Audio and Loudspeakers Setup

The electronics for the opera « Infinite Now », created by Carlo Laurenzi and Chaya Czernowin, is made up of a 16 channels continuous audio sequence, running through a real time spatialization device : IRCAM’s « PANORAMIX », which distributes the different electronic musical figures and electronic elements located on the various tracks, through a group of 16 virtual sound sources, either static or moving, projected by the loudspeakers in the acoustic space of the hall. Both the conductor and the soloist quartet have to play following the bars numbers scrolling, on a dedicated screen displaying a ProTools big counter, synchronized with the master ProTools session running the electronics for the piece.

The audio loudspeakers system for the opera consists of a 7 channels audio setup: a 6 channels ring, placed around the audience, plus a 7th channel placed in the middle of the ceiling, called « TOP speaker » .

The orchestra and the soloists are close miked, in groups or families, in order to be spatialized, from time to time, according to a dedicated cue list of spatialization events.

Four MacbookPro laptop computers are necessary to run the piece. The first two, the « PTOOLS-Main » and the « PTOOLS-Spare » computers, run each a ProTools session feeding 16 channels of electronics to a corresponding IRCAM Panoramix spatialization max patch, through an internal audio loopback system. The third computer, called « SPAT-ORCH », receives from the mixing console the sound of the orchestra instruments, of the singers, actors, and soloist quartet, in order to spatialize them in the acoustic space of the hall. The fourth computer the « PTOOLS-Stage » is used to run a ProTools session with the same tempo map of the main session, put in sync with this latter one, in order to let the musicians in the orchestra and the technicians onstage to follow the bars numbers scrolling during the piece.

PTOOLS-Main and PTOOLS-Spare computers output channels : 8

SPAT-ORCH computer output channels : 6

PTOOLS-Stage : no audio output

Global Sample Rate : 48 Khz.

Patch Presentation

On the PTOOLS-Main (and on the PTOOLS-Spare) laptop computer, there is a ProTools session with 16 output channels, run on a dedicated Fireface 800 audiocard. The 16 output channels are looped back using the « loopback » function, available in the Totalmix software of the audiocard. The looped back 16 channels on the Fireface are fed to the inputs of the Panoramix spatialization max patch, whose respective 8 output channels are routed to 8 outputs of the « Dante Virtual Soundcard ».

A different max patch for spatialization is run from the « SPAT-ORCH » computer. This patch receives the sound of the singers, actors and the orchestral families of instruments from the mixing console and, according to a specific list of cues triggered from midi events sent by the ProTools session, performs a spatialization of each family or group.

The ProTools session containing the electronics, played according to the tempo map of the piece, is synchronized with another computer, placed onstage, from which, through a video splitter connecting two video screens in the orchestra pit, both the stage personnel, the conductor and the soloist quartet can follow, on dedicated monitors, the bars numbers scrolling during the piece.

Midi Setup

An iConnect midi merger/splitter device is used to connect the PTOOLS-Main, the PTOOLS-Spare and the SPAT-ORCH computers. The iConnect device is used to share midi data from the PTOOLS-Main (and the PTOOLS-Spare) computer to the « Spat-Orchestra » patch, on the SPAT-ORCH computer, in order to trigger the cues for the spatialization of the ochestra.

• Connect the MIDI output port of the Fireface-Main and Fireface-Spare to « DIN2 » and « DIN3 » inputs on the iConnect.
• Then connect the BCF2000 USB cable to the « SPAT-ORCH » computer

A Midi Booster merger/splitter device is used to connect another BCF2000 midi mixer to the PTOOLS-Main and the PTOOLS-Spare. computers. The second BCF2000 is used to control the Master level of the main spatialization patch, which has an embedded "Panoramix" engine.

• Connect the MIDI output port 1 of the MIDI Booster to the input MIDI port of the Fireface-Main, and the MIDI output port 2 of the MIDI Booster to the input MIDI port of the Fireface-Spare.
• Then connect the second BCF2000 USB cable to the MIDI Input port of the MIDI Booster

The PTOOLS-Main and PTOOLS-Spare are also connected in a local network, using an ethernet wire and its relative switch, to the PTOOLS-Stage computer, in order to allow the synchronization between the ProTools session with the electronics and the ProTools session with the Big Counter for the stage personnel, conductor and soloist quartet.

