I'm finally getting around to publishing a piece I wrote with Professor Mark Applebaum last winter, Sea Bass v45, a tribute of sorts to his own Cat Fish. I had a lot of fun working with Mark on this piece. He and I have similar values but quite different perspectives regarding music. Working with him forced me to confront some of my own ideas in ways that were perhaps less comfortable. Yet I think this is precisely why I'm going to school.
Why v45? Well, it's kind of silly to include that in a title, but technically that is the name of the file on my Mac. For some reason, version 44 didn't cut it and I needed one more iteration. And why wasn't v33 or v34 perfect? Who knows?
I suppose if I delve into it a bit more, I started with the concept of metric modulation, where you begin with a meter/tempo and then somewhat unperceptively modulate to an adjacent meter/tempo. I wanted to use the technique to allow the piece to initially sound completely abstract and then somewhat surreptitiously modulate to some metrical structure and so you (the listener) would realize that the piece was less abstract or unstructured but only in retrospect. I'd modulate then back to something more abstract (lacking any any metrical structure or reference), etc. Mark wasn't convinced with these drafts, and I suppose I wasn't either. Next I wondered if the structure might be more metrical but yet embedded in a way that was not obvious, so that I would keep the listener in a state of suspended and confused curiosity... And eventually this required 45 revisions, hence v45.
Eventually (say v30), the structure of the piece relied on two techniques: first, at a macro level, metric modulation to take you (the listener) in and out of focus of the structured vs the abstract; and second, at a micro level, metrical counterpoint. I used three metrical strings, one of length 12, one of 13, and one of 14. They are grouped into smaller units such as 1-2,1-2,1-2-3,1-2,1-2,1-2-3 [14]. Etc. And so at one, the core of the piece is attempting to get your ear to lock into one of these strings and then migrate your ear to an adjacent line. My assumption is that, all else equal, eventually your ear will go to the shortest string.
Sea Bass v45 Score
Sea Bass v45 MP3 ( virtual instruments)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Bach WTC in F/f
Finally caved in and bought a Steinway. It almost seems like a betrayal of Mr. Baller. He had a Bösendorfer 225 and Yamaha C7. He believed the Steinways had problems. He would always ship his Bösendorfer around to wherever he performed. (And eventually so did I!)
My first piano (other than the Knabe I grew up on in my mother's house) was a Yamaha S400 back in '92. I loved it—still do. My second piano was a Bösendorfer 225. I spent some time at the factory outside Vienna, meeting the artisans, testing several out, and finally choosing the one I liked. I shipped (yes, a ship) it to California in '00. When I built the second house in Wyoming, I shipped the Yamaha out there, where it remained (until '21). Eventually I picked up another second piano for the CA house, a used Baldwin, which I love—I've always liked the older Baldwin pianos. Very sturdy. If you visited the dungeons of Dinkelspiel @ Stanford, the Baldwins held up the best. Well, when Smule opened up our new office in San Francisco, I decided to move the Baldwin up there, allowing friends from the company to play in our office. It's been great. And last week, I replaced the Yamaha/Baldwin as the second piano with a Steinway B. I haven't played the Bösendorfer since. It almost seems like we broke up.
I decided to try and record a couple new pieces on the Steinway. I think I would be better off recording on a broken down piano so that my technique and mistakes could be blamed on the instrument (including that missed F vs E-flat on the recap of the f-minor Prelude below).
Prelude in F major, Vol. 1, WTC
Fugue in F major, Vol. 1, WTC
Prelude in f minor, Vol. 1, WTC
My first piano (other than the Knabe I grew up on in my mother's house) was a Yamaha S400 back in '92. I loved it—still do. My second piano was a Bösendorfer 225. I spent some time at the factory outside Vienna, meeting the artisans, testing several out, and finally choosing the one I liked. I shipped (yes, a ship) it to California in '00. When I built the second house in Wyoming, I shipped the Yamaha out there, where it remained (until '21). Eventually I picked up another second piano for the CA house, a used Baldwin, which I love—I've always liked the older Baldwin pianos. Very sturdy. If you visited the dungeons of Dinkelspiel @ Stanford, the Baldwins held up the best. Well, when Smule opened up our new office in San Francisco, I decided to move the Baldwin up there, allowing friends from the company to play in our office. It's been great. And last week, I replaced the Yamaha/Baldwin as the second piano with a Steinway B. I haven't played the Bösendorfer since. It almost seems like we broke up.
