Simon Steen-Andersen Mono (2014)
Autotune Study and Nachgesang for low male voice, keyboard and electronics Dur. 9′ SCORE
Commissioned and premiered by Jakob Bloch Jespersen and Christian Westergaard
Composed with support from the Danish Arts Foundation Komponeret med støtte fra Statens Kunstfond
Edition·S publications are supported by the Danish Arts Foundation / Edition·S udgivelser er støttet af Statens Kunstfond
T/
(+45) 3313 5445 · E/ sales@edition-s.dk · W/ www.edition-s.dk
Simon Steen-Andersen
Mono (2014)
Autotune Study and Nachgesang for low male voice, keyboard and electronics Dur. 9′
PROGRAMME NOTE
Autotune is a much used effect in pop music production, sometimes used in “secret,” rather discretely, but just as often used with quite extreme settings as a characteristic effect. The first (main) part of the piece explores or “hacks” the plug-in, trying out its possibilities, bringing it to its limits and looking for the beauty of its flaws.
Mono consists of the two small movements, where the two players create a single musical line together, two small solos, if you will: In the first movement the one plays through the instrument of the other, in the second the other plays through the instrument of the first.
NOTES
Technical rider:
• Midi keyboard (full range, easiest if connecting via USB - like X)
• Microphone (testing done with dynamic mic, should work with a DPA head-set too)
• MacBook running Ableton Live with
• Antares Autotune Live plug-in and an “iLok” software key
• Sound card (2 channels should suffice)
• Standard PA for output (preferably with a subwoofer)
Setup:
Connect the microphone directly to the sound card and the midi keyboard to the laptop. Run Live, select the input channel if wrong, open plug-in (tool box sign) to activate. Select the output channel if wrong, connect output to PA.
Sound level should be rather loud, at least enough to (almost) cover the acoustic sound of the singing.
Staging: Both musicians should be facing the audience, slightly turned towards eachother. A flat, low note stand should be used for the keyboard to avoid blocking the audience view of the hands.
About the piece and setup:
Autotune is a much used effect in pop music production, sometimes used in “secret”, rather discretely, but just as often used with quite extreme settings as a characteristic effect. The first (main) part of the piece explores or “hacks” the plug-in, trying out its possibilities, bringing it to its limits and looking for the beauty of its flaws.
Basically any note sung by the singer can be transposed to any other note played by the keyboard. The more distance between the sung note and the depressed key, the more unnatural the sound will be, and the more artefacts will occur. When playing two (or more) notes on the keyboard, the sung note will be transposed to the closest of the two. By targeting a note right in the middle of the two (or wherever it thinks the middle is), one can “confuse” the plug-in or at least force it jump back and forth.
All notes marked with a “mordant” (?) are approximate pitches, and the singer should try to aim for the “tipping” point and continuously try to get closer to the perfect threshold to make the autotuner go chaotically back and forth between the two note taken on the keyboard, or even - when hitting the exact spot - making it create something like a distorted two-part interval.
Squared note heads with an “up bow” sign means to audibly breath in with an “F” sound, sustained, as an even block of noise without gaps between the previous and the following sound.
On the very last note, the amplification should be taken gradually down to match the acoustic sound. This can either be done by the sound engineer at the mixing desk or by programming the master channel fader in the live set to a fader on the keyboard. (Click the Midi button in the upper right part of the Live window, everything turns blue. Click the master fader, move the fader on the keyboard, click the Midi button again and test if it’s working. Remember to set the fader to 0 db with the keyboard fader, or on the mixer, before sound check and performance.)
PERFORMANCE
? & ? Voice Keyboard ˙ ˙ µ m U ∑ ww U Autotune (Autotuner
and
between the two keyboard
for the "tipping point" and
trying to get closer
π Senza Tempo legatissimo ˙ ˙ n m U ∑ ww b U (Chromatic
œ œ B m U ˙ n m U ∑ ˙ ˙ U ˙ ˙ m U poco a poco cresc.
