Afterimages - for bassoon, 2 synths and live electronics [2018]

MATTHEW

GROUSE

Afterimages for bassoon, 2 synthesizers and live electronics

(2018)

Full score

Afterimages (2018)

Score in C

Instrumentation: Bassoon 2 synthesizers Live electronics

Equipment / setup: . Condenser microphone for bassoon OR single ‘bullet’ microphone lowered into the inside . 2 MIDI capable keyboards (88 key if possible. 49 key minimum) (USB) . Laptop running Max 7 or newer (patch available on request from composer) . Audio interface with minimum 4 inputs . Mixer with 4 group outs . Korg nanoKONTROL2 MIDI controller (USB) . 4 on stage speakers w/ power enabling amps

Stage Plan / Signal flow:

The seating set up should be compact. See diagram for positioning.

Speaker 3

Power enabling amps for speakers

Speaker 4

Kbd. 1

Bassoon (standing) w/ stereo pair of mics

Kbd. 2

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Laptop running Max patch MIDI Controller audio Interface into mixer mixer out to speakers

AUDIENCE with laptop, interface and mixing desk positioned in the middle of the

hall / seating bank

Composer’s Note: An afterimage is an optical illusion where your eyes / brain continues to process remnants of an image even after a lengthy exposure to the original image has ended. This can be either a physiological phenomenon or a pathological one, whereby exaggerated mirages or blurred residue can appear as a result of the visual stimulus.

Duration: ca. 7’

Afterimages was written for members of RCS New Music Collective and premiered on the 7th of May, 2018 at PLUG Festival.

Live Electronics:

. Sound for both keyboards is sent from the synthesizers inside the max patch, using the cycle~ object. If it is decided that the keyboard sounds are to be assigned via a different means, make sure both keyboards have exactly the same sound (a pure sine wave sound). Kbd. 2 must be 1 quartertone flatter than equal temperament for the duration of the piece (do not alter this).

. Controls for electronics are mapped to the MIDI controller. This is explained further below.

. Faders 1-6 control parameters for bassoon. Fader 8 controls gain for pre-recorded audio. Dials 1-3 control parameters for both keyboards simultaneously. ‘S’, ‘M’, and ‘R’ buttons are used for cueing audio and FX automation. See table for more detail. Preset info for reverb and distortion can be viewed and altered in the Max patch,

Dial 1 Dial 2

Dial 3 Dial 4

Dial 5

Dial 6 Dial 7

‘S’ button 1

Dial 8

‘R’ button 1

Fader 7

Fader 8

Fader 6 Fader 5 Fader 4 Fader 3

Fader 1: input gain

Fader 2: amplified bassoon level

Fader 3: distortion gain

Fader 4: ring modulator gain

Fader 5: spectral freeze gain

Fader 6: reverb gain

Fader 7: N/A

Fader 8: playback gain

Electronics notation key

Fader 2 Fader 1

Dial 1: keyboards level / gain Dial 2: distortion gain Dial 3: reverb gain Dial 4: N/A Dial 5: N/A Dial 6: N/A Dial 7: N/A Dial 8: N/A

‘S’ button 1: Cues (playback and FX) ‘R’ button 1: Spectral freeze bassoon (one click to freeze, another to stop freeze)

. This box indicates that a process should be stopped manually. It will be placed on the stave line corresponding to individual processes (seen in the key)

. This symbol placed on specific process stave lines indicates that the processes should be controlled manually with the midi controller faders and dials. Any audio or FX cues are indicated with the cue number e.g. ‘Cue 1’

Afterimages Matthew Grouse (b.1996)

Plaintive, with freedom ( q = 60 )

ca. 10"

Bassoon

&X

stop very abruptly

ca. 5" ca. 10"

A …3 2 ∑

ca. 5" ca. 10"

Ue e œe e

… U #Uee ∑ bœ ee

… U #Ueee ∑ œ B ee

ppp

mp

mp

ppp

ppp

4 4

∑

mp

&X

3 2

?

3 2

∑

4 bœ. ‰ Œ œ. ‰ Œ 4J J 4 ∑ 4

∑

4 4

∑

4Ó 4

?

