Setup

No speaker or mixing console is required for this piece. The SmartGuitar is used to output all the electronic part including pre-recorded samples.

Coala Connectors

Software

This version is a Max Project running with Max 6.1 32bits. You only need Max 6.1 32bits and a terminal with 'ssh' command to run it. Except for Sampling rate (44.1kHz which correspond to the sample rate of the sound files used), no special Max setup is required for this piece. We use this standard setup :

• I/O Vector Size: 512
• Signal Vector Size: 256
• Sampling Rate: 44100Hz
• Scheduler in Overdrive: yes
• in Audio Interrupt: no

Initilization routine

• Plug the ethernet cable between the Coala and the computer before turning on the Coala
• Turn on the Coala with the isolated knob inbetween the two LEDs and wait until the screen reboots a second time
• Configure the Coala with its knobs
  • select with the red bar on the left (by rotating the blue knob) Preamp > ADC in
  • turn it on (by pushing the blue knob)
  • it should have a green on written on the right
  • do the same with Preamp > RIM out and RIM in > ADC in
  • set preamp to a value between 9 and 13 (with the black knob)
  • set amp to 0 (with the other black knob)
• Launch a terminal on the computer
  • loggin on the Coala with the command ssh root@192.168.1.50 (you may have to replace the IP address with the correct one indicated either on the Coala or in your Mac network preferences as Router). No password.
  • once logged, run the OSC server of the Coala with the command coala -oscserver
• Launch Max 6.1 32bits and open the Hauteurs_Bordalejo.maxproj of the project folder
  • the main patch antescofo-tomas3 should open automatically
  • click on the score message and choose the file Hauteurs-2ter-Tomas.asco.txtwhich is inside the data folder in the project folder
  • Max window should read: Antescofo~ - Score loaded succesfully with 873 events and 780 actions.
  • turn Max audio on with the speaker button of the patch
  • press the start button when you are ready to play
  • the piece should start automatically at the first chord played by the guitarist: the first cue triggers a pre-recorded sample of a guitare string scratch with a plectrum. It should sound inside the augmented guitar!

Patch presentation

Performance notes

Along the piece, the score following system for the electronic part is shared between the Antescofo~ system and the Computer Music Designer (CMD). Space Bar indications are written along the score. They should be executed by the CMD. Some of these cues directly trigger some effects/files, some other switch on/off the score follower system.

The current cue and next cue are shown in the main patch interface so that the CMD can monitor the correct following of the score. Left and right arrows can (and should) be used to jump backward or forward if the score following is not correct. As the guitar sound and the electronic part both sound in the physical instrument (the smartguitar), errors in the automatic following happen often. The CMD has to really watch out for that.

Especially:

• bar 12, 15 and 17: cues can be manually triggered during the rest before the note of the guitarist
• bar 28 to 32: the cues are to be triggered right at the beginning of the bar
• bar 41: cue is on the chord of the second beat of the bar
• bar 65 to 74: the automatic score following tend to jump forward faster than expected. The sound file (triggered bar 65) should fade out on bar 73 only and stop definitively on bar 74. Bring the cues backward with the left arrow if needed.
• on bars 85, 86, 87 and also 191 to 200: a sampled chord is triggered on the attack of the realchord. If the triggering is missed by the automatic system, it is better if the guitarist attacks again the same chord to trigger the sample. Otherwise, the attacks wont be synchronized.
• at the end of bar 87: the manual cue (space bar) stops the sample "H". Synchronize the guitarist to have him ready to attack bar 88 (especially if he/she has to turn the pages)
• bar 97: two cues are normally automatically triggered. The second one should start on the last beat of the bar and not before. Bring the cues backward by hand if needed.
• bar 146 to 149: three manual cues (space bar) and one automatic trigger (to play sound file) are very close. The automatic score following tend to jump forward faster than expected and triggers the sound file on 149 to soon. This last cue should be synchronized with the guitarist.
• bar 211: manual cue (space bar) should be triggered on the attack of the guitarist's chord.
• end of the piece: if the expected larsen does not appear, let the voice sample play alone until the end.