˙ K m U ˙ µ m U ∑ ˙ ˙ m U ˙ ˙ n U (sim.) ? & ? 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 4 8 4 8 √ 5 ˙ m U ˙ m U ˙ µ m U 5 ∑ ˙ ˙ m U ˙ ˙ n U ˙ ˙ m U œ µ m U œ K m U œ n m U œ µ m U œ m œ œ œ œ m U œ n U œ m U œ U œ b m U œ m U œ b m U œ µ m U œ n m U œ m œ m œ œ œ n œ U œ m U œ n U œ b U œ U F
˙ K m U Ó U ˙ Ó ˙ U Ó U ? & ? 4 8 4 8 4 8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 8 5 8 5 8 5 √ 9 W m 9 ∑ j œ W ∏ q = ca. 60 ∑ ∑ w . ˙ m ∑ . ˙ π ˙ m ∑ . ˙ ˙ m Œ ∑ . ˙ ∑ ∑ . ˙ ˙ m ˙ m ∑ w p œ m Œ Œ ∑ . ˙ ? & ? 8 5 8 5 8 5 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 √ 17 . œ m œ m 17 ∑ . œ œ P ˙ m ∑ œ n œr ‰ ‰ œ . œ J œ m ∑ ˙ ∑ ∑ . ˙ œ m ∑ œ (Never break the sound - perform even large intervals with a short portamento.) . œ m ∑ j œ œr ‰ j œ œr (Chromatic cluster from Gb to C taken with one hand.) ˙ m œr m ˙ –˙ b ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙ mmm m Simon Steen-Andersen: Mono - 5 Mono
going chaotically back
forth
notes, by aiming
continously
to the threshhold.)
cluster from Gb to C taken with one hand.)
(portamento)
(amplified = fff !)
Autotune Study Simon Steen-Andersen
? & ? 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 5 8 5 8 5 √ √ 24 J œ œ m 24 ∑ J œ n œr ‰ j œ œ œr m ∑ œ ∑ ∑ œ œ m ∑ œ œ m ∑ j œ œr ‰ j œ œr . œ m œr m . . . œ –œ b . . œœ œœ œ mmmm œ ∑ œ n œ m ∑ j œ œr ‰ j œ œr œ m œr m œ –œ b œœ œœ œ mmmm ? & ? 8 5 8 5 8 5 16 3 16 3 16 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 4 8 4 8 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 √ 33 œ œ m ‰ œ 33 ∑ œ n œr ‰ ‰ ‰ œ œr . J œ m œr m . . . j œ –œ b . . . J œœ œœ œ mmm m œ ∑ J œ n j œ œr . œ m œr m . œ . . . œ –œ b ≈ ‰ . . . œœ œœ œ mmmm . œ œr . œ m œr m . œ . . . œ –œ b ≈ ‰ . . . œœ œœ œ mmmm . œ œr J œ m J œ m J œ J œ œr ˙ –˙ b ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙ mmmm œ œ œ m œ n ˙ ∑ ? & ? 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 2 8 2 8 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 4 8 4 8 4 (√) 40 ∑ 40 . ˙ ∑ ˙ m ˙ m œ w œ ∑ ∑ ˙ ∑ œ m . œ m œ w ∑ ∑ œ ∑ œ m œ m œ œ œ ∑ œ œ m ˙ ∑ ? & ? 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 √ √ √ 47 J œ m J œ J œ m œr J œ 47 J œ œr œ –œ b j œ n ‰ œœ œœ œ mmmm ‰ . œ . œ m . œ ∑ J œ m J œ œr m œ J œ œr j œ –œ b Œ ‰ J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ n j œ J œ œr m J œ J œ j œ m j œ –œ b j œ n œ œœ œœ œ mmmm ‰ Œ J œ m J œ œr m J œ J œ œr œ –œ b ‰ ‰ J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ n œr œ m ∑ ‰ j œ ? & ? 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 2 8 2 8 2 16 3 16 3 16 3 8 4 8 4 8 4 16 3 16 3 16 3 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 2 8 2 8 2 √ √ √ 53 œ J œ m 53 ∑ . œ ∑ ∑ w J œ m j œ m ∑ j œ j œ œr . J œ m œr m . . j œ –œ b . . . J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ J œ j œ m J œ m j œ n œ J œ œr ∑ J œ œr m . . j œ –œ b . . . J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ j œ m J œ m j œ ∑ J œ n œ j œ œr Simon Steen-Andersen: Mono - 6