I decided to try and record a couple new pieces on the Steinway. I think I would be better off recording on a broken down piano so that my technique and mistakes could be blamed on the instrument (including that missed F vs E-flat on the recap of the f-minor Prelude below).
Prelude in F major, Vol. 1, WTC
Fugue in F major, Vol. 1, WTC
Prelude in f minor, Vol. 1, WTC
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Schubert Impromptu in F-minor D 935 No. 1
I've been spending more time at the keyboard the past few months. I don't know why I ever accept periods where I can't play every day. I realize how important spending time with the piano has always been to me.
My technique and voicing control remains a bit of a disaster. Yet I see a path forward. It will take many years. I am determined.
I'm performing before a jury panel at Stanford on Tuesday. Of the pieces I learned this quarter, I decided to focus on the first Impromptu from Schubert's second set, No. 1 in F-Minor. There could not be a more sublime creation in this world, excepting perhaps Schubert's Sonata in B-flat D 960 or maybe Chopin's 3rd Sonata. Technically I'm rationing these latter two pieces, lest I lose reason and purpose beyond my middle age.
My playing still suffers from the core issues of my life: always pushing forward toward a goal, yet never really taking the time to enjoy each moment along the way. There is never enough time it seems. Yet in music, I realize there always is plenty of time -- a realization that never manifests in any of my performances. Hence my own sonata which is an incessantly anguished push towards the end. And so, I have no pride over this recording, but retain it (like the others) to remember where I've been, as opposed to where I hope to go.
Impromptu in F-minor D 935 No. 1
(I didn't splice or remaster anything. This recording was the third and final take, all in the space of this evening. Indeed it is authentic, supposing that such a value applies to recordings).
My technique and voicing control remains a bit of a disaster. Yet I see a path forward. It will take many years. I am determined.
I'm performing before a jury panel at Stanford on Tuesday. Of the pieces I learned this quarter, I decided to focus on the first Impromptu from Schubert's second set, No. 1 in F-Minor. There could not be a more sublime creation in this world, excepting perhaps Schubert's Sonata in B-flat D 960 or maybe Chopin's 3rd Sonata. Technically I'm rationing these latter two pieces, lest I lose reason and purpose beyond my middle age.
My playing still suffers from the core issues of my life: always pushing forward toward a goal, yet never really taking the time to enjoy each moment along the way. There is never enough time it seems. Yet in music, I realize there always is plenty of time -- a realization that never manifests in any of my performances. Hence my own sonata which is an incessantly anguished push towards the end. And so, I have no pride over this recording, but retain it (like the others) to remember where I've been, as opposed to where I hope to go.
Impromptu in F-minor D 935 No. 1
(I didn't splice or remaster anything. This recording was the third and final take, all in the space of this evening. Indeed it is authentic, supposing that such a value applies to recordings).
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Beta Collide performance of "not here, not now"
Thrilling to hear Beta Collide perform my new piece. Thank you, thank you Molly & Matthew.
I've included a reasonably high quality recording of the performance as well as the final score. The context for the concert, once more, was a series of pieces composed in response to Professor Mark Applebaum's "Theme in Search of Variations III". I chose to limit my piece to only two of the four ensemble members (flute and piano), in part because I wanted to focus on the resonance of the piano in this piece which would require a muted dynamic, but also I saw an opportunity to use the exercise as a means to justify writing a long-anticipated slow movement to my first piano sonata. The use of flute and piano in a piano sonata indeed has precedence!