Keyboard 1 mp

{X

w™ &X

3 2

?

3 2

∑

Keyboard 2 mp (de-tuned)

{X

‰ œj œ

cut reverb abruptly reverb preset 2 for bsn. (always ad lib. gain of reverb)

U ∑

°

3 2

Bsn.

∑

4 4

∑

X ≠

@ ! reverb preset 2 for kbds.

U ∑ Live elecs.

3 2 3 2

Kbds.

Playback

X ¢ X

U ∑

4 Π4 4 4

≠ !

=

C

B ca. 10"

ca. 5" ca. 10"

ca. 5"

ca. 8"

ca. 5"

8

… U #Uee ∑ bœ ee

Ue & X œee e

Bsn.

ppp

… U # EEE n#U e … U ∑ ˙ œe ∑ 23 B EE # e

∑

4 4

∑

4 bœ. ‰ Œ Ó 4J 4 ∑ 4

∑

ppp mp mp pp

f

3 2 3 2

?

Kbd. 1

{

X ?

X

w™

3 2 Ó bw w U 3 ∑ 2 ∑

&X Kbd. 2

?

{

U Xw

U ∑

4 4

∑ bœ œ ˙ 4 ‰bœ œ ˙ 4 J

U spectral freeze

° Ó

Œ ≠

X

3 @2

∑

4 4

3 @2

∑

4 ‰ 4

≠ !

slight increase in reverb gain

!

Elecs.

¢ X

≠ !

D ca. 30" 2

G.P. MURKY cued by second Eb in Kbd. 1

all play independently, avoid synchronising

short pause, just bsn. freeze

16

Bsn.

&X

#Uee bœ ee

Ue e œe e ppp

mp ppp

Ue # nœ e #e

U #œeee B ee mp

ppp

U Œ

U œe bn ee

ppp mp

U ∑

ppp f

mp

measured (cued by last bsn. chord)

U ‰ Œ bœJ. ‰ Œ œ. ∑ J

bœ. ‰ Œ œ.

J J

?

X hold until G.P. Kbd. 1

?

{

X

UU Œ œ

U ∑ U œ U œ

&X U œ œ

Kbd. 2

?

{

U #œ

U #œ U œ

U #œ

U œ

U ∑

U bœ

U ∑

X freeze

U

° ≠

X ≠ ! !

Elecs.

U

¢ @

X

=

E ca. 7"

ca. 7"

ca. 5"

ca. 8"

18

U #Uee Œ bœ ee

Ue & œee e

Bsn.

U Œ

U #˙EEE n#œe e B EE # e

U U Œ œe bn ee

U Πf

ppp

mp

ppp mp

?

Kbd. 1

?

{ & Kbd. 2

?

{ ring modulation (440Hz)

° ≠ !

Elecs. (reverb and freeze continues)

¢

pp

mp

ppp

ca. 1'20"

F 3

AMORPHOUS Bsn. cues downbeat then all start to play independently, avoid synchronising building in intensity x4 with each repeat

19

Ue # b œe ee o

Ue ™ í ™ & œee e o

Bsn.

U n#œe e #e o

ee #U œe B ee o

U œe bn ee o

™™î

≠ poco a poco cresc. e accel.

play the cells in any order and keep a cycle going The bass C should never stop for long enough to break flow. Each stemless C should last ca. 2-4" bœj j j œ œ

bœ.

RÔ

?

œ. œ.

œ RÔ

.... œœœœ

.

-œ™ œ

œ. œ. œ.

-Ϫ J

Kbd. 1

? U œ

U

U ®

U ®

U ™ ‰ œ

‰

{

œ

œ œ.

œ

U

U

œ œ. œ.

j ® œ œ™

mp poco a poco cresc. chords should last ca. 4-6". Play the sequence continuously, without pauses.

œœ œœU

U œ & œœœ

œœ œœU

œœ œœU

Kbd. 2

œœ œœU

U œœœœ

œœ œœU œœ bœœU

?

