Was performed at:
Neowise 5.8 V/E is a constructed/deconstructed soundscape, last of a series of minimalist and ambient improvisations inspired by the unfathomable orbit of the comet they are named afer. Using just 2 or 3 samples in TidalCycles, it layers the ringing of the spheres, and beams out harmonics like a prism splitting light into distinct colors. The samples used are recordings of a bow chime, a very physical instrument which plays you in return. Recordings of this acoustic behemoth cannot track the experience of it live, but by manipulating these samples, we find new means to engage with the tangible shapes of orbits and conjunctions. In this last scene of the series, the live bow chime also joins the stage as recompense to the early studies’ original explorations of ebb and return. Dedicated to Matt Samolis in gratitude for his mentorship.
The abstract is displayed here for proof-reading and will only be part of the published proceedings, not of the final version of this web catalogue.
Neowise is a live coding composition originating as a series of minimalist studies with samples from a bow chime1. Of this series, Neowise3 is published on Down The Rabbit Hole (2021)2. The 4th was a primitive attempt at spatialization for 8 channels, presented live at Algobiente III (2022)3. Neowise 5.8 V/E is presented as the 5th in the series, a 360° immersive, electroacoustic performance.
The piece is a constructed/deconstructed soundscape inspired by the unfathomable orbit of the comet it is named afer. Using TidalCycles, it layers the ‘ringing of the spheres’, and beams out harmonics like a prism splitting light into distinct colors. The three short samples used are vocalizations of the bow chime, a very physical instrument which plays the performer in return. Recordings of this acoustic behemoth cannot track the experience of it live, but by the algorithmic manipulation of these samples, we find new means to engage with the tangible shapes of orbits and conjunctions. Finally, in this last of the series, the live bow chime joins the stage as recompense to the early studies’ original explorations of ebb and return.
The use of bow chime samples was reflective of my parallel practice with this instrument, which was displaced during most of the pandemic. Afer immigrating to Spain, I was without an instrument and could not source materials to build one due to pandemic restrictions, and so I leaned into this live coding composition as a proxy for the physical instrument. Then in spring 2022, I built a new full-size bow chime, and in late summer, another sized for long-haul travel. With the return of this acoustic practice to my studio, I now present this reprise of Neowise with both live-coding and live instrument, to bring the orbit of this narrative full circle.
A bow chime (a.k.a. steel cello) is a DIY acoustic instrument, built (with modifications) in the tradition of Robert Rutman (Berlin, 1931) and in this case under the mentorship of Matt Samolis (Syracuse, 1964). It is comprised of a freestanding steel frame which anchors a sheet-metal resonator under stress of a curve, several tunable vertical steel rods, and an assortment of cymbals. It is played with a bow, with a give-and-take technique that is highly dependent on haptic feedback. A full-size bow chime may exceed 2m(l) x 2m(h) x 0.75m(w) assembled. ↩
Down the Rabbit Hole, a compilation of live coding works from TOPLAP Barcelona, on Call It Anything Records (2021). ↩
Algobiente III, 3rd edition of Barcelona’s premier ambient, multichannel live coding showcase (Barcelona, 2022). ↩