The structure follows my other movements, but with an Applebaum twist. Mark's piece build on a structure of rotating ambiguity in time and space. In my piece, I adopt this same table, but create ambiguity around harmonic center. The hope is that in a very subtle and nuanced way, the resonance of the piano pulls the harmonic center down, up, or possibly reenforces that center. This harmonic center itself is somewhat ambiguous given the polytonal structure. A study of the score, however, would reveal certain pitches and harmonies that are re-enforced and implied by the open bass strings. The metric structure, following the form of my other movements, has the piano in five versus the flute in three. In the central dopio movemento, the briefly align on 4.
not here, not now
not here, not now score
I've included a reasonably high quality recording of the performance as well as the final score. The context for the concert, once more, was a series of pieces composed in response to Professor Mark Applebaum's "Theme in Search of Variations III". I chose to limit my piece to only two of the four ensemble members (flute and piano), in part because I wanted to focus on the resonance of the piano in this piece which would require a muted dynamic, but also I saw an opportunity to use the exercise as a means to justify writing a long-anticipated slow movement to my first piano sonata. The use of flute and piano in a piano sonata indeed has precedence!
The structure follows my other movements, but with an Applebaum twist. Mark's piece build on a structure of rotating ambiguity in time and space. In my piece, I adopt this same table, but create ambiguity around harmonic center. The hope is that in a very subtle and nuanced way, the resonance of the piano pulls the harmonic center down, up, or possibly reenforces that center. This harmonic center itself is somewhat ambiguous given the polytonal structure. A study of the score, however, would reveal certain pitches and harmonies that are re-enforced and implied by the open bass strings. The metric structure, following the form of my other movements, has the piano in five versus the flute in three. In the central dopio movemento, the briefly align on 4.
not here, not now
not here, not now score
Monday, October 31, 2011
Lento "not here, not now", from Sonata No. 1
Finished the slow movement of my sonata for a project at Stanford, namely a response to Mark Applebaum's Variations III.
Yes, this movement of the piano sonata requires a flute, or more specifically an alto flute. If Ives could, why can't I?
The piece is very much about the resonance of the piano, and the projected overtones of sustained and open strings, particularly those in the lower bass. The nuance suggests some ambiguity, whereby in some instances the flute line is bent sharp and other instances bent flat through the set of piano strings that remain open and sustained. The piece will vary, of course, by piano and tuning, which is part of the fun of the performance of the piece. Obviously it works best on the longest strings of a concert grand, and would be quite horrible on an upright.
Like the other movements of the sonata, this movement works with contrasting metrical structures, in this case the flute in 3 versus the piano in 5. Of course they come together in the middle stretto, both converging in 4.
The piece also applies the polytonal structure I've developed throughout the sonata. In this case, we have a progression in E Major against its retrograde in F minor and its inversion in F# minor. The middle section moves to G major and its retrograde in D minor. Etc.
Note that the mp3 here is horrific. Sibelius can't understand and project overtones, nor does it handle any of the flute quarter tones. Fortunately the piece will be performed by Beta Collide in a concert at Stanford on December 2nd. I'll update the blog with that recording when it becomes available.
not here, not now (Sibelius)
not here, not now score
Yes, this movement of the piano sonata requires a flute, or more specifically an alto flute. If Ives could, why can't I?
The piece is very much about the resonance of the piano, and the projected overtones of sustained and open strings, particularly those in the lower bass. The nuance suggests some ambiguity, whereby in some instances the flute line is bent sharp and other instances bent flat through the set of piano strings that remain open and sustained. The piece will vary, of course, by piano and tuning, which is part of the fun of the performance of the piece. Obviously it works best on the longest strings of a concert grand, and would be quite horrible on an upright.
Like the other movements of the sonata, this movement works with contrasting metrical structures, in this case the flute in 3 versus the piano in 5. Of course they come together in the middle stretto, both converging in 4.