Software Installation

• Download and install Max 8.1.8 (or later version) on all four computers ; (the PTOOLS-Stage computer may just have a Max runtime app, since it just have to run a very simple patch).
• Download and install SPAT 5.2.0 (or later version) on the PTOOLS-Main, PTOOLS-Spare and SPAT-ORCH computers.
• Download and install ProTools 12 (or later) on the PTOOLS-Main, PTOOLS-Spare and PTOOLS-Stage computers.
• Download and install DANTE VIRTUAL SOUNDCARD software on the PTOOLS-Main, PTOOLS-Spare and SPAT-ORCH computers.

Initialization Routine and Tests

On PTOOLS-Main and PTOOLS-Spare computers :

• Launch the DANTE VIRTUAL SOUNDCARD and in coordination with the sound engineer, set it to the correct IP address, in order to communicate with the mixing console. Then patch properly (or let the sound engineer do it for you) the inputs and the outputs to the correct DANTE inputs and outputs of the mixing console.
• Launch Max, open the File Preferences panel, set the path for the folder "02_INFINITE_CONCERT_MAX".
• Open the Audio Status panel, set the input driver to Fireface 800, and the output driver to DANTE VIRTUAL SOUNDCARD, with a linear straight mapping for the 16 inputs and the 8 outputs. Check « overdrive » on. Set « I/O vector size » and « Signal Vector Size » to 512 samples. Set sampling rate to 48Khz.
• Quit and relaunch Max
• Launch « Panoramix-Ircam_mixInfinite.14_2020.maxpat »
• On Panoramix display, under the « /options » strip, look for the « Session » area and click on «Load ». Select the file « infinite_14_2020.txt ». It will load the latest Panoramix configuration file for the piece.
• Turn the DAC on.
• On Panoramix main window, locate the strip named « /bus/1 » , and click on « speakers » button. Enter carefully the real positions (x, y, z) , measured in meters, of the first 6 speakers (the ring surrounding the audience) of the hall you are playing in, in relationship to the center of the loudspeakers ring, which should coincide with the center of the audience area. You may use a laser meter to get the correct coordinates of each speaker. Then locate the strip named « /bus/2 » , click on the « speakers » button and enter the same measurements for the 6 first speakers, this time adding also the real coordinates in meters of the 7th speaker located on the ceiling (« Top speaker »). When finished entering the data for the speakers, go to the « /options » strip and click on « Save », to save on the hard drive the configuration file for that hall. You will have to reload that configuration file, next time you launch the patch again in that same venue.
• On the « Panoramix » patch, click on « Noise Test », to verify that the placement of the virtual sources in the virtual space is correct. If it’s not the case, this means that the audio routing from the console to the speakers is not correct, or that your measurements were not correct. Do the necessary adjustments, in case.
• Also, using the noise test, check the « quality » of every individual source (noise into each single source), listening carefully to see if it’s well represented : if it sounds correctly or if it can be placed better, in the Panoramix viewer interface, in order to have a better acoustic representation. Check also the amount of reverb and the equalization. Panoramix interface has a channel strip for each source, very useful for that. When you are satisfied, save the configuration file for Panoramix, under /options —> Session —> Save.
• On the « Panoramix » patch, click on « OSC control ». On the upper right, locate TIME CODE Monitoring, check the big toggle to 1. Then select, from the Main / Spare select menu, if the computer is the Main or the Spare. Finally under « Send MTC through » select « to Max 1 ». N.B. Be careful, the Spare computer must not send MidiTimeCode. Only the main should do it. In case of a crash of the PTOOLS-Main computer, you have to change fast this option on the Spare and make it a « Main », in order to continue sending MTC to the PTOOLS-Stage computer.
• in the same « OSC control » panel, where it says « From TOSCA (bus 15) », check « receive » on and « send » off. Then check on the big Toggle where it says « TURN AUTOMOVE ON ».
• On the « Panoramix » patch, click on « MIDI SETUP ». Then set from the menu located just besides the correct midi input port from the Midi Booster device. The configuration for the fader is channel 1 ctrl-change 1. Check if it's working.
• Turn the DAC on.
• On the « Totalmix » panel of the Fireface 800, set a straight mapping from ch 1 to ch 16, and set the loopback switch on for all those tracks.
• Launch ProTools 12 (or later), set the Playback engine to « Fireface 800 »; set the buffer size to 1024, then open the session « INFINITE-NOW_Electro_Perf_v23_2020.ptx ».
• In the ProTools output config panel (I/O), verify that the 16 outputs in the session are well mapped to the first 16 outputs channels of the Fireface, in a linear straight configuration.
• In the PT mix window, verify that you have the following output configuration for the tracks :
• all the tracks with the elements for the electronics —> no output ;* « Direct » tracks groups 1-1 to 1-6 and 2-1 to 2-6 —> outputs 1 to 6* Aux tracks 1 to 16 —> outputs 1 to 16* Midi tracks « PanCues », « RevCues » and « MixCues » outputs are correctly assigned to Fireface Port 1, respectively channels 1, 2 and 3.
• In the PT mix window, look under the inserts of track 15, locate and click on the « ToscA » plugin, and verify that the correct mapping file, « mapping.XML », is loaded (you can also find it inside the folder "TOSCA"). Verify also that the plugin is enabled, and that input and output ports are, respectively, 4001 and 4002.
• On ProTools transport commands, activate the « conductor track » and « MTC » buttons.
• Go to ‘ProTools - Options - Peripherals’ panel and set : « MTC generator Port » —> « to FireFace Port 1».

