Electronic Britten Score Interpretations via Pure-Data Fast Fourier Transform, played with Pure-Data NUMBERSTREAM instruments within a 4-channel environment.

8 + 22 June 2013 live electronic surround-sound performance [3pm both dates, no ticket required] | outdoor derelict-space opposite Hoffmann Building, part of SNAP 2013, Aldeburgh Music, Snape Maltings, Suffolk, IP17 1SR | map | + quad speaker playback running from 9 – 30 June 2013 throughout the Benjamin Britten centenary Aldeburgh Festival.

Utilising Fast Fourier Transform analysis [FFT], fundamental frequencies extracted from existing recorded Britten performances provide new reverse-engineered scores; notating a musical score by digitally recognising audible changes in pitch & amplitude with no reference to the original score.

8 June 2013 live recording  5:14 [live recording, 4 > 2 channel, excerpt] **

Derelict-space live recording 8 June – captured by Russell Haswell on a Zoom H2 / List of BB works performed

Benjamin Britten FFT scores : Peter Grimes Interlude I, Dawn [ancient-Greek version]; Serenade for Horns Tenor & Strings, Epilogue [heavy version].

‘Accompanying Lucas’ sculptures is Julian Simmons’ dark and abstract work NUMBERSTREAM100 which reverberates around the space, omnipresent and powerful.  The sound purples and shimmers like a darkening bruise, deliciously discordant and completely immersive.’  The Journal of Wild Culture.

SoundCloud (Set 1) 7:41 [line-out recording, 12 June 2013]
2-channel mix of this 4-channel performance may produce greater than stereo dimensions through unusual (joystick-controlled) phase additions, be sensitive to the extra 3D push and pull on your ear-drums!

0:00 Pure Numberstream | Noise-based string-model instr.
1:58 FFT: Benjamin Britten – Serenade for Tenor, Horns & Strings, Epilogue | Two noise-based string instr.**
3:06 Pure Numberstream | Dual-rotor helicopter modelling + extreme quad spatialisation | White-noise + Splicing dual-wavetable instr.
4:05 FFT: Benjamin Britten – Peter Grimes, Interlude I, Dawn | Two dual-wavetable instr.**

** on-the-fly FFT frequency detection from the Britten performances applied directly to NUMBERSTREAM instruments does result in ‘untuned’ discordance – this has been retained uncorrected. Those who are familiar with these Britten works will hear his motifs within the FFT translation, though heard somewhat warped.

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Live Random Intent 2.1  10:27 [result of the first Pure-Data/PD, NUMBERSTREAM masterclasses: ambient organ playing ad-infitum without repetition].

Random Intent: this project started as a back-room diversion from a party. I’d got talking to Don and Ted about creating sounds mathematically, building that math into instruments, then playing it. I deemed a practical exposition should be had.

From a laptop balanced on a sofa, onto an empty PD screen I began to add objects – vigilant they’d not be overly advanced. Mainly this first lesson was about the logic of object connection (initially I constructed a simple calculator to exemplify this). Also the instrument demonstrated the ability of PD to automatically trigger itself: random western-scale frequencies, octaves, chord polyphonies, durations and write-read feedback delays.

Aspects of this randomness stimulated following randomness – the organ is ‘depth connected’ via selectors (aka an ‘Expert System’) – a generative instrument of non-repeating variation …although while having improvising layers it also has the predilection of my preferences – my intent. Anything that sounds like interaction, post-mixing, or overdubbing, isn’t: it’s live random intent.

The initial source of mathematical movement, or disturbance in primary data, had to be nothing more than a basic sine-wave, though 9 of them, 3 groups of 3 working in parallel. Each group forming a chord (the six-pointed stars in screenshot alongside) and each with different durations of refresh: the first chord-group creating long 4sec held drones, the third group with more rapid 0.7sec musical sequences. Each of the chord’s notes rolled-on – an arpeggio played once, with the interval between triggering each note in the chord linked to the frequency of the notes: the higher the frequency the greater the duration of rolling-on.