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25.04.07 Video of the rehearsal, a test meant for documentation.(Click)April 07: |
06.03
Today we started to work on the problem of separating frequency areas, placing of the microphones, under-over-tilted, level out from the microphone mix, threshold, low pass, frequency band filter, all to get the balance of the accents reacting in Max/MSP to register and set tempo.
Mallets: nr 1, soft to get clearer bass, number 4, very hard to get clear high, 2 and 3 to get soft middle registers. It helped.
We talked about a rhythmical matrix as the structure of improvisation, and a fragmented approach using parts of bars and sections.
I need to rehearse with the effects and be able to fine tune the Max patch to get it into my system, using the audiovisual way into the material. It changes a lot according to phrasing and accents. It felt nice to hear and respond to, and the way in which the electronics responded. Some things felt ok and it was interesting to listen to.
Plans:
Gdif thinking; motion capture integrated into this part of the development of the piece, an integrated part of thinking in early phases. Using video as trigger (separate camera) and as controlling parameters as effects on the marimba. Part two as scratching using both text and the marimba part in sections/bars, fragmented.
Section 2 test patch 1. (click on patches for larger image)
Next session: FFT filter for stronger separation treble and bass, video caption/tracing, temporary program patch for improvisation.
01.03.2007
Today we vent through the details in the notation, adjusted dead strokes and got a joint understanding of the phrasing of the musical material, part 1, 2 og 5.
The patch for number 5 is running, but needs adjustment. Ivar wants the sound to go through this chain: marimba input to frequency shifter sent to out and to x recorder -sent to out with recorded delay controlled by dynamics. Started some ideas on the improvised transformations.
Next sessions keywords: part 6
20.02.2007.
Today we started with Max/MSP patch: sect.2.070219. The goal was to make 2 separate delays, high and low. We used Kjell Tore's mixer as pre amp and sent the marimba sound into Ivar's Mac book pro 2 Ghz intel core duo, OS10.48 using Digidesign Mbox. We processed sound out through Mbox and Max/MSP. We ended up with Max/MSP patch: sect.2.070220.
We worked with the separation of 2 microphones, high and low and band pass filters for 2 separate delays for section 2.
Section 2, the two first bars.
(Click on the image for full size image og the Max patch)
Next sessions keywords:
Section 5. Frequency shifter. Pitch classes Section 2. Delay. Section 1 as start.
Video from Jitter, Motion tracking, Gong, Video camera on Kjell Tore's head.. Text to improvisation part. Controlling the text tempi.
18.02.2007
Ivar sectioned the piece into 10 parts. Each part is to be treated in Max/MSP in different ways. Guiding systems included. One intention is that between each part there is to be an open part based on a scale. Another idea is to use the gongs in a video tracking system divided into zones as triggers. The amount of activity in the image for controlling sound possessing. Using the video as an integrated part of the playing, interaction.
Animation test January 2007 
Summary december 06.
So far many useful experiences such as: instrumental technical issues, working with open music mathematical systems contra known systems or modi, thoughts on developing music from a composer's perspective has given an insight into the possess of composing. It is a pleasure collaborating with Ivar Frounberg. He is extremely creative, open and generous with his ideas and knowledge.
We are currently planning a new commission for Troms Symphonic Orchestra, 2008 together with Peter Tornquist. Working title "Augmented instruments and toy orchestra"
Autumn 2006.
Planning to make a new version with electronics. Ivar has composed great pieces with electronics using MAX/MSP live, and the material is suited for electronic manipulations.
Late Autumn 2006. Planning to add video animation to the piece. Ivar worked with the software (Jitter) to learn it, and made a pilot project on Xenakis Rebound B. We learned a lot. Programming as well as aesthetic elements and presentation forms with screen and projector. January 07 I worked with a research application at the academy and we made a new project out of this piece. Using live electronics, sensors and interfaces as well as open form and improvisations.
May 2006. Working to get the words more integrated, and getting the idea of different languages and articulations clearer, but only when necessary, words as sound? Add German? Some elements not to be understood?
Performed for the percussion section at the academy. They responded that the words, marimba and percussion instruments seemed really integrated as a part of the piece, as one expression. Great!
March 2006, school concerts for the age 6 - 12 yeas.
Two weeks of concerts, 24 concerts for schools in Oslo. A difficult piece to present for the children. The music is abstract, and the poetry is abstract, and the piece is too long, 10 minutes. I cut it down to 6 minutes together with the producer, and the composer agreed to the revised form when I consulted him. I played it many times and it came to life. I tried to play the performance with humour for the children. I sampled my voice and started it form a midi trigger and merged it with my live voice. As a response from the children, I tried to make funny voices both on the samples and live. It worked even better. They laughed. And they managed to follow the music. So many thing to control, voice, marimba, percussion instruments, samplings, and communication with the children. I really felt the need to play with the material. A real boost to get the music to come to life!