The piece also applies the polytonal structure I've developed throughout the sonata. In this case, we have a progression in E Major against its retrograde in F minor and its inversion in F# minor. The middle section moves to G major and its retrograde in D minor. Etc.
Note that the mp3 here is horrific. Sibelius can't understand and project overtones, nor does it handle any of the flute quarter tones. Fortunately the piece will be performed by Beta Collide in a concert at Stanford on December 2nd. I'll update the blog with that recording when it becomes available.
not here, not now (Sibelius)
not here, not now score
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Another pajama-music morning
Not sure what my kids think of their father playing the piano in the early morning in his pajamas.
Technique is a bit rusty. Need better life structure with family first, art next, and then the rest.
Recorded a couple Ravel pieces with my iPhone, the Menuet last week and the Prelude this morning. Probably should have played it a second time as I missed a note the first time. I decided to bring back my Prelude #12 to sit alongside these two Ravel pieces. I realize it's in a different league but, after sitting in the dust for five years, I still enjoy this piece.
Ravel: Prelude
Ravel: Mouvement de menuet, from Sonatine
My Prelude #12
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sonata No. 1 Maestoso, draft next
Is it possible to maintain Maestoso through a migration from the rhetorical to the anti-rhetorical? Beethoven maintains the cantabile throughout his Op 111, Arietta. Yet the piece seems to leave this world and its purported clarity. Is it possible to contemplate the retrograde of Ive's (or perhaps Schumann's) cumulative form? Is such a form nothing more than an embellishment of sonata form?
I've rewritten the second half of this piece. Virtually impossible to play now. I've taken out the bars. The 3:4 structure needs to stand on its own.
Sonata No. 1: Maestoso Score
Sonata No. 1: Maestoso
I've rewritten the second half of this piece. Virtually impossible to play now. I've taken out the bars. The 3:4 structure needs to stand on its own.
Sonata No. 1: Maestoso Score
Sonata No. 1: Maestoso
Friday, March 25, 2011
Be Still, My Soul
David Crowder asked me to do a musical number for the Valparaiso ward in a few weeks. Went back to this piece I wrote in '06 and created an arrangement for alto, baritone, and piano. One of my favorite hymns remains "Be Still, My Soul" from Mr. Sibelius.
Frankly the structure of this modest 'arrangement' is limited and metrically I find it quite square. I was tempted to rewrite here (five years later), but alas, I can't bring myself to do it. It is what it is. We'll see how it sounds in a few weeks.
I've dedicated the piece to the Apostle, Neil Andersen, of the Quorum of the Twelve of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is such a wonderful leader and person. I would like to honor him.
Be Still Arrangement
Frankly the structure of this modest 'arrangement' is limited and metrically I find it quite square. I was tempted to rewrite here (five years later), but alas, I can't bring myself to do it. It is what it is. We'll see how it sounds in a few weeks.
I've dedicated the piece to the Apostle, Neil Andersen, of the Quorum of the Twelve of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is such a wonderful leader and person. I would like to honor him.
Be Still Arrangement
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sonata No. 1 Maestoso
A new movement for my sonata. This is an early draft. As I learn to play the piece, like the Allegro from Sonata No. 1, it will certainly evolve.
If the Allegro explores a metrical interpretation of Sonata form, so too does the Maestoso. The Allegro explores the relationship of 6:7, with 6 perhaps identified symbolically with a 'tonic' and 7 a 'dominant', developed through sonata form. In the Maestoso, the form is theme and variations, except the theme derives metrical 3:4. Consider the simple opening of the piece:
From the opening, the listener is presented with two sources of ambiguity. While in 3/4, the piece suggests 3 yet by the third measure proposes 4. A second source of ambiguity stems from the neighbor tones, C# and D. Do we 'tonicize' the 'D' by treating the C# as a leading tone (the key signature suggests as much), or instead do we have a Phrygian motion from D to 'C#? In fact, there seems to be a symmetrical relationship between two.