œœœ œœU

œœ œœU

œœœ nœœU

œœœ œU

œœœ œœU

œœ œœU œœœ œœU

œœœ œœU

{ mp

poco a poco cresc. cue 3 gradually increase the reverb (preset 2) (50")

° ≠ !

fade out freeze (ca. 5") cue 2 start very gradual increase in distortion (60")

≠ Elecs.

! cue 1 Playback

¢

≠ rhythmic clicks (gradually getting louder, higher in pitch and more reverberant)

= G

ca. 10" hold until cued by Kbd. 1 then stop suddenly ca. 4"

ca. 6"

U e & n œee e o ?

20

Bsn.

Kbd. 1

U nb#œee ee mp o

e #U œee B ee mf o

U n œe e #e mf o

U nœe n b ee o f

4 4 ff

≠

4 4

≠

4 4

play 4 of the cells in this 10". Cue with the final Eb before next section then go straight on

?

{ hold until cued by Kbd. 1 then release suddenly

œœœ œœU

4 4

& f Kbd. 2

4 4

?

{ (maximum reverb)

° Elecs.

¢

@ 44 @ (maximum distortion) 4 4

H 4 a more definite sense of relentless pulse (q = ca. 90) 21

bœ Œ b-œJ ‰ œJ.

? 4 í ™™ Ó 4

Œ bœ. œ. œ. œ. Ó

Ó

Œ œj bœ ™™

Ó

Œ ≈ ™ bœ œ œ ™™î

˙™

r œ™ œ œ

3

Kbd. 1 f 3

? 4 í ™™ 4

‰

Œ

˙™

˙™

œ

™™î

Œ

{

˙™

° 4 4 4 4

Elecs.

cue 4

4 4

¢

≠ more distinct high clicks and a slow, distorted bass gliss. starts to fade in.

GRADUALLY BECOMING OVERWHELMINGLY HUGE

= ca. 42" (16 bars of Kbd. 1 tempo in 4/4)

I Last bar cued by Kbd. 1

independent from ensemble avoid synchronising (q = ca. 60-70) 25

j j e # e e e ™ & Œ í ™ œe Œ b œe Œ e e >. >.

Bsn.

j j # ej j e e n e #œee Œ n œ Œ nœe Œ # œ Œ ™™î e n # ee B ee. # e. nb e. e >. > > >

q ≠

f

x16 bars

? ≠ Kbd. 1 continue in this fashion. Ad lib. influenced by the cells at rehearsal mark F and the 4 bars at G

?

{

≠ independent from ensemble avoid synchronising (q = ca. 58-68)

& Ϊ Kbd. 2

? Ϊ

{

Œ‰

hold for last 5"

‰ Œ ‰ bœœ ‰ ≠

œ-œ #œœ ‰ Œ ‰

U œœ

?

continue in this fashion, ad lib. pitches / register of dyads (always minor seconds but explore the range of the keyboard to expose different 'beating' speeds)

‰ Œ‰ ≠

œ-œ ca. 12"

U

! cue starts a slow fade in RM gain over the course of ca. 20" until maximum

° œ @ (No reverb or RM on bassoon) cue 5 ca. 12"

U Elecs.

≠ œ œ

cue starts a slow fade in reverb (preset 2) and distortion gain over the course of ca. 20" until maximum

@ ! heavy keyboard distortion continues until the end

¢ Bass gliss. and high frequency sounds becomes gradually more overwhelming, huge and reverberant.

J

BRUTAL All in Kbd. 1 tempo, metronomic (q = ca. 90)

41

eej ‰ Œ b#œeej ‰ Œ & œe ee e. > >.

Bsn.

ff

? Œ

b˙ ™

5

j j j j e # e e n e #œee ‰ Œ n œ ‰ Œ œe ‰ Œ # œe ‰ Œ e # e. # e.

B ee. bn e. e > > > > bœ ˙™ Œ b˙ ™

j j nn eee ‰ Œ b#œee ‰ Œ œ n ee e. > >. Ó bœ Œ w

Kbd. 1 f

? Œ

Œ

Ó

Œ

Œ

{ >˙

œ

œ

˙

˙™

œ

? ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 2

?