On the SPAT-ORCH computer:

• Launch Max, open the File Preferences panel, set the path for the folder "IN_Orchestra_Spat".
• Open the Audio Status panel, set the input and the output driver to DANTE VIRTUAL SOUNDCARD, with a linear straight mapping for the first 16 inputs and the 6 outputs. Check « overdrive » on. Set « I/O vector size » and « Signal Vector Size » to 256 samples. Set sampling rate to 48Khz.
• Quit and relaunch Max.
• Launch maxproject « IN_Orchestra_Spat.maxproj ». Click on « INIT ».
• Click on MIDI SETUP bang.
• In the menu « ICONNECT DIN » set « Iconnect DIN2 » (for the Main computer; otherwise set « iConnect DIN3 » for the Spare).
• In the menu « BCF2000 », set « BCF2000 Port 1 ».
• Configure the BCF2000 midi mixer, with in order to control the three main faders in the patch, Direct, Reverb and Master: the corresponding ctlin/ctlout values are 7, 8 and 9, on midichannel 1. If you want, you can also assign and control the other faders and corresponding levels in the patch: the mapping is, always on midichannel 1, voices-direct 1, quartet-direct 2, orchestra-direct 3, voices-reverb 4, quartet-reverb 5, orchestra-reverb 6.
• Test if the midi events from the ProTools session in PTOOLS-Main (and PTOOLS-Spare) computer, concerning the Direct, Reverb and Mix preset changes (click on the subpatch « INPUTS-CTL » to see) are well received in the SPAT-ORCH Spatialization patch: on the « DIRECT INSTRUMENTS SOUND » panel, click on « open viewer », than hit the space bar in the PTOOLS-Main ProTools session, and look for successful incoming midi data resulting in changes in the source positions in the viewers. Sources identification for every group or family of instruments is done by colors (Blue for the singers, Violet for the soloist quartet, Brown for the Orchestra strings, Yellow for the Orchestra winds and Grey for the Orchestra percussions).
• On the upper left of the patch, looking at the v-meters, check with the sound engineer that you receive well the audio signals from the orchestra, the singers, and the soloist quartet.
• On the « REVERB on instruments » panel, click on « open viewer » and, raising up the fader during a test with, individually, the singers, orchestra families (strings, winds, percussions), and the soloist quartet, that the amount of global reverb time and equalization on the reverb is appropriate. Once you are done, you may correct, if you feel like, this data on the corresponding cuelist of reverb events.