Similarly, the following table outlines the structure of the two voices found in the first variation on this 'theme' (mm. 10-28). The rows give tonal field, its key, and the metrical units of each gesture.
Etc.
Draft Score of Sonata No. 1: Maestoso
Sibelius Generated MP3
If the Allegro explores a metrical interpretation of Sonata form, so too does the Maestoso. The Allegro explores the relationship of 6:7, with 6 perhaps identified symbolically with a 'tonic' and 7 a 'dominant', developed through sonata form. In the Maestoso, the form is theme and variations, except the theme derives metrical 3:4. Consider the simple opening of the piece:
From the opening, the listener is presented with two sources of ambiguity. While in 3/4, the piece suggests 3 yet by the third measure proposes 4. A second source of ambiguity stems from the neighbor tones, C# and D. Do we 'tonicize' the 'D' by treating the C# as a leading tone (the key signature suggests as much), or instead do we have a Phrygian motion from D to 'C#? In fact, there seems to be a symmetrical relationship between two.
Similarly, the following table outlines the structure of the two voices found in the first variation on this 'theme' (mm. 10-28). The rows give tonal field, its key, and the metrical units of each gesture.
Etc.
Draft Score of Sonata No. 1: Maestoso
Sibelius Generated MP3
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Miserere Nostri for Soprano, Alto, and iPhone
I've written a piece for the Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert. The piece will be performed at the concert in Memorial Church on the evening of October 7th.
The piece applies my poly-tonal inversion model, and derives the base harmony from the Tallis masterpiece, Tallis in G, the inversion (Soprano and Alto parts) inverted in F.
You can find a nice performance of that Tallis piece here:
Tallis Miserere Nostri
This piece always seems to give me solace whenever I hear it. I don't know why.
The text comes from Psalm 123, quoted in Latin then English here:
1 canticum graduum ad te levavi oculos meos qui habitas in caelo
2 ecce sicut oculi servorum in manibus dominorum suorum sicut oculi ancillae in manibus dominae eius ita oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum donec misereatur nostri
3 miserere nostri Domine miserere nostri quia multum repleti sumus despectione
4 quia multum repleta est anima nostra obprobrium abundantibus et despectio superbis
1 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
Miserere Nostri
The piece applies my poly-tonal inversion model, and derives the base harmony from the Tallis masterpiece, Tallis in G, the inversion (Soprano and Alto parts) inverted in F.
You can find a nice performance of that Tallis piece here:
Tallis Miserere Nostri
This piece always seems to give me solace whenever I hear it. I don't know why.
The text comes from Psalm 123, quoted in Latin then English here:
1 canticum graduum ad te levavi oculos meos qui habitas in caelo
2 ecce sicut oculi servorum in manibus dominorum suorum sicut oculi ancillae in manibus dominae eius ita oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum donec misereatur nostri
3 miserere nostri Domine miserere nostri quia multum repleti sumus despectione
4 quia multum repleta est anima nostra obprobrium abundantibus et despectio superbis
1 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
Miserere Nostri
Is Bartok Modern?
I wrote this paper over a year ago for a seminar. It's a mildly provocative yet incoherent rant on Modernity, 2Pac, and Bartok's Fifth String Quartet.
Analysis of Bartok's Fifth String Quartet and Prison Music
Analysis of Bartok's Fifth String Quartet and Prison Music
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sonata #1 Allegro, Larghetto
Had a lot of fun playing in Prof Barth's master class yesterday....
Making progress on my sonata. Here are drafts of the first two movements.
Allegro
Sonata form? Of course. The metrical structure serves as the framework vs tonality. 6 = tonic, 7 = dominant... Yes, false recaps, coda, etc. It's all there. Obvious influences of Prokofiev #7, Ginastera #1, etc. There is a polytonal sub-structure, a leitmotif of sorts, utilizing the system I developed with the Inferno works.
