Real Time Systems – Concert Program Notes.
Friday 13th September, Basil Jones Orchestral Hall.
Welcome to the Real Time Systems concert for 2024! In this course, students explore the creation of new software-based musical instruments and develop associated musical practice beyond the latent dictations of commercial products. Students create and perform bespoke software instruments using Pure data (Pd), an open-source visual programming language that offers a graphical environment ideal for creative experimentation.
Tonight, students will perform an original work using self-designed software instruments alongside their peers in a small ensemble. The outcome will showcase the initial progress of developing new works for bespoke real-time systems in a creative context. Thank you for being here, and we hope you enjoy this evening’s program!
Edward Webster, Laurence Dougherty – Wave of Emotion
For this performance, we wanted to create a piece with a focus of generative, trance-like elements that continuously layer and evolve, reflective of how, say, emotions tend to react when faced with difficult, unpredictable situations. As such, we have titled our piece “Wave of Emotion”, a performance that brings its listeners on a journey of self-reflection and discovery.
The piece was brought to life through the program Pure Data (PD), which allowed for us to experiment and create new and interesting instruments and sounds. This enabled us to create different unique and interesting textures in our piece, including a MIDI-controlled poly-synth and ambient pad that make for the pieces ambient background (set in A minor key).
A clock sequencer developed in PD allows for the piece to keep a consistent tempo while being able to freely manipulate the tempo to add variety and depth to the performance. Additionally, the sequencer enables a set of synthesised drums to be introduced later in the piece, bringing a dynamic shift in tone which is paired with vocals that feature a set of manipulatable effects. Each of these elements also feature a set of changeable release, frequency and reverb filter effects that give our performance a unique sense of unpredictability that ties into the song's themes of tense emotional conflict.
Keenan Swanson, Dominic Martin, Simon Lane – tiktokkesharemix
‘tiktokkesharemix’ is a fresh take on Ke$ha’s hit "Tik Tok," reimagined in the style of Jersey Club by Keenan, Dominic, and Simon. This performance blends the late 2000’s classic with the hard-hitting beats of New Jersey Club music. Taking inspiration from artists such as Jane Remover and the members of Twerknation28 (gingus, kmoe); we transform the iconic track into a strange, hyper-liminal-modern performance piece. Using the abstraction system within PureData we built frameworks for sequencing, polyphonic synthesis, audio mixing and routing, to add performability to the piece, whilst also making our own creative spin on the original song.
Our approach involves custom Pure Data patches, including a sequencer for drum samples and vocal chops from Ke$ha, a mixer for independent sound treatment, a MIDI polyphonic synth for bass and keys, and reverb to enhance spatial effects. The use of MIDI controllers plays a crucial role, enabling us to map sliders, knobs, and buttons to specific functions within Pure Data. This setup allows us to queue various sequencer patterns and dynamically control the mixer during the performance, adding a layer of flexibility and energy to our presentation.
The piece is structured in two different sections. Part A bursts with high-energy, distorted beats, while Part B shifts to a more spacious and brighter soundscape, creating a dynamic journey for the audience and further expanding on Ke$ha’s ideas. This performance transports our audience into the modern age of remixing and synthesis, to not only show the hidden energy within the piece, but with the use of Pure Data, we have been able to perform a more influential experience, using sequencers, midi controllers and synthesizers.
Evangaline Sheehan, Peta Evans-Taylor, Kairyo Searle – Bestial Duality
Introducing Eva, Kai, and Peta. Together we have developed this piece of sonic art called, ‘Bestial Duality’ - an ambient composition reflecting the paradoxes of nature's tranquillity and chaos. This piece blends natural, spectral, and synthetic sounds often dissonant and unstable. By playing on the tension between discomfort and fleeting moments of calm, we aim to leave the listener suspended in a space of unresolved duality.
Just as in life’s turmoil, it forces the listener to look for the constant to find stability and move forward. Each section presents a unique sonic environment; rising; falling; intensifying; with the sounds closing in around you - exploring varied timbral textures and tunings. Featuring vocals with time, pitch, and carrier wave manipulation; Keyboard with electronic synthesis and solfege chordal layering using EQ isolation and sampling; and an android remote. All these instruments, techniques, textural, and tonal explorations are utilised with the intent to sonically project our expression of the beautiful, and misunderstood beast that is nature.
Sam Onishi, Yianni Hardy, Angus Blue – freaky house
Assessment period gets tough, and people get stressed. We want to give a performance to celebrate the conclusion of submitting 3 different assessments in one day that helps lighten the mood and make everyone feel relaxed and entertained (with a slight twist)! We see house music through a jazz-tinted lens, keeping the beat light on its feet, as well as showcasing some smooth improvisation on a trumpet routed through chorus, reverb and delay via Pd. Not only do we have improv, but we also have the one and only Andrew Brown* performing alongside us in this wacky musical adventure!
