Output details

Static

Static is a string quartet with live electronics: it explores the possibilities of Ambisonic surround sound in a live context. During the piece musical gestures are captured and moved in space. These gestures come from both the live string quartet and sound files designed to compliment the string textures. The spacial movements, mainly of trills, chords and short phrases played by the quartet follow pre-programmed trajectories, which can be presets from within the patch, or newly recorded trajectories produced in rehearsal, adjusted to suit the venue and speaker layout.

An Ambisonic approach was taken as it accommodates the inevitable changes in the speaker layout at each performance venue. A patch was created using MAX/MSP, which utilized the Ambsonics Externals from ICST at Zurich University. Where possible the loudspeakers should be set in an octophonic arrangement, ideally with an additional left and right pair to be used for amplification and balancing of the unprocessed string quartet sound.

The sound processing used includes varied reverb times, sometimes with additional phase and modulation effects to exaggerate the ponticello string playing. Other effects include a traditional guitar overdrive pedal, which was known to work well with the string quartet sound, from its use in Michael Gordon’s Pottasium. Some synthesized sound files are used to create atmosphere, compliment and increase the intensity of the string textures during the piece. In order to allow more freedom and flexibility in the string quartet’s performance, many soundfiles are cued by the sound projectionist. These files have long attack and decay times avoiding the need for strict synchronization.

The piece was invited by the Elysian String Quartet, premiered in Liverpool during the Capital of Culture concert series and performed again in 2008 at the C3 Festival in Berlin.

Scores and performance files are included on the DVD.