On the PTOOLS-STAGE computer :

• Launch ProTools 12, or later.
• inside the « Chef PT » folder, locate and load the « IN_timeline_chef.06.ptx » session.
• On ProTools transport commands, activate the « conductor track » and the « Online » button (this one will start to blink, waiting for a sync signal). No sound has to be output from this session.
• Go to ‘ProTools - Options - Peripherals’ panel and set : « MTC reader Port » —> « from Max 1 »
• Launch Max (or Max runtime). Then, under the "03_INFINITE_Chef-PT" folder, locate and load the «MTC_receive_parse_decode.maxpat».
• Make a test of correct synchronization between the ProTools session in the PTOOLS-Main (and then the PTOOLS-Spare) and the ProTools session in the PTOOLS-Stage computer. Check if the connection is good enough, letting it run for a while, and look if any accident of lost sync might occur. In that case, increase the Signal Vector Size in the Max audio status panel.

In order to start the performance, once everything has been successfully tested, put both the ProTools sessions on the PTOOLS-Main and PTOOLS-Spare computer on the beginning, adjust the Master faders to the desired level, then hit the spacebar at the same time on both PTOOLS computers, using the two hands.

Performance Guidelines

In order to perform well the electronic part of the opera, it’s very important to collaborate closely with the sound engineer, since most of the time the singers and the orchestra are playing with extreme subtle dynamics, but nevertheless they must be well heard, and stand out appropriately against the electronics. A great care must be taken from the sound engineer, in order to make the different layers contained in the orchestral score correctly audibles : in general the hierarchy to be considered is singers first, then the soloist quartet and then the orchestra. The sound engineer has to manage a lot of passages with whispered vocal parts against loud electronics and/or loud orchestral parts. In general, it's quite of a struggle to create the balance with the much bigger sound of the orchestra. The sound engineer shall then find a way to compress and filter a lot the signals from the microphones of the singers and the orchestra, in order to built and preserve the hierarchy between the layers of the orchestral score. The electronics must insert into this constantly moving acoustic picture, with the maximum care to be present enough, but caring enough not to destroy the balance among all the layers. It then happens to be that, during some spots in the score, the electronics must be very loud, and the singers must be almost masked, but it’s not the general rule. The most important thing is to understand the psychological connotation role of the electronics, and therefore the correct presence it has to have, from an acoustical point of view, in relationship to the other elements of the music. The score contains all the details of this balance, for each passage, and intense rehearsals are the only way to learn and achieve a good result.

From a structural point of view, since the opera lasts for about 2h45, an evolving and articulate path for the dynamics of the piece must be built, with a lot of care, in close collaboration with the sound engineer, creating a lot of local deviations and differences in terms of energy and weight of the music. Otherwise the risk is that the whole opera may sound always mezzoforte to fortissimo all the time, and this must be absolutely avoided, since it would kill the pièce. Having said that, some general notes for the interpretation of the dynamics of the electronics can be outlined. Please have a look at the video recording available with this documentation, before going on reading. Of course you can handle only one master volume for all the global multichannel audio sequence for the electronics, so this performance guide gives hints about how to set the master level during every moment in the show, in order to set the balance in the right amount, to obtain the correct relationship of the electronics with the orchestra, the soloist quartet and the singers.

ACT 1

The "Gate opening" sounds (m1) must be "mf", not too loud. Shortly after, the sequence of the train (m2 - m52) moving towards the audience must be very strong, quite abrasive, and the orchestra must emerge a bit from behind, from time to time, like pushing to get through a heavy storm. Following that, all the chinese spoken passages from m53 must be really quiet and intimate, like a soft carpet on which the singers can sing clearly. Other electronic elements, like sine tones and other sounds which appear in this segment of the opera, must blend with the orchestra, and be complementary to it. All the parts with Luc Perceval’s "FRONT" excerpts (m172-m235; with the actors onstage instead of the singers, performing soldiers narrating their private stories from the 1915-18 war) mut be a little more tense, and the electronics must be more present, like being in an industry hangar, with all the noises from the machines around us. In general this is a preparatory act, with a lot of tension coming from retained energy and soft volumes.

