Puckette-Reynolds Project 2019-2022
Project Blog | Project Updates | Partner Projects | Miller Puckette & Roger Reynolds | June 1st, 2021
PUCKETTE-REYNOLDS PROJECT 2019-2022
In 2019, Miller Puckette and I received a joint award from UC San Diego’s Committee on Research to undertake a project with two primary goals: the ability to accurately track a timbrically complex, two- part continuity, that was constantly varying while being generated from the same physical source, a cello. The ability to differentiate the two “parts” of a performed succession of double-stops that continuously alter their pitch, their dynamic balance, and their timbral profile will, in-turn, allow the composition of a musical composition for live cellist and a duo partner who is a computer musician managing the constant transformation of live events by selected algorhythms (in particular a spectrally sculpting one named THINNR).
In San Diego, our team has two collaborative graduate students in the Department of Music, Jacob Sundstrom (in the Computer Music Research Area), and cellist Peter Ko (from the Performance Area). In addition, French cellist Alexis Descharmes (who has recorded all of my works for solo cello in the Mode lable) will also be involved, both in appraising the evolving materials generated as explorations continue, and then also by travelling to San Diego for a final period of adjustment, a performance and recording of the resulting musical composition.
We began, during the Covid shut down, by recording a set of six “etudes” I composed in order to explore, the practical aspects of producing continuous 2-part passages for solo cello. As the facilities of the Conrad Prebys Music Center were not open to our use, we created a make-shift recording studio in my Del Mar garage, and were able, with Jacob’s thoughtful choice of recording equipment, placement and tracking to obtain quality recordings that Miller and I could use to begin our explorations. The etudes were specific in the description of the challenges but left flexibilities for the performer (in this case Peter Ko) to determine how best to achieve a realization.
I decided that the 6th of my etudes (shown below) was the best path forward, so I composed an extended continuity which was then reviewed and optimized by Peter and me. Jacob then recorded Peter’s realization capturing one segment at a time, each repeatedly performed, selecting the optimal takes and editing them into a serviceable continuity. Each “unit” (either a sustained double stop or a stable note with a glissandoing neighbor, or both parts glissandoing at the same time) was realized with a single bow stroke (to minimize disturbance to the smooth evolution of the output. In the end, the notated continuity will have a bow change at the end of each stroke, as the succeeding “unit” to be realized is reached.
At this stage, the only concerns are:
maximum practical duration for each bow stroked unit
balanced dynamic between the two strands
maximum smoothness in all transitions and stability during all sustained double-stops
This provisional continuity, which we estimate will be 25 minutes in length, will then be subject to a new layer of conditions whereby altering bow positions (tasto to sul ponticello) and similarly varying, but not coordinated) bow pressure (from flageletto to extreme over-pressure) will complexify both the spectral outcome and the performer’s task in achieving it.
One of the practical issues in the realization of such material is the precision with which intonation can be maintained while concurrently managing a large number of intricately evolving changes in the physical activation of the instrument. In order to ease the distracting aspect of this condition, we
propose that the detection process determine when a particular transitory process is, for example, 2/3rds completed, at which time a reference tuning of the target interval would be presented to an ear- bud in one of the performer’s ears. Many more factors will enter into the final product (as music), refinements that respond to, and test both the technical aims of Miller’s routines, and the musical impact of my compositional aims.
Our 4-person San Diego-based team will be working through the Summer and plan that Alexis Descharmes will join us during the summer of 2022 for concluding stages of the project.
Miller and Roger