Epiphenomenological Tuning

Collage -> Sound -> Autonomous Mechanism -> Autopoietic Feedback

by Travis Wyche

Keyboard Etudes – John Holland

The 24 Etudes contain sounds which are traditionally associated with keyboards, including the harpsichord, organ, accordion, piano, celeste, and synthesizer. In addition, the music simulates various timbres of different keyboard instruments, including sounds which are evocative of struck and plucked strings, bell-like tones, and percussive effects.

Modern uses of the keyboard are referred to in different Etudes, such as quarter-tone music, various percussive effects, prepared piano, pedal techniques, and the use of piano strings as a solo instrument.

All of the Etudes are generated by the computer in real-time. Each Etude is realized according to a separate computer program containing specific instructions to realize the music. The decisions made by the computer are based on a combination of determinist and random means which simulate the general flow of dynamic systems and patterns in nature.

The Etudes consist of the juxtaposition of the simplest elements of musical texture (pitch, dynamics, duration, speed, rhythm, articulation, etc.) combined with simple structural elements (continuity, repetition, variation, and chord structures which are derived from the melodic flow of the music).

Each Etude focuses on a fundamental element of musical texture or structure. An Etude may contain sound-groups which are high or low, loud or soft, legato or staccato, fast or slow, accelerating or decelerating, short or long, rhythmically regular or irregular, dense or sparse. One Etude consists of sound-groups containing regular rhythms played at different speeds, while another contains irregular rhythms produced at a slow speed. One Etude contains varied repetitions only, while another is based strictly on ascending and descending patterns. Some Etudes combine many elements of texture with a single structural element, while others are structured in the opposite way.

The music for all of the Etudes was produced on the DX7s keyboard synthesizer and two TX81Z tone-generators, operating in combination. The computer programs were written in C language on a Macintosh SE computer. All of the music was recorded digitally.

J. H.

Keyboard Etudes – John Holland.

John Cage : Notations AGAIN

I had a chance to get to the library and check out the text first hand, and was so impressed that I felt inclined to scan some pages for you. Voila.

Winslow Smith

Winslow Smith is currently attending the Post-Bacheloriate program at School of the Art Institute Chicago.

STUDY FOR PERFORMANCE: 1 WORK ON PAPER

Study for Instructions/(laymens)meta-poetic)): for pear, lexography (lexigraphology), and typewriter

LEXIGRAM OF NOTATION: 1 WORK ON PAPER

Study for Notation Lexigram 1

STUDY OF MOVEMENT/LANGUAGE 1:2 TEXT WORKS

A flock of unidentified small black birds have been flying sweeping cyclical cauldrons in the air. I have observed them for 3 consecutive evenings and offer these works to be considered in relation to my impression of the experience, as well as a possible notation to be used in determining sounds and movements of objects, performers, and events.

Study for Movement 1: Ideogram

Study for Movement 1: Poem

ARE THESE CAN THESE BE NOTATION BEING

Do these images offer possible notational structures?

Could you compose a piece of music with these images? A dance?

Might these images be utilized in the creation of a sound? A movement? A building?

YES

YES

YES

PAPER MOBIUS STRIP

MOSS BALL

BROKEN HAND OF SETH CHILDS

MOLLUSCS OF THE PACIFIC

BARRIER FROM LAND TO SEA

ECHINODERMS EMBRACING

MEAL WORMS

LICHEN ASSEMBLAGE

HAMMER LICHEN CIRCLE MOSS RELATIONS

FLOWERED LAWN IN PORTLAND

MOSSES IN JAPANESE GARDEN

HAYBALE VORTEX

TWINE ECLIPSE

PLASTIC NOTATIONS

These images were created by Travis Wyche in response to his own propulsion of dialogue, being that of NOTACHOREOGRAM

PLASTIC NOTATION ONE

PLASTIC NOTATION TWO

PLASTIC NOTATION THREE

PLASTIC NOTATION FOUR

PLASTIC NOTATION FIVE