ACT 2

The "Gate opening" sounds (m296) must be stronger than the first time, but nevertheless not extremely loud. This act is quite tense and preparatory for the next events in the opera. The sounds of the bird flying around (m301), and the reminiscence of the train, must be quite and intimate, letting the singers and the orchestra stand well against. In the same way, Chinese spoken parts (m367) must stand in the background, letting the singers stand out well. Again here, the electronics which characterizes the excerpts from Luc Perceval’s "FRONT", (m394 to m451), made up by different hums and hisses, a sequence of hard insufflations, and some other breathy sounds, may be louder, in order to recreate well the thicker atmosphere of the battle field. Be careful not to let the morse ticks (m460, m462, m470 and so on) be too loud! They have to be present, but not too much oppressive. At the end of act2 (m518), there is a sequence of « comb/ratchet » sounds, that must start quiet, but it must build up slowly, in a very big exponential crescendo, which must end abruptly (at m532) while being very loud, to highlight the sudden break.

ACT 3

The "Gate opening" sounds (m533) are here less loud than in the second act, but they must express a crescendo of dynamics. They are here intended to represent a strange acoustic tale, focused on the concept of the natural evolution of a returning memory, expressed with different and growing (or decreasing) reverb densities and decay times. Just following the « Gate sounds» at m546, there is a solo of the electronics. This solo, which has to start in « mp », must build up fast with a crescendo, alternating short moments of loud expression with moments with normal/low energy, until the orchestra comes in with very low and dark tones. Pay attention to m555 - m560, where is the climax of the solo! It has to be a bit loud. Elements coming from the first two acts come back again (m598), like the drops, the ticks, and also the hums ans hisses for Perceval’s "FRONT". For those parts, it’s mandatory to continue keeping the balance you established for those passages in the previous acts. At measure 679, the electronics is made up of bird sounds, flying around the audience, striving to get somewhere. A dense counterpoint builds up suddenly on that, with fast and sharp train fragments appearances, a background of distant cicadas and rocks rolling sounds, cut harshly to constantly awake consciousness of the audience. This counterpoint has to start in "mp" and must develop with a slow crescendo, with sudden moments of silence, during which only the ambience sounds, like for exemple the cicadas, must emerge from far away. These latter ambience moments must be quite and wide, they must capture the attention of the listener, plunging him in a state of suspense. The return of Perceval’s “FRONT" excerpts, from m741, must be this time much more tense and present, until the end of the act.

ACT 4

The "Gate opening" sounds (m784) must be a little louder here, since they have to announce a change. Very important, the last repeated beat must be very incisive, and introduce another short solo of the electronics (m796-m806), which in turn has to start lightly, but with enough presence. The solo prepares the return to a very dense counterpoint of electronic elements and figures introduced previously: short and loud train segments, many birds flying, different kinds of rolling balls. This counterpoint must be quite present, and stand out more than the singers and the orchestra. The singers must not sing too loud. All their sudden vocal segments must not stand out too much. Electronics should cover them quite a bit. At m834, a rolling rock must sound quite loud, to highlight the switch to a fragment from the "FRONT". Thereafter, an electronics solo follows, introduced by the sound of a person's close breathing, accompanied by other short and soft sounds, like the bird flying or other strange noises. The breathing must be heard very close, present and loud, in order to plonge the audience into a very intimate ambience, like the audience was projected in the mind of the person breathing. From m885 the electronics must go a bit in the background. A solo of the Contralto is played amidst a terrifying gran cassa’s storming passage. Only the beats remainding of the "Gate" must stand a bit out. At m935 crackling sounds and ticking sounds must not be too strong. At m950 there is another electronic solo, with some machine rolling sounds appearing from far. It must be another psychologically intimate moment, but the electronics has to be quite present. Then, at m967, the electronic solo must fuse with the orchestra and singers coming up again. The rolling machine sounds come and go in the next measures. Each time they appear, they must be quite present, and oppressive. The water drops (from 984) must not be too strong, but instead come and go from the background. The detuned piano (from m1026), must not stand out too much, but stay in the background. At the end of the piano sequence, at m1048, the electronics must be more, to higlight the end of that passage. The windy sounds from m1041 onwards shall sound as a background. Pay attention at m1046, when the first of the three interventions of Chinese voices come! (next intervantions are at m1082 and m1092). These interventions are intended to have quite loud attacks, but then they must decrease fast, in order to allow the singers to stand out. The electronics for this opera have a psychologic role, but this psychological side has to do a lot also with the perception of an acoustic space which is completely mental. Electronics must build different dimensions in space, perception, and thought. So most of the time, achieving a good result depends on you, and to understanding and interpreting the levels for the electronics according to this concept. A very short electronic solo ends this act (m1146-m1153), during which a slight crescendo must be done.