March 2006. Performance for the artistic scholars.
I performed the version with lyrics and percussion instruments with video effects. The performance felt insecure. It was difficult to perform this in front of the panel of artists. They responded to the video, the words and the performance. The main issue was the difference in artistic level in the text and music, and the quality of the sound, image and lighting. The music is much more detailed now. Keep working!
Rros "Vinterfestspillene" February 2006.
I did a short version of the piece at an informal daytime concert. Fun to play. I played it in three concerts and it is getting better, still not totally happy. Tthere is a potential in the piece, but it is hard to get it out!
February 2006, The Academy of Music in Oslo. "Vinterlydfestivalen", "Kollegakonsert".
MP3 of "Kollegakonsert" at the Academy, February 2006The composer added poems in English and Norwegian. An English declamation in the beginning of the piece, full version. Norwegian between the sections. The piece made more sense. The variation of character was influenced by the text, it made it more tender and sensitive. I felt the need of adjusting the tempo to make the characters clearer. It was difficult to gestalt the words, but the poem was a good extension of the piece.
I projected the piece through the Edirol video mixer with effects on the screen.
The Poem (click)
I tried to do it without a score, hard work, but the material got really under my skin.It is now closer to being able to present the music more clearly, just better. Fun to work with the material, even if it is hard to communicate the atmosphere to the audience. It is abstract and some sections work better than others.
I added video projecting through my brand new Edirol VJ mixer. A new setting on every section. It worked well with 2 cameras. Some issues on noise, projection angels, colours and aesthetics.
The concert went well, strange to read poems on stage, first in English and then during the piece in Norwegian. The piece is getting closer to an artistic product. The words really colour the music in a great way, it feels good to play.
Video from "Vinterlydfestivalen" 2006 at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
The Poem (Click)
January 26, 2006. The Academy of Music.
First performance of the revised piece. It is scored in a new way, the length is altered and some percussion instruments are added to make the pulse changes clearer.
The first difficult piece on the new instrument (prototype 2.1).The rehearsing period was time consuming and physically hard. I had to learn the interval range as I went along, and the amount of material seemed enormous, but i was determined to make it. I used a lot of time to learn the music, but the tempo was still a problem because of the long moves I had to make to reach between the bars. The rhythmic modulations were difficult because of the high tempo in general. I had to adjust it to a slower tempo, but it reduced the form and the impression of flowing. I also flattened out the dynamic to reduce the dynamic layers so the lines were more even to get a more linear form. The composer responded positively to this. He also added percussion instruments such as a bass drum, gong and wind chimes to make intermissions. The performance felt like an olympic 800 meter!
We projected the performance on the wall with a camera directly from the projector, one image setting through the whole performance. It had a filter function and worked well. I also added some reverb from my mixer to get it to sound a bit better. The performance worked well. A rather slow tempo, but i managed to keep the pace down and it became more detailed.
I struggled with issues like. Dramaturgy, lines, dynamic, flow, the intensity of the rehearsing period, details and macro form. The marimba pluss extra sounds and gestures, a new level and a different layer of information to get into my body, daring to be open with the composer about difficullties encountered.
Ivar wants to use electronics and develop the piece further.
February and March 2005.
Rehearsing period. Used several hours to get into the material. It is hard. It takes a long time to code the score from visual to physical action. Methods: repetition, short sections to longer sections, from one tone to two, long build up to sections, lower tempo to optimal tempo.It is hard to memorize in the language of quartertones. Ivar made a new score. Easier to read. Struggeling with issues such as: Is it possible to read and play at the same time? Are these the optimal accidentals? The estimated time to get ready for performance is much longer than expected! I am struggling! My brain is spinning...Work harder! Boost the process of getting it ready.
February 2003. Soloist diploma concert. Instrumental version: "Etude for quartertone marimba"
2 concerts at the Academy during 2003. After a couple of sessions with Ivar about scoring and accidetals, I reherarsed hard to be able to play the piece, a great challange. The intervals and playing position very difficult, very long difference between left hand and right hand. I used colours to seperate the two marimbas. This was my first experience of playing a real work for the instrument.
The piece started in November 2002. I got the quartertone marimba prototype 1.0 and Ivar Frounberg made the first piece as a part of the composers' workshop at the academy. He linked the quartertone workshop to a workshop in open music programming. He called it an etude and it was very difficult using the full range of the 4 octave marimba, every bar. The dynamics and rhythmical elements were also generated from open music. I performed it a couple of times and rehearsed it a lot. Several 100 hours. I learned to push my limits of instrumental technique and stamina in rehearsing technical problems. It opened the world of this new instrument, neither of us knew the possibilities or limits and difficulties of the instrument so we learned a lot. A real challenge. It also worked as a pilot piece to get accepted in the artistic scholarship program.
MP3 of the premiere of the piece in 2003 Copyright: Kjell Tore Innervik | January 17, 2008