Featuring Sam’s custom drum sequencer, Angus’ ethereal dance pads, Yianni’s GlorpBassÔ (and most importantly, a soundboard), we interact through every medium to unite these musical ideas through Pd, whether it be through MIDI controllers, microphones, or directly manipulating ideas within Pd.
* - Andrew Brown is featured in this performance through the use of sampled audio from his Pd video series.
Wesley Maguire, Austin Turley & Tiahne O’Brien – Cloudburst
Cloudburst is an emotionally charged piece, drawing inspiration from the unpredictable and damaging nature of storms. The song follows a rigid pop structure; beginning with a noise machine that emulates the sound of rain and thunder to set the tone. Our goal with this piece was to not only evoke emotion within the listener through sounds created in Pd (Pure Data), but also to create a song which subverts musical expectations. We’ve done so by contrasting musical sections by varying the timbre of each instrument through modulation, controlled via MIDI mappings. These parameters are mapped to various MIDI controllers such as two MPK AKAI Mini’s and a M-AUDIO Code 61 keyboard.
Wes designed the modular drum-sequencer; Austin created the lead synth and bass patches, with Tiahne developing the synths and vocoder all in separate PD patches. We worked on our other instruments collaboratively and then collectively merged everything into a single patch. Our instrumentation is incredibly varied, with drums inspired by LCD Soundsystem; Jay-Som-esque synths; a synth bass inspired by Daft Punk, and vocals that could be likened to Grimes, with an Imogen Heap inspired vocoder. Our performance utilises a combination of pre-programmed and live elements, such as follow-action-inspired triggers for each section, to interact with the piece in real-time whilst having solid control of the structure. Although we all control various parameters of all instruments, we each have instrument that we primarily control.
Chris Munro,
Jesse Hood, Auden Milne – Fractal Sincerity
This musical composition and performance is titled “Fractal Sincerity”, a jazz-electronica inspired piece. The performance aims to capture the concept of entropy, reflecting the complexity and unpredictability of fractals, while also embodying the calmness and balance drawn from sincere improvisational jazz. It mirrors the interplay between chaos and order, much like the fluid yet structured nature of experimental jazz-electronica. The piece combines both planned composition and improvisation.
Compositionally, the song began with the concept of the twelve-bar blues in G minor, inspired by Auden’s exploration of jazz and blues on tenor saxophone. However, the G minor blues tonality is not introduced until after the unsettled introduction featuring the beat sequencer.
Auden has created a granular synthesizer that incorporates vocal sampling to perform a melodic section within this atonal introduction. This instrument is based on Martin Russ’s 2004 publication on sound synthesis and sampling, specifically exploring granular synthesis.
Chris designed an original Pure Data (Pd) drum sequencer that utilizes mathematical randomness before settling into a clear, syncopated beat. A chorus pad and acoustic piano samples will establish the tonality, introduced via real-time adjustment. Chris has also developed a Pd patch for live looping, which will be used to perform the bass synthesizer,
known as the “Bobby Bass”, Pd instrument created by Auden. This instrument is mapped to a MIDI keyboard, and we will play the bass progression once through the 12-bar structure and use live looping patch to repeat it, while adjusting parameters, such as cutoff frequency, while it is being performed.
Jesse has programmed an additive synth arpeggiator with varying levels of detuning, modulated to fit the song's tempo. The purpose of this instrument is to create a sequenced melody, with changing rates and movements of the arpeggiator following the performance’s chord progression.
Mariah Simpson, Tommy Morgan, Sam Cuthbert - Factory Music
Our live performance, “Factory Music” is about what you would expect from the name. It is dark, gritty, and industrial. Using home-made instruments in Pure Data, such as bass, drums, and lead synthesizer, we will be balancing a healthy mix of pre-programmed and improvised melodies and structures. While leaning towards the improvised side of the performance, the piece will create a meandering musical journey. The audience may be surprised to witness performed instruments rather than rigid, pre-programmed synths and beats. However, you would be foolish to expect an easy listening experience with no twists and turns. While every member of the group has specific roles to play, we will be given access to each other’s effects and filter racks to create a more random and spontaneous mix to keep the listeners engaged.
Artistically, the key influences for the track were The Prodigy (for that industrial 90s sound) and Trent Reznor’s soundtrack for the film “Challengers” and the berlin-techno influenced works for that film. Fused together will create a familiar yet exciting sound that captures both the energy and atmosphere of both these artist’s works.
As for the performance specifically, the drumbeat will be controlled by Sam and will set the energy for Tommy and Mariah’s more melodic and harmonic-focused instruments. Specifically, Mariah will be focusing on the lead synth motifs and the catchy hooks, whereas Tommy will be laying down the bass and other bonus effects to create the accompaniment.