? & ? 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 2 8 2 8 2 √ √ √ √ 60 J œ m œr m J œ 60 j œ –œ b j œ n œœ œœ œ mmmm ‰ œ œ m œ m 3 œ J œ œr 3 ∑ J œ œr m J œ œ –œ b ‰ J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ n œ œ m œ m 3 ∑ œ j œ œr 3 J œ œr m J œ j œ –œ b j œ n œœ œœ œ mmmm ‰ J œ J œ m J œ m œ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ m J œ m J œ ‰ ‰ j œ –œ b œ J œœ œœ œ mmmm ? & ? 8 2 8 2 8 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 √ √ √ √ √ √ 67 J œ m J œ m 67 J œ j œ –œ b ‰ J œœ œœ œ mmmm J œ m J œ m ‰ j œ –œ b j œ J œœ œœ œ mmmm œ m œ m œ œ œr ‰ 3 œ œ –œ b ‰ œ –œ ‰ 3 ‰ œœ œœ œ mmmm œ œœ œœ œ ‰ 3 J œ m j œ m œ ‰ ‰ j œ J œ m j œ m œ ‰ ‰ j œ J œ m j œ m œ ‰ ‰ j œ œ m œ m œ 3 œ ‰ ‰ j œ j œ m J œ m œ ‰ ‰ j œ ? & ? 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 2 4 2 4 2 √ √ 75 œ m . œ m 75 . œ ≈ ‰ ‰ . . œ œ m œ m œ Œ Œ œ œ m . œ m . œ ‰ Œ Œ . . œ ˙ m ˙ m œr Œ ˙ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ . ˙ ? & ? 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 79 ˙ m 79 œ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ 6 Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 (Random notes between G5 and G0, sustenuto possible / lifting notes on ON the breaks to create an even six-tuplet between the transposed and the untransposed notes.) q = ca. 50 ˙ m Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 œ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ 6 œ m œr m –≤ œ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ Œ 6 Œ Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 ˙ m Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 œ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ 6 œ m œr m –≤ œ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ Œ 6 Œ Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 ? & ? 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 2 8 2 8 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 84 œ m œ m œ œr m 84 Œ Œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 œ ≈ ≈ ≈œ æ Œ 6 (1 finger tremolo on all E2s) 1F. –≤ J œ m ‰ ‰ j œ –œ b ∑ œ œ m ∑ ≈ ≈ ≈ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ 6 6 . œ m ∑ œ æ j œ 1F. œ œr m –≤ ≈ ≈ ≈ Œ 6 ∑ J œ m J œ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ j œ œr Simon Steen-Andersen: Mono - 7
? & ? 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 6 8 6 8 6 √ √ 90 œ m œ m 90 ∑ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ œ æ 6 1F. œ ‰ j œ j œ ‰ –≤ J œ m J œ Œ j œ –œ b ‰ Œ ‰ j œ œr œ m œ m œ Œ Œ œ æ œ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ œ æ œ j œ m ‰ 6 (ord. trem.) 1F. J –≤ J œ m J œ m J œ Œ œ –œ b ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ œr ? & ? 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 4 8 4 8 4 8 3 8 3 8 3 √ √ √ √ √ 95 J œ m J œ m ˙ 95 ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ æ œ œ ® œ ®œ æ ‰ œ œ m ‰ 1F. J –≤ J œ m J œ m J œ Œ œ –œ b ‰ ‰ œ ‰ œ œr ˙ m ‰ J œ ‰ j œ J œ æ ‰ j œ ‰ 1F. J –≤ J œ m J œ m J œ Œ œ –œ b