Larghetto
Sonata form? Of course. Why not. The obvious binary form + coda proposes early sonata form. The non-obvious phrygian tetrachords (and their inversions) make a passing reference, again a substitute for the traditional tonal framework. The piece is an experiment in creating sound from the niente, and specifically exciting overtones from the bass strings which remain open throughout with a sostenuto pedal. There is an implied tonal progression, but it is opaque. Borrowing from traditional Japanese dance, the broad, perhaps exaggerated gestures pause at moments of stasis to create a lasting image, in this case in sound. Passing reference to Ive's Serenity.
Making progress on my sonata. Here are drafts of the first two movements.
Allegro
Sonata form? Of course. The metrical structure serves as the framework vs tonality. 6 = tonic, 7 = dominant... Yes, false recaps, coda, etc. It's all there. Obvious influences of Prokofiev #7, Ginastera #1, etc. There is a polytonal sub-structure, a leitmotif of sorts, utilizing the system I developed with the Inferno works.
Larghetto
Sonata form? Of course. Why not. The obvious binary form + coda proposes early sonata form. The non-obvious phrygian tetrachords (and their inversions) make a passing reference, again a substitute for the traditional tonal framework. The piece is an experiment in creating sound from the niente, and specifically exciting overtones from the bass strings which remain open throughout with a sostenuto pedal. There is an implied tonal progression, but it is opaque. Borrowing from traditional Japanese dance, the broad, perhaps exaggerated gestures pause at moments of stasis to create a lasting image, in this case in sound. Passing reference to Ive's Serenity.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Schumann Paper
This trifling idea regarding Schumann's pedal markings is something I'm still thinking about.
We believe that Chopin’s use of pedal markings went beyond basic objectives of providing color or sustaining a given set of pitches to preserve a harmonic structure. Chopin’s pedal markings even went so far as to indicate phrases and/or hypermetrical structure. What about Schumann’s use of pedal markings? And what, specifically, might we learn from his application of those markings in one of his mid-career works for the piano, namely his Waldszenen, Opus 82, composed in 1848 and 1849?
Schumann's use of Pedal Markings in his Waldszenen
We believe that Chopin’s use of pedal markings went beyond basic objectives of providing color or sustaining a given set of pitches to preserve a harmonic structure. Chopin’s pedal markings even went so far as to indicate phrases and/or hypermetrical structure. What about Schumann’s use of pedal markings? And what, specifically, might we learn from his application of those markings in one of his mid-career works for the piano, namely his Waldszenen, Opus 82, composed in 1848 and 1849?
Schumann's use of Pedal Markings in his Waldszenen
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Romantic Variations
Such an exciting time in my life, alongside composing a new piece for violin duet.
Baby Sabine arrived in May. I started Smule with Ge in June. I had major surgery to repair my broken jaw in September, just before I took my qualifying exams at Stanford, and the next day we launched Smule's first product, the Sonic Lighter. Ge is such a serious rock star. Coached Noah's basketball team (tough season!), now assistant coach on his baseball team (go Giants!).
Ocarina in November. Orals last month. Working on Schumann's Waldszenen.
Buried in there is my gem of gems, my multi-talented daughter Charlotte, whose many gifts include the monkey bars.
Jonathan is still hanging in there with me, and via his Winter quarter seminar, Livia and Janet will perform the first (and at this stage only) two movements from a new set of variations I'm writing for violin duet. Modeled after Brahms's Schumann variations, I'm threading my own theme (really a bi-tonal harmonic progression) across a handful of works from other composers, in this case, Chopin and Debussy. The progression is never explicitly stated, only implied. Livia and Janet are performing the pieces tonight at Stanford.
I'll be sitting in the back row.
I'll be sitting in the back row.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Binaural Sound in Chuck
After spending considerable cycles last quarter developing a multi-channel class framework in the Chuck programming language, I began to wonder, in the end, how many people would actually be able to hear 16-channel pieces in a space like the ccrma listening room. I then decided it would be interesting to think about 3D audio spatialization over Chuck and a pair of headphones. So, in addition to convincing some friends to port Chuck to the iPhone (stay tuned), I spent some time reading papers on binaural sound models, including the paper published by Phillip Brown and Richard O. Duda in '98 titled "A Structural Model for Binaural Sound Synthesis".
