Negative Beauty:
For electric guitar ensemble.
BELOW: .png image used for scrolling score (vectorised photography)
Negative Beauty (guitar orchestra, graphic score) created by vectorising mock crime scene photography and using zoomed-in sections as a graphic score (played in Decibel ScorePlayer. Each player performs the regions of a designated colour, or set of similar colours, as they scroll past the playhead.
Colours should be interpreted according to emotional and prescribed cultural significance (their semiotic value, i.e. black = dark, heavy, intense; light-blue = bright, sonorous, relaxed; etc…). Vertical axis refers to relative pitch, and region size determines dynamic intensity and frequency-density.
The score was originally intended to move across a screen in an unpredictable way, thanks to a Max/Jitter patch with frequent, random XY values interpolated through a line- object. Intermittently the matrix window would also have “zoomed” in and out of the vector image, and the effect on the ensemble would hopefully have been both dynamic and hierarchical, as well as affecting temporality at the sound-object level. Unfortunately, it was hard to find an available Jitter object that read vector images, especially in such a dynamic way. If this is still an option, it may replace the ScorePlayer version.
In the ScorePlayer version, sections of four original images scroll across at equivalent intervals, to create four 'sections' (changes at the macrostructural level). All images were vectorised with 12 colours/scans, so the effect of a new image-section silences certain performers (who may not end up playing in that section at all) and increases the involvement of others. In this way, the ordered selection of images has been used compositionally to create subtle timbral differences between each section.
With this in mind, overall macrostructural “shape” (large, small, large; small, large, small) has been decided at the compositional stage, but all actual sonic outcomes therein have been left up to performer's interpretation. The actual selection of images, however, began once photographer Dirk Nienaber and I began collaborating. It was at this stage that colour-schemes and light-levels were decided upon, objects were placed in front of the camera, and shots were arranged. Therefore the compositional process began at this point, and was collaborative and inter-disciplinary.
Colours should be interpreted according to emotional and prescribed cultural significance (their semiotic value, i.e. black = dark, heavy, intense; light-blue = bright, sonorous, relaxed; etc…). Vertical axis refers to relative pitch, and region size determines dynamic intensity and frequency-density.
The score was originally intended to move across a screen in an unpredictable way, thanks to a Max/Jitter patch with frequent, random XY values interpolated through a line- object. Intermittently the matrix window would also have “zoomed” in and out of the vector image, and the effect on the ensemble would hopefully have been both dynamic and hierarchical, as well as affecting temporality at the sound-object level. Unfortunately, it was hard to find an available Jitter object that read vector images, especially in such a dynamic way. If this is still an option, it may replace the ScorePlayer version.
In the ScorePlayer version, sections of four original images scroll across at equivalent intervals, to create four 'sections' (changes at the macrostructural level). All images were vectorised with 12 colours/scans, so the effect of a new image-section silences certain performers (who may not end up playing in that section at all) and increases the involvement of others. In this way, the ordered selection of images has been used compositionally to create subtle timbral differences between each section.
With this in mind, overall macrostructural “shape” (large, small, large; small, large, small) has been decided at the compositional stage, but all actual sonic outcomes therein have been left up to performer's interpretation. The actual selection of images, however, began once photographer Dirk Nienaber and I began collaborating. It was at this stage that colour-schemes and light-levels were decided upon, objects were placed in front of the camera, and shots were arranged. Therefore the compositional process began at this point, and was collaborative and inter-disciplinary.
Next to the mock cadaver will be a monitor screen, listening station, and reel-to-reel tape recorder. The screen will display images of the scrolling score (Decibel ScorePlayer) for my guitar ensemble piece, Negative Beauty, which will be playing on the headphones, and also show images of reel-to-reel tape being shredded/destroyed. The actual tape recorder, with shredded tape, will be present, so that the sound of the piece, once put through this process, may also be listened to).
Equipment List
1x Macbook Pro (owned)
1x Apple Desktop Monitor (owned)
1x Reel-to-Reel 1/4" Tape Machine (owned)
1x Florist's Tape Shredder (owned)
2x Headphones (borrowed)
1x Headphone Preamp (owned)
Equipment List
1x Macbook Pro (owned)
1x Apple Desktop Monitor (owned)
1x Reel-to-Reel 1/4" Tape Machine (owned)
1x Florist's Tape Shredder (owned)
2x Headphones (borrowed)
1x Headphone Preamp (owned)
Mock Crime Scene Images
D. Nienaber
negative_beauty_final.dsz | |
File Size: | 8475 kb |
File Type: | dsz |
Listen at the link below:
https://soundcloud.com/brendan-polain/negative-beauty-version-1