{ heavy distortion

!

°

œ

Bsn. Elecs. cue 6

(triggering cue 6 similtaneously stops cue 5 from playing)

≠ œ Playback

¢ ! high reverb tail from the big swell

= 45

j eeej ‰ Œ n#œe ‰ Œ # & œ e # e.

B ee. > >

Bsn.

j eej n # œ œe ‰ Œ n e ‰ Œ # e. bn e. e > >

j j nn eee ‰ Œ b#œee ‰ Œ œ n ee e. > >.

j j #œeee ‰ Œ n#œe ‰ Œ e # e.

B ee. > >

? ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 1

? Ó

{ ˙ bœ ? Œ

b˙ ™

˙™ Œ

b˙ ™

w

Kbd. 2 f

? Œ

Œ

Ó

Œ

Œ

Œ

{ >˙ ° Elecs.

¢

œ

œ

˙

œ

œ

œ

6

j j e n e & œe ‰ Œ # œe ‰ Œ # e. bn e. e > >

49

Bsn.

j j e # e e nnœee ‰ Œ b œ ‰ Œ n ee e. > >.

j j # e e e #œe ‰ Œ n œ ‰ Œ e # e.

B ee. > >

Ó w

bœ ? Œ

b˙ ™

˙™ Œ

j j e n e #œ œe ‰ Œ e ‰ Œ # e. bn e. e > >

b˙ ™

Œ bœ

Kbd. 1

? Œ

Œ

Ó

Œ

Œ

{ >˙

œ

œ

˙

˙™

œ

? ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 2

? Ó

{ ˙ ° Elecs.

¢ = 53

j j e # e e & nnœee ‰ Œ bn œe ‰ Œ e e >. >.

Bsn.

j j # e e e #œe ‰ Œ n œ ‰ Œ e e # e B e. >. >

j j e n e œe ‰ Œ # œe ‰ Œ # e. bn e. e > >

j ‰ œe Œ b e. e >

Œ

j e n e ‰ # œe # e. >

? ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 1

? Ó

{ ˙ Ó w

bœ ? Œ

b˙ ™

˙™ Œ

b˙ ™

bœ Œ

Kbd. 2

? Œ

Œ

Ó

Œ

Œ

{ >˙ ° Elecs.

¢

œ

œ

˙

œ

˙™

7 57

& Ó

Bsn.

j e Œ nn ee ‰ œ e >.

j # e e Œ bœ ‰ ee >.

Ó

Œ

∑

∑

Œ bœ

Œ

∑

∑

Œ

Ó

?

j ‰ #œeee B ee. > œ

∑

Œ bœ

œ Œ

œ Œ

Kbd. 1

? Œ

{ >œ

œ

Œ bœ

Œ

w

bœ ? Œ b˙ ™

˙™

œ

Œ bœ

Kbd. 2

? Œ

Œ

Ó

Œ

Œ

{ ˙

œ

œ

>œ

œ

w

° Elecs.

¢ = j e e #œ ‰ Œ Ó # ee. >

61

Bsn.

j # e & ‰ œe Œ Ó # e. >

j Ó eœ ‰ Œ bn e. e >

? <b>w

w

∑

w ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 1

? j‰ Œ Ó œ-

{ w

w

w

? <b>w

w

w

j‰ Œ Ó œ-

j‰ Œ Ó œ-

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

Kbd. 2

?

{ w

w

w cut distortion

! huge reverb (preset 3)

°

@ œ

Elecs. cue 7

≠ œ

¢ ! long reverberant recording of the bassoon's last multiphonic

hold until bassoon reverb completely dies

8 67

Bsn.

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

U ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

U ∑

&

?

Kbd. 1

? j‰ Œ Ó œ-

{

j‰ Œ Ó œ-

j‰ Œ Ó œ-

j‰ Œ Ó œ-

j œ- ‰ Œ Ó

? ∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

∑

U ∑ U ∑

Kbd. 2

?

{

j‰ Œ Ó

U ∑

œU

° Elecs.

¢