Meeting 1, Foundations: Live Electronics

Chapter 1. Meeting 1, Foundations: Live Electronics 1.1. Announcements • 21M.380: Music Technology: Live Electronics Performance Practices • Creative, hands-on exploration of contemporary and historical approaches to live electronics performance and improvisation, including basic analog instrument design, computer synthesis programming, and hardware and software interface design. 1.2. Overview • Technology and instrument building • The diversity of live electronics practices • About this course 1.3. Instrument Building and Music Making • Since humans have moved beyond the voice, music and technology have been closely linked • The development of new technologies has nearly always led to new instruments • The development of new instruments has often been linked to the development of new performance practices, ensembles, and musics • In some traditions, instrument building is fundamental to music making • With modern technology, instrument making becomes an aesthetic type interface design 1.4. Utility versus Aesthetics in Interface Design • What are the criteria for evaluating a musical interfaces? 1.5. The Early Histories of Electronic and Computer Music • At least four main branches of development in electronic and computer music • All converge in live-electronics practices 1.6. A. Dedicated Electronic Instruments • The Telharmonium: 1898-1901 Public domain image. • The Theremin: 1920 © source unknown. All rights reserved. • The electric guitar and organ • Turntables, radios, and related electronics 1.7. B. Analog Tape and Analog Synthesis • Musicians, composers, and researchers repurpose radio equipment for music making • • Musique concrète • Pioneered by Pierre Schaeffer in late 1940s and 1950s • Developed techniques of manipulating, cutting, splicing, and transforming recorded sounds into music Electronic music • Pioneered by Werner Meyer-Eppler, Herbert Eimert, and Karlheinz Stockhausen in the 1950s • Developed techniques of combining sine tones and generated signals with filters and other modulation techniques • Both techniques quickly merge • Computer synthesis techniques routinely combine sample- and synthesis-based techniques 1.8. C. The Modular and Portable Synthesizers • 1957: RCA Mark II, developed by Belar and Olson, installed • 1964: Moog, with composer Deutsch, builds first synthesizer prototype • 1967: Moog releases modular systems I, II, and III Courtesy of Roger Luther. Used with permission. Courtesy of Roger Luther. Used with permission. • Numerous varieties of commercial and installation synthesizers are built in the 1960s • Modular designs and interfaces provide a lasting legacy in all synthesis systems 1.9. D. Synthesis on Mainframes and Computers • Early computers in the 1950s are used for synthesizing sound directly with integrated loudspeakers • 1957: Max Mathews creates Music I on an IBM 704 Courtesy of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Used with permission. • Mathews develops Music II to V, Music N languages develop into to Csound • Max/MSP and Pd software lineages begin in 1980s • Other languages and processing frameworks continue to be developed: Supercollider, Impromptu, others 1.10. Live Electronics • Deployment of these four traditions in performance contexts • Long tradition of composers and musicians building custom instruments and interfaces • Long tradition of employing composition and improvisatory practices from jazz and experimental music • Two basic approaches • Develop interfaces for controlling computer synthesis and processing • Develop interfaces integrated with electro-mechanical devices and electronics 1.11. A. Interfaces to Computer Synthesis • The laptop: keyboards, trackpads, mice • Gamepads: joysticks, wii controllers, related • Touchscreens: iPhone, iPad, etc • Custom musical controllers • Manta Courtesy of Snyderphonics. Used with permission. • Lemur © JazzMutant. All rights reserved. • Analog sensor input via Arduino or other devices Photo courtesy of SparkFun Electronics. Arduino Danger Shield. Photo courtesy of SparkFun Electronics. 1.12. B. Interfaces with Integrated Sound Sources • Turntables • Custom-built circuits • Manipulated speakers and other transducers • Manipulated casette decks and tape players 1.13. A Personal Performative Context • For composers of computer music, the move to live-electronics is a major constraint • Performing with acoustic instruments is a significant musical and technological challenge 1.14. KIOKU • Trio of taiko and percussion, alto sax, and live electronics, from 2006 to the present • Deploy east-asian traditional and folk songs in a free-jazz inspired context • Led to the development of a comprehensive system employing a number of inexpensive controllers • Listening: KIOKU: Pinari 1.15. KIOKU Performance System: libOX • Modular Max/MSP system with a large collection of controllers • Two dual-analog game pads form the key performance interface 1.16. The Dual Analog Gamepad • Logitech Dual Action Gamepad © Logitech. All rights reserved. • 2 XY joysticks, 10 buttons, 1 5-position d-pad • Example: a simple noise instrument • • Buttons trigger noise sources with different envelopes • XY joystick 1: y axis control amplitude, x axis controls high-pass filter • XY joystick 2: y axis control amplitude modulation, x axis controls low-pass filter An ergonomic, expressive, and inexpensive interface 1.17. 