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? & ? 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 3 8 3 8 4 8 4 8 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 8 2 8 2 8 2 8 4 8 4 8 4 √ 108 J œ J œ 108 œ –œ b ‰ ‰ J œ œr J –≤ J œ J œ ‰ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ ‰ J œ œr J –≤ J œ œ ‰ j œ –œ b ‰ j œ n Œ œ œr‰ –≤ œ œ œ 3 ‰ œ –œ b ‰ œ n ‰ 3 ‰ ‰ œ œr‰ œ 3 –≤ œ œr m œ m ‰ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ œ n 3 Œ œ æ œ œr‰ 3 1F. œ ‰ J œ j œ ‰ ? & ? 8 4 8 4 8 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 114 J –≤ J œ œr m œ m 114 ‰ j œ –œ b Œ Œ J œ æ J œ œr 1F. ˙ œ æ œ ‰ œ ‰ 3 œ m ‰ œ ‰ œ 3 –≤ œ m ˙ ‰ ‰ ‰ œ æ ‰ œ ‰ 3 ‰ œ æ œ œr œ m œ ‰ œ 3 1F. –≤ œ m œ œ J –≤ 3 Œ œ æ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ 3 ‰ œ æ œ m œ ‰ œ ‰ 3 1F. œ m œ J –≤ 3 ‰ œ æ œ ‰ ‰ 3 œæ œ m ‰ œ ‰ 3 1F. Simon Steen-Andersen: Mono - 8
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–≤ J œ m J œ J œ ‰ j œ –œ b ‰ J œ Œ j œ œr ‰ J –≤ J œ m J œ ‰ œ –œ b ‰ ‰ ‰ j œ œr J –≤ J œ m J œ ‰ œ –œ b ‰ ‰ ‰ j œ œr J œ m J œ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ j œ œr J œ m J œ j œ –œ b ‰ ‰ j œ œr J œ m J œ J œ œ –œ b ‰ ‰ ‰ J œ œr
? & ? 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 5 8 5 8 5 8 3 8 3 8 3 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 3 √ √ √ √ √ √ 119 œ m –≤ œ J –≤ œ –≤ 3 119 ≈ œ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ Œ 3 œ®≈ œ ≈ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ 3 –≥ –≤ –≥ –≤ –≥ –≤ –≥ –≤ ∑ ∑ ˙ m J –≤ ‰ œ æ œ ‰ ‰ œ æ œ m ‰ œ ‰ 1F. œ m ‰ . . œ æ œ æ . œ m 1F. œ J –≤ œ Œ Œ œ ‰ ? & ? 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 √ √ √ √ √ 124 ˙ m 124 Œ . . œ æ . œ æ . œ m 1F. w ˙ Ó Ó œ œ ˙ –≤ ˙ æ Œ ˙ m Œ (Changing gradually from vowel to vowel, synthesizer-like.) œ m œ œ œ ∑ w æ 1F. U A I A U w Bm w m w œ m –≤ œ Œ Œ œ æ œ æ Œ œ m 1F. ˙ ˙ œ æ Œ Œ œ m ˙ ∑ œ œ œ ? & ? 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 √ √ 132 œ –≤ œ m 132 œ æ Œ Œ œ m Œ œ æ 1F. . ˙ Bm ˙ m . ˙ w m w m w m ˙ m œ m ˙ m Œ ˙ œ æ 1F. œ
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? & ? 140 w m 140 w w w km U w m U w Senza Tempo w n m U w U w m w µ m U w w U ∑ w µ m U w w m U ∑ w K m U w w m U ∑ ? & ? 146 w µ m U 146 w w n U ∑ w m m U ww U ∑ w Bm U ww m U ∑ w m U w m U ∑ Turn down volume to match the acoustic level of the voice w µ U w U ∑ ƒ w m U w U ∑ p Simon Steen-Andersen: Mono - 9
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w æ 1F. U A I A U w Bm w m w w m w m w m
