N INA C. Y OUNG
Heart.throb for snare drum and electronics
Heart.throb
Written for and premiered by Mike Compitello as part of the “Unsnared Drum� Project Music and electronics by Nina C. Young January 2019 Approximate Duration: 09:00
Instrumentation: Snare drum
Can be performed on various types of snare drums. The smaller, taller, more resonant drums work best. The drum should be unevenly tuned with fairly slackened tension. *if dramatic feedback is encountered and cannot be successfully equalized, experiment with drum type, transducer and microphone placement, and tuning. Mallets: 2x wooden drum sticks 2x hard, spun felt ball 1x dreadlocks (Vic Firth) 2x metal brushes
Live electronics (1-channel diffusion via transducer attached to bottom of drum)
Required Materials (with recommendations): Mac computer running Max 8, with software package (see Tech Rider for installation instructions); contact Nina C. Young (ninacyoung.composer@gmail.com) for patch download. 1 audio interface (minimum 1 channel input with pre-amp, 1 channel output) with connection to computer 1 USB Midi Pedal 1 balanced, buffered contact microphone (to be attached to side of drum with gaff tape) Recommended: Cortado MKII, available at zeppelindesignlabs.com 1 cable (XLR) to connect contact microphone to audio interface via Input 1 1 Class T Amplifier (minimum 1 channel input, 1 channel output). Recommended: Dayton Audio DTA-1 Class T Digital Audio Amplifier, available at Parts Express 1 8 Ohm Transducer (to be attached to bottom head of snare drum) Recommended: Dayton Audio DAEX25 Sound Exciter, available at Parts Express Speaker cable (16 AWG) to connect transducer to amplifier 1 cable to connect amplifier input to audio interface Output 1 Power supply (for amplifier, laptop, audio interface)
Electronics Set-Up:
If further amplification is desired (for ex: in a larger venue), amplify drum with overhead an overhead stereo pair (similar to method for mallet percussion).
Performance Notes:
Stick Position: 0 1 2 3
Distance between each point is ~1”
4
etc…
Roll, ~3 strokes/hand. Density varies; unless specified assume fast/dense.
Right hand
Roll, 2 strokes/hand.
Left hand
Buzz.
X = approximate contact position on drum head.
Swipe (always hitting rim at end).
Electronic pedal trigger with cue number.
Program Note: military marching bands, drumcore parades, sharp, staccato rudiments: The obvious story of the snare drum. delicate contrast, precision and care, passionate nuance: A secret love story of warm resonance cradled by tension-coupled heads. With simple technological mediation, the percussionist, our valiant heartthrob, pulses life into the membranes. The drummer reveals interior whispers - resuscitated, amplified, filtered. The drum reveals the drummer. Heart.throb was written for Mike Compitello’s “Unsnared Drum” project, and was premiered by him on February 14, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. Nina C. Young (b.1984) (BMI) ninacyoung.composer@gmail.com www.ninacyoung.com