21M.380: Areas of Focus • Syllabus • Historical traditions and practices • Instrument and interface design • Pd synthesis tools • • Dual-analog game pads • Touchscreen controllers with TouchOSC • Sensors and physical inputs with Arduino • Elementary electro-magnetic instruments • Custom-built circuits with basic CMOS ICs Composition and improvisation 1.18. 21M.380: Prerequisites • None but curiosity, willingness to experiment 1.19. 21M.380: Course Meetings • Two types of meetings • Topic meetings: focused on material in readings, listening, and themes, combining lecture, discussion, demonstration, and listening • Workshop meetings: improvisation, performance, and discussion • Bring laptops to all class meetings • Lecture notes • Provided via course website 1.20. 21M.380: Required Course Materials: Software • Pure Data (Pd), the Pd-extended distribution Provides installers for a number of platforms and bundles valuable extension libraries http://puredata.info/downloads • Martingale: a library of Pd resources http://code.google.com/p/martingale 1.21. 21M.380: Required Course Materials: Hardware • Hardware resources up to $100 are required • A portable powered or battery-powered amplifier for keyboards/synthesizers and the appropriate cable (not a guitar amp). The following are good options, in order of preference: 1. Phonic MK15 Keyboard Amp ($80) with 3.5mm stereo to RCA male cable (at least 6 feet long) © Phonic. All rights reserved. 2. Behringer Ultratone KT108 15w Keyboard Amplifier ($70 to $75) with 3.5mm stereo to RCA male cable (at least 6 feet long) and two RCA female to 1/4 inch TS (mono) male adapters. © Behringer. All rights reserved. 3. Altec Lansing iM-237 Orbit Ultraportable Speaker ($18) or similar (includes attached cable). © Altec Lansing. All rights reserved. 4. Numerous alternatives are acceptable: contact me • A dual-analog game controller 1. Logitech Dual Action USB Gamepad ($10 to $17) © Logitech. All rights reserved. 2. There are a few alternatives that may work: contact me 1.22. 21M.380: Assignments: Reading • All reading assignments are posted on the course website. • One book: Collins, N. 2009. Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge. • Numerous carefully selected articles and chapters: 1. Brown, A. R. and A. Sorensen. 2009. “Interacting with Generative Music through Live Coding.” Contemporary Music Review 28(1): pp. 17-29. 2. Cascone, K. 2004. “Grain, Sequence, System [three levels of reception in the performance of laptop music].” Intelligent Agent 4(1). 3. Collins, N. 2003. “Live Coding in Laptop Performance.” Organised Sound 8(3): pp. 321-330. 4. Cook, P. 2001. “Principles for designing computer music controllers.” Proceedings of the Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. 5. Dennis, B. 1991. “Cardew’s ‘Treatise’ (Mainly the Visual Aspects).” Tempo 177: pp. 10-16. 6. Driscoll, J. and M. Rogalsky. 2004. “David Tudor’s ‘Rainforest’: An Evolving Exploration of Resonance.” Leonardo Music Journal 14: pp. 25-30. 7. Fiebrink, R. and G. Wang, P. Cook. 2007. “Don't Forget the Laptop: Using Native Input Capabilities for Expressive Musical Control.” Proceedings of the Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression pp. 164-167. 8. Ghazala, Q. R. 2004. “The Folk Music of Chance Electronics: Circuit-Bending the Modern Coconut.” Leonardo Music Journal 14(1): pp. 97-104. 9. Gresham-Lancaster, S. 1998. “The Aesthetics and History of the Hub: The Effects of Changing Technology on Network Computer Music.” Leonardo Music Journal 8: pp. 39-44. 10. Holmes, T. 2008. “Live Electronic Music and Ambient Music.” In T. Holmes, ed. Electronic and Experimental Music. Third ed. New York: Routledge, pp. 376-406. 11. Kuivila, R. 2004. “Open Sources: Words, Circuits and the Notation-Realization in the Music of David Tudor.” Leonardo Music Journal 14: pp. 17-23. 12. Perkis, T. 2009. “Some Notes on My Electronic Improvisation Practices.” In R. T. Dean, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Computer Music. Oxford University Press, pp. 161-166. 13. Puckette, M. 2002. “Max at 17.” Computer Music Journal 26(4): pp. 31-43. 14. Rebelo, P. and A. Renaud. 2006. “The Frequencyliator—Distributing Structures for Networked Laptop Improvisation.” Proceedings of the Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression pp. 53-56. 15. Ryan, J. 1991. “Some Remarks on Musical Instrument Design at STEIM.” Contemporary Music Review 6(1): pp. 3-17. 