This piece is a sound installation in Max/MSP that features a drone in an imperceptible state of flux. The drone is made up of the first sixteen harmonics of the overtone series. The fundamental frequency of the overtone series is calculated using the following algorithm: The algorithm which calculates the fundamental takes the year/100, the month/10, the day/10, the hour/100, the minute/100 and the second/10000 and adds the 6 values together. Above this drone, the computer generates semi-random modal melodic sequences wherein the mode is determined by the day of the week (Sunday-Saturday). These modes are defined as whole number ratios to the constantly changing fundamental. The length of the individual notes of these sequences is also determined by the time of day: they get shorter from midnight to noon and longer from noon to midnight.
A human performer may engage with the patch by imitating the melodic sequences played by the computer. Theoretically, any instrument may be used for this purpose, but it is important that said instrument can quickly adjust to the small changes in tuning that take place over time. As they become absorbed into the environment, the performer may gradually begin to improvise more complex melodic material that connects the various notes played by the computer. A short, poetic text score is used to facilitate performance. This piece is intended to create a meditative environment for both the listener and the performer as they are challenged to trace the subtle changes in the patch that unfold over long periods of time.
Finally, it must be noted that interesting philosophical problems arise because the fundamental frequency is determined by the calendar date. If one goes far enough back in time, say to the year 0, the fundamental would be so far below the range of human hearing that the patch would seem to produce no sound at all. Similarly, if one could travel thousands of years into the future, the patch would exceed the range of human hearing, producing the same effect (although it may be like torture for our pets). The question is: will humanity survive long enough for this to be a problem?
The present recording was captured on Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 during a 4.5 hour installation of the piece in the Owen Hall Recording Studio at University of the Pacific. 2 hours here is excerpted for the listener which includes 2 extended chants as well as moments of the patch alone. Note that the patch is intended to be performed in a quadraphonic speaker array despite the fact that this recording is captured in only two channels. The drone was captured using 2 AKG C414 microphones set to omni-directional pickup patterns. The chanting was captured with a Beyer M160 ribbon-dynamic microphone.
This PDF shows the modes for each day of the week and their corresponding tuning ratios.
This PDF shows the poetic text score and a few additional notes about the piece’s performance.
You may request a copy of the Max patch on the Contact page.
Max Patch and Chant by Kevin Swenson
Recording Engineered by Darla Testino and Professor Jeff Crawford