Feb 05 2008
Flutes and Delegation
This is a picture of the brand-spanking new electronic interface for my piece New Skin, redesigned by the amazing and talented Scott Smallwood. The software program is called Max/MSP, a very useful graphical programming environment geared towards music and audio. Although I use it pretty frequently for my compositions requiring a live electronic performance element, I freely admit that I am a total baby-user, and have barely scratched the surface of the program. So when things get complicated, I need help.
Enter Jane Rigler, flutist extraordinaire. As I have said before, if you think the flute is not a sexy instrument, you have not heard it the way she plays it!
Jane wants to play New Skin all by her lonesome, on a California tour, utilizing her own specially outfitted flute with which she can make all sorts of stuff happen while flying solo. Can I tweak the Max patch to make it workable within that context?? And quickly? Ummmm, in theory yes, but do I know how to do this? Not so much. This is the complicated part!
Enter Scott, a buddy from grad school, who showed up to sit on the same grant panel in which I was participating last fall. Hooray! Would he maybe possibly be a teeny bit interested in helping make this project happen? Yes? Sweet!
So now we have it – not only does it work beautifully, and can do more things than my old version could, but it’s pretty! Don’t you think??
Thank you Scott! And Jane! Those of you in Southern California should consult Jane’s schedule and show up for a workshop.