ACT 5

The "Gate opening" sounds must be quite present, but not too much. They open the way for a big electronic solo, made up of different winds in counterpoint. The solo must be interpreted as a a crescendo from "mp", but its level has to raise up more and more each time it fades away and a new reattack comes in. The idea is to plonge gradually the singers and the audience in a very dense and strong storm, during which, the winds gradually accumulate, appearing from multiple locations, and resulting in a very big stream. Pay attention to let the orchestra's very soft glissandi of harmonics (from m1176) always as audible as possible. You can go down with the wind when the orchestra comes up and then go up again when it fades away. The singers must not stand out too much, but they must be confused inside the wind (tell that to the sound engineer!). From m1246 on, the wind storm must be more and more loud, and finally unbearable, when the distortion on the winds comes in. The electronics is intended to be very oppressive and loud in this passage, fusing with the soloist quartet parts. The solo quartet also must be loud enough to join this climax. Anyway, be careful to let the breathy sounds and the winds be heard from far, when they come through (from m1267; you can go sometims a bit down and then up again with the electronics). This climax lasts a lot, the orchestra and soloist quartet become more and more loud, but the electronics must to go down a bit from m1282, then up again from m1295, in a crescendo, until the abrupt quiet moment coming at m1301. From m1304 the elexctronics and the soloist quartet show up again with a very loud passage, until m1318. At m1330 be careful not to make the ice cracking sounds too loud. They must anyway grow slowly and be a bit louder when the actors start to play at m1374. At m1391 the electronics must be very quiet, very far, but become quite present again from m1398 onwards. The granulation sounds from m1421 must be very present, but not overcome the singers and orchestra.

Towards the end of the act, at m1457, a tremolo of guitars and precussions introduce one of the most importants electronic solos, which must start "dal niente", very quiet, from under the tremolos, and must evolve very slowly. It must be a very delicate and tense moment. During the solo, orchestra comes joining in to highlight three short and loud passages which must come always as a surprise! This three moment happen at m1475, m1483, m1492. The end of the solo is very important! After the last short passage in "ff" ends in m1495, the electronics must achieve a "tenuto" which is like the echo of the last passage, and must grow that in a crescendo more and more loud, until the abrupt cut at the very end moment, at m1498. No fear to go loud! At m1501, there is another sort of delicate and quiet solo of rainingstick-like sounds. It must be incisive and yet very subtle. When the singers come in, the electronics must go in the background, buit still be present. From m1555, the electronics, made up of granulated ice breaks, must gradually invade the hall, and be more and more present. That's yet another solo of the electronics, in which only one singer breafly sneaks on top at m1576.

ACT. 6

The opening of the 6th Act, at m1593, starts with only one "Gate" beat, which resumes the granulates ice couterpoint from the previous events. Electronics must be very present from here throughout the end of the act, since it plays a crucial role. From m1595 the electronics takes another solo role, while the orchestra is just accompaning it. Modulated noise gestures and brilliant sound particles are the main material of this solo. Be loud, but careful not to be way too loud! The cowbells stream sound coming at m1667 must not be too loud, but fuse well with the orchestra. The filtered voices from m1682 must be well heard, but from m1689 the orchestra must mask them quite a bit, whenever there is a passage in "fortissimo“. At m1737 the shiphorn sound must be subliminal, masked under the orchestra. From m1783, the electronics, made up of ambient sounds of flowing water, granulated leaves, electricity noises and other reminiscences from the past moments of the opera, must accompany the orchestra, but gradually rise in presence, becoming again a soloist for the last bars of the score, from m1841, to the END.

WATCH THE OPERA HERE : 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tKS0gbutGU