I've come up with two implementations of binaural sound in Chuck now. The first is my own model built on approximations from my research. The second is a work in progress based on the Brown and Duda paper. As you scan the source, you'll notice how trivial it is to create binaural sound by creating a Chuck class that inherits from the BinAural class I've created. The demonstration code goes on to create sound buffers that load up wave files and buzz a bumble bee by your ears while a thunderclap cracks 130 meters above your head. Eventually it starts to rain. All referenced sound files for the demo are also available.
I will come back to this code shortly and finish implementing models for the pinna. Currently, I have ITD, ILD, and HRTF functions.
Version 1.0
Version 1.1
Data files (must be in a data subdirectory underneath Chuck)
BumbleBee
Thunderclap
Rain
I've come up with two implementations of binaural sound in Chuck now. The first is my own model built on approximations from my research. The second is a work in progress based on the Brown and Duda paper. As you scan the source, you'll notice how trivial it is to create binaural sound by creating a Chuck class that inherits from the BinAural class I've created. The demonstration code goes on to create sound buffers that load up wave files and buzz a bumble bee by your ears while a thunderclap cracks 130 meters above your head. Eventually it starts to rain. All referenced sound files for the demo are also available.
I will come back to this code shortly and finish implementing models for the pinna. Currently, I have ITD, ILD, and HRTF functions.
Version 1.0
Version 1.1
Data files (must be in a data subdirectory underneath Chuck)
BumbleBee
Thunderclap
Rain
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Granados and Ravel
I recently performed again in the Stanford Noon Concert Series as part of Professor George Barth's studio. It has been a busy quarter, and so I was less ambitious this time around. Our new daughter Sabine arrived on May 12th. She is so unique and beautiful. Her cry has a quality of sweetness. In addition to finishing my last quarter of classes for my program, I'm also starting a new company, and have been spending a lot of time over at Bessemer Venture Partners in Menlo Park. And I'm coaching my son's little league baseball team. And so I was less ambitious for this concert.
I chose two Granados pieces because I promised recordings to my friends in the film school, specifically Charlene and Mike. They created a wonderful documentary film on the lives of three young people trying out for circus school in Montreal. We discussed some potential musical material, and in the end, they liked the Granados. In order to avoid copyright issues, I've made these recordings for their film. It will soon become obvious to Charlene and Mike that there is a gap between my skills and those of Alicia de Larrocha. I also performed the Ravel Waltz in the style of Borodin at the concert, and took the opportunity to record it again to compare how my technique and style have evolved over the past year.
Danza II, en do menor (Oriental), Enrique Granados
Danza V, en mi menor (Andaluza), Enrique Granados
A la Manière De. . . Borodin, Maurice Ravel
I chose two Granados pieces because I promised recordings to my friends in the film school, specifically Charlene and Mike. They created a wonderful documentary film on the lives of three young people trying out for circus school in Montreal. We discussed some potential musical material, and in the end, they liked the Granados. In order to avoid copyright issues, I've made these recordings for their film. It will soon become obvious to Charlene and Mike that there is a gap between my skills and those of Alicia de Larrocha. I also performed the Ravel Waltz in the style of Borodin at the concert, and took the opportunity to record it again to compare how my technique and style have evolved over the past year.
Danza II, en do menor (Oriental), Enrique Granados
Danza V, en mi menor (Andaluza), Enrique Granados
A la Manière De. . . Borodin, Maurice Ravel
Friday, May 02, 2008
Bartok Variations Final Score
I've finally completed the score for my Bartok Variations, three movements for twenty strings + trumpet based on material from Bartok's own "Evening in Transylvania", no. 6 of his Ten Easy Piano Pieces. The three movements (Lento, Allegro agitato, and Scherzando) allude to rondo form and incorporate narrative-like techniques reminiscent of Schumann and Chopin, perhaps suggesting subtle shifts in the listener’s perspective of time throughout. The music features expressive polytonal harmonies in addition to polymetrical ideas, elaborations on Bartok’s own rubato from his piano piece.