16. Smallwood, S. and D. Trueman, P. R. Cook, G. Wang. 2008. “Composing for Laptop Orchestra.” Computer Music Journal 32(1): pp. 9-25. 17. Tanaka, A. 2009. “Sensor-Based Musical Instruments and Interactive Music.” In R. T. Dean, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Computer Music. Oxford University Press, pp. 233-257. 18. Trueman, D. 2007. “Why a Laptop Orchestra?.” Organised Sound 12(2): pp. 171-179. 19. Wanderley, M. M. and N. Orio. 2002. “Evaluation of Input Devices for Musical Expression: Borrowing Tools from HCI.” Computer Music Journal 26(3): pp. 62-76. 20. Wang, G. 2007. “A History of Programming and Music.” In N. Collins and J. d'Escriván, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Electronic Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 55-71. 21. Weinberg, G. 2002. “Playpens, Fireflies, and Squeezables: New Musical Instruments for Bridging the Thoughtful and the Joyful.” Leonardo Music Journal 12: pp. 43-51. 22. Wright, M. 2005. “Open Sound Control: an enabling technology for musical networking.” Organised Sound 10(3): pp. 193-200. 1.23. 21M.380: Assignments: Listening • All listening assignments will be posted on the course website. • Take notes when you listen • What to listen for without notation: duration, instrumentation, method of production, recording or performance context, notable sonic events, form, temporal design and proportions, aesthetic or historical contexts, and/or critical and subjective responses 1.24. 21M.380: Assignments: Discussion Leaders • Students are assigned to cover reading and listening assignments for each class • Must be available to lead discussion, answer questions, and provide a resource to class • Must post minimal notes on the class website • Need two volunteers for next class 1.25. 21M.380: Assignments: Pd Tutorials • Short programming exercises in Pd • Must be completed before the next class 1.26. 21M.380: Assignments: Controller/Interface/Instrument Design Projects • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 1 • Must use Pd and dual-analog controller • • Must present draft and complete a report • Due before spring break Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 2 • May use any interface, design, or approach (as long as there are at least two performative input parameters) • Must present proposal, draft, and complete a report • Due at end of semester 1.27. 21M.380: Assignments: Performance Framework • A design for a composition or performance context • Completed in small groups • Will be presented on a concert on 4 May 1.28. 21M.380: Assignments: Submission • All assignments are submitted digitally via email attachment (or as Forum posts) • Some assignments are due before class, others are due at 11:59:59 PM on due date • Late within 1 week: 20% reduction; no assignments accepted after 1 week 1.29. 21M.380: Attendance • Mandatory and essential • Always communicate with me about needs for excused absences • More than one unexcused absence incurs a 3% grade reduction 1.30. 21M.380: Exams and Quizzes • Quizzes will be announced • All short written answers • Quizzes will be based on reading, listening, and course content • No final exam 1.31. 21M.380: Grading • Reading and Listening Discussion Leader: 10% • Pd Tutorials: 10% • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 1 Implementation and Report: 15% • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 1 Draft: 2.5% • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 2 Implementation, Report, and Presentation: 20% • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 2 Draft: 2.5% • Controller/Interface/Instrument Design 2 Proposal: 2.5% • Performance Framework: 10% • Performance Frameworks Draft: 2.5% • Quizzes: 15% • Participation: 10% 1.32. 21M.380: Additional Policies • Read entire syllabus • Common courtesies • Computers in class • Academic integrity 1.33. 21M.380: Contact • Email is always best • Office hours 1.34. For Next Class • Download and read entire syllabus • Download and install Pd and Martingale; test Pd installation • Purchase/order dual-analog controller and amplifiers • Bring computers 1.35. Testing Pd Installation • Download and install Pd-extended http://puredata.info/downloads • Launch the Pd application • Should see the “Pd window” • Under the “Media” menu, find the “Test Audio and MIDI” option Under “TEST TONES,” select 80 (dB), listen for a tone If no tone is heard, make sure “compute audio” is selected • If tone is broken or stutters, configure processing delay Find “Audio Settings” options under Preferences Increase delay until test tone is continuous • If there is no sound, go to Menu: Preferences > Audio Settings Try to select a different “output device 1” • Download Martingale http://code.google.com/p/martingale • Place Martingale in a convenient locations (perhaps a directory where you store all Pd scripts) • Accessing Martingale resources in Pd will be covered in the next meeting