CDP Sound Example – TEXTURES

Multi-event Texture with chord changes

SOURCE SOUND

Single marimba stroke

TRANSFORMATION

Texture with chord changes

DESCRIPTION
~ CDP Function: TEXTURE SIMPLE ~

• This multi-event texture begins with widely spaced events which become tighter in pitch range and increasingly dense over 5 seconds. Then the events focus on a 4-note chord harmony with the events coming so fast that the chord is audible. This chord changes to another and then to a third chord. After this the note events spread again into a wider pitch range, becoming less dense. The whole sound thus forms a tri-partite, symmetric changing texture: a period of compression, three chords, and a period of expansion.
• Notice how the note data file defines the four pitch (harmonic) sets: one from G below Middle C to High C, used at time 0 sec and at time 10 sec, the 4-pitch chord C-D-F-G used at 5 sec and 8.5 sec., flanking and the 5-pitch chord C-C#-Eb-F#-G heard at 7 sec. (See the note data file below.)
• Now imagine if you will what might happen if, in place of each single note, there were a choice of defined rhythmic motifs. The program would select among these motifs at random, thus mixing them unpredictably, creating both variety and much more overlap in the events. You would probably want to play with the density ('packing') parameter in order to control the way the overlaps occurred. Thus you may begin to see the tremendous scope and variety achievable with the TEXTURE program suite.

Additional Information

PARAMETER SETTINGS
(Click on image to view fullsize)

KEY POINTS

• changing harmonic sets (chords)
• note event density is generally short and varies over time
• outer pitch contours are set by the low and high pitch breakpoint files
• 0.05 scatter is a 'humanise' function
• volume range is wide: (from MIDI velocity 44 to 84)
• the entire length of the input sound is used for every note event. With longer sounds, this leads to more overlap and audible harmony.

SUPPLEMENTARY FILES USED

Note Data File (defines reference pitch & harmonic grid)

[extex1ndf.txt]

60   		[MIDI Note Value of Input Sound]
#35  		[Time-changing harmonic grid]
0 1 55 0 0 	[pitch set grid at start]
0 1 57 0 0
0 1 58 0 0
0 1 60 0 0
0 1 62 0 0
0 1 63 0 0
0 1 65 0 0
0 1 67 0 0
0 1 69 0 0
0 1 70 0 0
0 1 72 0 0

5 1 60 0 0 	[chord C-D-F-G at 5 sec.]
5 1 62 0 0
5 1 65 0 0
5 1 67 0 0

7 1 60 0 0 	[chord C-C#-Eb-F#-G at 7 sec.]
7 1 61 0 0
7 1 63 0 0
7 1 66 0 0
7 1 67 0 0

8.5 1 60 0 0 	[chord C-D-F-G repeated at 8.5 sec.]
8.5 1 62 0 0
8.5 1 65 0 0
8.5 1 67 0 0

10 1 55 0 0 	[original pitch set grid repeated at 10 sec.]
10 1 57 0 0
10 1 58 0 0
10 1 60 0 0
10 1 62 0 0
10 1 63 0 0
10 1 65 0 0
10 1 67 0 0
10 1 69 0 0
10 1 70 0 0
10 1 72 0 0

Breakpoint files (define time-varying contours)

[extex1dn.brk] [extex1pl.brk]	[extex1ph.brk]
Time Density  Time Pitchlow	Time Pitchhigh
 0.0 0.25      0.0 55		 0.0 72
 4.9 0.05      4.9 58		 4.9 69	
 5.0 0.025     5.0 60		 5.0 67
10.0 0.025    10.0 60		10.0 67
10.1 0.05     10.1 58		10.1 69
15.0 0.25     15.0 55		15.0 72