nocturne series: 4 for 2 or more performers by Chaz Underriner layer 1: soundscape Using the supplied 10 sound files of field recordings and sine tone arrays, create a shifting sonic environment. The sound files have been created as an abstraction of an original field recording of the dry Blanco riverbed in Wimberley, Texas, which serves as the inspiration for the nocturne series as a whole. The soundscape created should be a recombination of the sound files with the environmental sounds of the performance space. If the performance space is a relatively quiet one, this will limit the playback volume of the sound files. Optimally, the sound files should be balanced equally or be slightly softer than the environmental sounds of the performance space. During the performance of the piece, live mixing of the played sound files in the space is encouraged. Moving throughout the space to hear the blend of all the combined sounds for mixing may be necessary. Each performer needs at least one means of playing back these audio files. Any means including portable and non-portable music players are encouraged. It is preferable if there is a different playback device for every sound file so that each sound file is colored by the means of playback. If there are 10 or more performers, than each person should play back one file on their own device. If there are less than 10 performers, it is preferred that each performer have multiple playback devices in order to cover all 10 sound files without using the same playback device more than once. The length of the soundscape is variable given the available time for performance, although the performance must be at least 11 minutes long since that is the duration of the longest sound file. The starting times of the sound files may be determined using any preferred means, including chance. The piece may be performed at the same time as other pieces as an ongoing continuity or as a stand-alone piece. layer 2: sustained pitch instruments In addition to the soundscape, performers may play a sustained pitch instrument of their choice. Sustained pitches from the instruments should blend into the playback of the sound file, creating a bridge between the sound files and the acoustic environment. Pitches are specified to be matched with each sound file. Specified pitches for each file may be played in any octave, in any tuning, and in any combination. layer 3: cuts and filters Using the one of the attached set of timings, performers may cut off (or back on) the playback of a sound file or their sustained instrumental pitch. All cuts should be very audible, hard cuts. If a cut is performed on a sound file, the file should be turned down in volume rather than turned off, so that at the second cut timing the file may be turned back up. It is preferable that the set of timings not be consistently used by one performer, they should be switched often to prevent a fixed shape for the piece as a whole. The timings of the cuts pertain to the second markings on the sound file itself. Physically filtering of the sound file playback may occur at any time so that the recordings seem to emanate from an unknown source in the room. This could include covering a speaker with skin, paper, cloth or other material, pointing a speaker in a different direction such as into a wall, toward the ceiling, toward the floor, into your body, concealing the speaker by putting it into your pocket, hiding it out of sight, putting it into a closet, etc.
layer 2: sustained pitch instruments
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layer 3: timings for cuts track one 1. 0:25 2. 0:22 3. 0:46 4. 0:43 5. 0:52
0:38 0:33 0:52 0:60 0:58
track six 1. 1:43 2. 0:37 3. 3:06 4. 0:35 5. 0:33
3:26 3:11 3:32 1:37 2:22
track two 1. 3:16 2. 1:44 3. 3:25 4. 6:40 5. 9:20
7:26 2:42 11:50 10:17 9:32
track seven 1. 4:30 2. 3:13 3. 0:45 4. 3:28 5. 1:43
5:46 8:19 3:04 7:01 3:38
track three 1. 1:37 2. 2:55 3. 4:16 4. 0:58 5. 3:36
3:59 5:33 5:21 0:60 3:39
track eight 1. 0:27 2. 2:02 3. 5:35 4. 0:53 5. 3:25
4:51 7:06 6:12 1:26 5:54
track four 1. 7:43 2. 4:42 3. 5:06 4. 5:13 5. 2:16
9:35 6:29 5:55 5:33 4:42
track nine 1. 4:40 2. 3:24 3. 2:22 4. 1:38 5. 2:48
5:55 5:48 5:14 2:00 3:03
track five 1. 1:41 2. 3:21 3. 3:35 4. 2:06 5. 1:07
3:28 6:21 4:58 4:10 1:04
track ten 1. 8:34 2. 2:59 3. 3:25 4. 1:54 5. 2:39
8:48 6:01 7:46 5:00 9:60