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Live 4 Life: A spatial performance tool to play the ephemeral and improvise with space and playback speeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2021

Christophe Lengelé
Christophe Lengelé*
Affiliation:
Faculté de Musique, Université de Montréal, Canada
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This article describes my own way to improvise with space using a computer-based tool implemented in SuperCollider. The objective of this spatial performance tool is to have an ergonomic spatio-temporal and spectral control over numerous sound objects in real time, in order to alternate between spatialised polyrhythms and textures. After a brief review of spatial audio context, the spatial performance tool is summarised and detailed here by focusing on one of the core parameters: the playback speeds, which can act both on rhythm and space and enable among others the spatio-temporal articulation of the performance. As well as discussing the word ‘comprovisation’ and my conception of human–computer improvisation, the possibilities and approach of the tool in terms of improvisation and controllerism are illustrated through the use and combination of different controllers (computer keyboard, tactile interfaces, force touch sensors). Whereas some controllers are more dedicated to the selection and triggering of streams of spatialised sound events, others have their own mappings and ways of acting on some parameters (depending on the temporality of the sounds: playing or future events).

Type
Article
Information
Organised Sound , Volume 26 , Issue 1: The Sonic and the Electronic in Improvisation , April 2021 , pp. 89 - 99
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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Lengelé supplementary movie 1

Video Example 1: Parmegiani meets SuperCollider (first improvisation) – 16′10″

Download Lengelé supplementary movie 1(Video)
Video 238 MB

Lengelé supplementary movie 2

Video Example 2: Free parties will survive (fourth improvisation at JIM 2019) – 13′43″

Download Lengelé supplementary movie 2(Video)
Video 84.7 MB

Lengelé supplementary movie 3

Video Example 3: Free parties will survive (first improvisation) – 18′56″

Download Lengelé supplementary movie 3(Video)
Video 319.4 MB