Conductor Barbara Day Turner will premiere the work on May 18th, 2008 with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. The piece is dedicated to Professor George Barth at Stanford University.
Full Score
Parts
Trumpet Solo
Violin Solo
Double Bass
Viola
Violin 1
Violin 2 Div 1
Violin 2 Div 2
Cello Div 1
Cello Div 2
Cello Div 3
Conductor Barbara Day Turner will premiere the work on May 18th, 2008 with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra. The piece is dedicated to Professor George Barth at Stanford University.
Full Score
Parts
Trumpet Solo
Violin Solo
Double Bass
Viola
Violin 1
Violin 2 Div 1
Violin 2 Div 2
Cello Div 1
Cello Div 2
Cello Div 3
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Nice Doggie
I'm not finished (ending doesn't work, trouble with one of the transitions), but here is my latest Chuck creation. I'm pleased with my work on the machine instruments. Of course to appreciate this piece you would need to be in a 16-channel sphere such as the listening room up at CCRMA.
Off to Chicago tomorrow AM and so time to upload and start packing. I'll come back to this full-time next week.
Thx to Dr. J. Berger and Ge Wang (Sir Chuck).
Nice Doggie
Nice Doggie Source (score)
Off to Chicago tomorrow AM and so time to upload and start packing. I'll come back to this full-time next week.
Thx to Dr. J. Berger and Ge Wang (Sir Chuck).
Nice Doggie
Nice Doggie Source (score)
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Mass #1 Performance
The Stanford Memorial Church under the direction of Greg Wait along with Organist Robert Huw Morgan performed two movements of my Mass #1 this past November. As always, we could have used a few more rehearsals. In the Kyrie for example, the tenor and alto parts on the "Christe" phrases don't rise above the sopranos, possibly preventing an understanding of the conflict and resolution in these phrases. Yet I was pleased that the choir & Robert performed the pieces, and appreciate Greg taking on the challenge. I particularly enjoyed Debbie's solo in the Sanctus.
Mass #1 Kyrie
Mass #1 Sanctus
Score
Erika's family attended the performance.
Mass #1 Kyrie
Mass #1 Sanctus
Score
Erika's family attended the performance.
Applebaum Variations Performance
As a follow up to a previous post, sfSound performed my Applebaum Variation at a concert at Stanford in November. Here is an MP3 of the performance, as well as a reference to my score for the piece.
The performance recording presents several challenges: it is not evident the performers understood the structure of the piece -- specifically the metrical relationships of the phrases. The balance is also a challenge -- in particular, the strings are not audible throughout vs the percussion. Of course there is the issue with the notes themselves. I don't believe an interpretation of the piece was therefore remotely possibe. After hearing a rehearsal the night before I proposed pulling the piece as it was evident sfSound had not practiced the piece (it's not obvious to me that they looked at the score prior to the rehearsal). I was persuaded to not pull the piece. And so, it was a learning experience, and I made sure I was properly sedated for the performance.
Applebaum Variation
Score
The performance recording presents several challenges: it is not evident the performers understood the structure of the piece -- specifically the metrical relationships of the phrases. The balance is also a challenge -- in particular, the strings are not audible throughout vs the percussion. Of course there is the issue with the notes themselves. I don't believe an interpretation of the piece was therefore remotely possibe. After hearing a rehearsal the night before I proposed pulling the piece as it was evident sfSound had not practiced the piece (it's not obvious to me that they looked at the score prior to the rehearsal). I was persuaded to not pull the piece. And so, it was a learning experience, and I made sure I was properly sedated for the performance.
Applebaum Variation
Score
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