membrane:
“Mic1 on the audio Interface represents the lavalier inside the Snare, Mic2 the Piezo.
I use a Y Cable from Output 1-2 into the Amplifier where the two Exciters are connected.
(1 Top, 2 Bottom)”
The Piece is based on a reverberation model made with sixteen delay lines. Using the parameter rms I vary the index within the array, changing the sonic Result.
The patch I have created with Supercollider is divided into three synths.
The first two consist respectively of an Input ( local = LocalIn.ar(16) + SoundIn.ar(0) ) that goes into a DelayL, a compressor to control the Feedback and a LocalOut to trigger the recursion.
The third one is entirely dedicated to the generation of pulses by means of a SinOsc multiplied by an envelope.
How to Perform the Piece:
- gradually increase Fader1 (amp1/Top) until feedback is triggered for ~1´;
“The sound you are looking for is a drone sound with slow but steady timbral changes”
- from ~45´´ increase Fader2 (amp2/Bottom) until Feedback is triggered
“As with the first Fader, same dynamic characteristics but not timbre”
- once a stable point has been found, drop the coffee beans from a height that can influence the sound result of the feedback;
“The sound to be heard consists of a spectrally rich impulse (like a stone being thrown onto a sheet of ice)”
- at this point begin to place the wires on the upper membrane trying to find points of vibration;
“The aim is to obtain high-pitched resonances due to the vibration of the two objects in contact”
- increase the Fader1 until the beans and wires vibrate;
“Try to reach the sound of a Snare with the wire inserted, making the objects vibrate”
- gradually attenuate the amplitude of the two exciters in a sustained FadeOut;
- once a point of stability between the two feedbacks has been reached, firmly insert the wire and switch off the feedback, bringing the first two faders to 0;
“Here the sonic result is an abrupt censure involving the resonance of the concrete elements and of the feedback itself”
- from ~4´20´ start playing with the amplitude and Rate of the two respective Impulses;
“From the silence arise these isolated impulses that timbrally are totally detached from the material previously heard”
- slowly add Fader1 trying to make the impulses interact with the respective induced feedback;
“The sonic result induces a sort of SideChain Effect due to the continuous Feedback that is interrupted by the impulses, changing its timbric qualities”
- from ~5´ insert Fader2 making further changes to the sound result;
“Similarly as with Fader1, try to obtain the same result”
- play until the end with the various parameters of amplitude and rate, creating a sort of counterpoint between the two membranes;
“Create a rhythmic counterpoint, trying to get as much interaction between the feedback and the various pulses as possible”
- FadeOut the faders till Silence is achieved.
The Score:
