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MILES AWAY STUDY

for extended table percussion

(amplified wood table, solar panels, IR proximity sensors)

Juan Luis Montoro Santos


In collaboration with Gorka Catediano,
and Guillermo Martín Viana
ABOUT THE PIECE

Working in a workshop with Hugo Morales, I found out how solar panels produce pulse waves when a
blinking light is directed to them. The sound that it is produced depends on how fast the light blinks: it
could be a frequency our eyes can detect, as 5 times per second, or a frequency that our eyes cannot
detect, as 200 times per second so we would see it as a stable light. The same effect is produced for how
we perceive the sound: sounds that we detect as rhythmical are below 20 times per seconds, and sounds
we perceive as stable tones (pitch) are over 20 times per second.

Working with different bike lights patterns I thought about giving the possibility to a percussionist to work
with the combinations of lights rhythmic patterns and pitches as a layer to interact with.

A percussion phrase/cycle is presented, developed, and improvised throughout the piece, adding
techniques, and interacting with the lights.

The score presented here is the result after the three first performances of the piece. Although every
performance was a little bit different, as the instrument and the piece itself was further developed after each
of them, the score provides the essential information that must be followed, but also opened to
reinterpretation.

Understanding the structure and direction of the piece, the rhythm phrase proposed here (coming from the
tradition of Indian rhythms), could be substituted by other which fits better the abilities of the performer.

ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT

The idea came out as a extended table percussion: amplifying a table from the four different corners (with
contact mics) to get quadraphonic spatialisation, gloves with solar panels attached to them, and four lights
(2 bike lights and two IR sensors) distributed throughout the corners of the table.

Amplification of the wood table

The table has to be a solid rectangular wood piece on top of 4 separated pieces (to facilitate a better
spatialisation). The contact mics should be attached to the corners of each of the pieces from below.

The table must be amplified quite strongly, and with high compression to level different dynamics.

The mics that are located at the corners of the table, must be panned on the mixer in order to produce a
Left / Right Back/Front effect.


Solar panels attached to gloves Bike lights

The solar panels must be small enough to fit on Bike lights should be pointing to the table from above,
the back hand of the percussionist (attached to at the back of the table (from the performer point of
gloves).
view).

Positive and negative from the star panel should


be connected to the corespondent of a jack A structure must be built in at the back corners to
connection (right -> right // negative -> ground)
sustain them.

Sound of the right hand solar panel must be send Lights should have at least two different modes: one
to the left speaker (from audience point of view), with rhythmic blinking, and another one with permanent
so left hand solar panel, to the right speaker. light.

Only bike lights which are actually blinking in the


permanent mode (blinking too fast for us to perceive it
as blinking) are useful to produce sound with the solar
panel.

The mixing between acoustic and electronic sounds must be achieved in a fusional way.

The sound space must be focused on the percussionist

Computer and sensors work

The IR proximity sensors must be located in the front corners of the table (or next to them),
pointing to the opposite corner.

They should be connected to a computer (via Arduino or similar), and programmed to detect
when the hand is in front of them.

When no obstacle is perceived by the sensors, the sound of the solar panel will be reproduce
from the front speakers.

When the hand is in front of one of the IR sensor (right or left), the sound of the solar panel will be
send to the back speakers (right, left or both of them, depending on which of the sensor is
perceiving movement)

SPECIFIC NOTATION

Different percussion technique depending on


the line of the staves (3 lines):

Upper line -> “high dry sounds”: with the pen, nails, knuckles…

Middle line -> fingers, finger tips, side of the hand (karate hit)…

Down line -> “bass sounds”: fist, palm, wrist…

With the pen, making sound of writing on the table, but


trying to suggest subtly the rhythm indicated below

rub on the table as indicated: with the pen,


one hand, or both hands

small head notes = false notes

suggested addition to add drive to the rhythm, as


grace notes (could be played or not)

play smoothly, ex. finger tips

Indications of zones of the table

change position from one zone


of the table to the other in the
time indicated by the bars
above

rub the hand on the table (all around it) with


circular movement

this one would mean, both hands playing on


the back-right corner (right hand would be
under the bike light)
Due to the high compression, the changes in dynamics must be used as timbre options but not as
changes of volumes or intensity. The direction of the phrase relies in the density of the rhythm,
not in dynamics

Arrow lines between staves or box of material, indicate the


need of interprete an interpolation from the first material to the
second one.

LIGHTENING AND STAGE

All the lights should be switched off to avoid interferences in the sounds generated by the solar
panels.

The percussionist should be between the front speakers, at the same level of the audience, or
below.

The piece could start while the audience come into the hall, or while talking… the crescendo in
the amplification should let the audience know that the piece is already started

Miles away study


Juan L Montoro

q = approx. 110

° ™ >- writing x3
™™
Percussion ¢ / ™ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ

˛ ˛

Electronics
and lights / ™™ volume
œ
amplification
™™
0% 100%
(cresc during the repetitions)

5
>j
œ
Perc. / - ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ

RUB
9
(with pen) x3
Perc. / ™™ - ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ V ™™

13
>j
œŒ x2
™ Œ™ ™
Perc. / ™ - ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ V ™™ V ™
J

17
>j
œ œj œj œj
Perc. / - ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ V ™ Œ Œ™ V Ó ‰ ‰
™ J
21
œj Œ œj œj ‰ œj ‰
Perc. / œj Œ Œ ™ œJ ‰ V ™ Œ™ V Œ™ œ
J
J grace note
play smoothly
finger tips

25
œj Œ
Perc. / œj Œ œ Œ j
œ ‰ V™ œJ ‰
J

27 >j
Ϊ
j
œ ‰ œj ‰ œ Œ œ œ
œj ‰ œj ‰
Perc. /

29
œj Œ
Perc. / œj Œ œ Œ
œ
j
œJ
V™ œJ ‰
J

œj ‰ >œj
31
œj ‰ œj ‰
Perc. / Œ œ
œ ‰
Œ œ œ

33
>j
> >œ > œ Œ
Perc. / œ œ œ J Œ j
œ ‰ V™ œJ

35
>j >j >j >j
> œ œ œ
Perc. / Œ œ
œ ‰ ‰ œ Œ œ œ ‰ ‰

37 > > >j


> >™ œ Œ
Perc. / œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ V >œ œ
œ

39 > >j >j > >j >j


œ œ œ
Perc. / ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ Œ œ œ ‰ ‰

2
41 > > >
>œ >
Perc. / œ ‰ œ J ‰ œ 6 œ V™ > œ œ ‰ œ
J œ

43 > >j >j > >j >j


œ œ ‰ œ ‰
Perc. / ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ Œ œ œ

45 > > >


> >™ >œ
Perc. / œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ V œ œ œ œ

47 > >j > > >j >j


œ
/ œJ Œ œ œ œ ‰ œ ‰
œ œ
Perc. ‰ œ ‰ œ

49 > > > > >


>
œ œ ‰
œ œ œ
Perc. / œ œ œ 6 œ V™ œ
œ

51 > >j > > >


œ >œ
Perc. / œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ œ J ‰ œ œ

53 > > > > >


>
Perc. / œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ V™ œ œ œ œ
œ œ

55 > >j > >


œ > >
Perc. / œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œJ ‰ œ œ

57 > > > >


>œ > œ
Perc. / œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ V™ œ œ œ œ

3
59
> >
> > >œ > > œ œ
Perc. / œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

61 > > > > >


œ ‰ >™ œ œ œ
Perc. / œ œ œ œ œ œ V œ œ

> >Æ >Æ


63 > > > >
œ œ œ
Perc. / œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

65 RUB - both hands


>Æ approx 1 cycle/10''

Perc. / V

69 RUB - with one hand approx 1 cycle/10''


° >
Perc. ¢ / V

Elect. &
Lights /
the other hand switch on one of the lights
and put it in "rhythm position"

73 RUB - one hand approx 1 cycle/10''


° >
Perc. ¢ / V

Elect. &
Lights / the other hand switch on the other light
and put it in "rhythm position"

4
e = R.light tempo
77
RUB - both hands approx 2 cycles/ approx.15''
gradually introduce the right light rhythm
Perc. / V œ œ ‰ œ ‰
J


ª A move the hands towards the bike light Aª
ª A

adapt original rhythm to the right light rhythm/tempo approx x5 times


81 > >œ > > > >œ > > >œ > > >
> œ œ
™ ™
Perc. / ™ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ V œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™

come back e = L.light tempo


85 to light rhythm approx 2 cycles/ approx.15''
> interpolation between light rhythm
Perc. / œ œ ‰ œJ ‰ œ œ œ œ


ª A Aª
ª A

adapt rhythm to the left light rhythm/tempo approx x3times

> > >Æ >Æ


89 > >œ > > > œ > > œ > > œ œ
™ ™
Perc. / ™ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ V œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™

Start to fill the rhythmic phrase with 16th notes subdivisions approx x2times

> > >Æ >Æ


93 > > > > > œ >æ > œ > > œ œ
™ æ œ ™ æ
Perc. / ™ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ V œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™

5
approx x2times
rhythm phrase + 16th notes subdivisions
97 > > > >œ > >œ >
> >
œ > > >œ >œ ™
™ ™
Perc. / ™ œœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœ V œœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœ œœœ œœ œœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ™

101

/ ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Perc.
™™


ª A A
ª A
ª

adapt rhythm with 16th notes subdivision


approx x2times
to the light rhythm with fastest tempo
105 > >> >œ > >œ >
™ > >œ ™ > > >œ >œ ™
/ ™ œœœœœœ œœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœ œœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ™
Perc. œ Vœ œ

A
ª A
ª

add this pattern to the rhythm phrase


(both hands) Æ Æ >Æ ™™
œ œ œ
J

approx x2times
> >
œ > >> >œ > > >œ > > >œ >œ ™
Perc.
™ ™
/ ™ œœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœ V œœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ™

6
approx x2times
113
° >œœœœœœ>œœœœœœ>œœœ >>™ œœœ>œœœœœœ >œœœœœœ>œœœ>œœœœœœ
> > >œ Æ Æ
Perc. ¢ / œœœœœœœœ œœœ œ œ
œ Vœ œ

Elect. &
Lights / ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
117
Æ RUB
°
Perc. ¢/ V

Elect. &
Lights / œ put lights in pitch mode (stable ON light)
both hands
IR sensors

RUB - alternate hands

° ™ Vœ
118
>œ >™ >œ > >œ > >œ >œ approx x3times
Perc. ¢ / ™ œ œJ Œ œ‰ V œ‰ J Œ Œ œJ œ ‰ J ‰ œ Œ œ œ J ‰ J ‰ ™™
J J J J
>
jΠΪ ΠΪ j j
Elect. &
/ ™
™ œ œ™ Œ ∑ Ó œ ‰ œ ‰ ™™
Lights alternate the use of the 4 different
light sounds (front and back) to
introduce the sounds in the accents
of the rhythmic phrase, and

122
>
° ™ >œ œ œ >œ ‰ > > > œ œ œ
Perc. ¢ / ™ œ œ œ V™ œ œ

j j j j
Elect. &
/ ™
™ œ ‰ ‰ œ Œ œ ‰ œ™ Œ œ Œ
Lights

> >Æ >Æ


124
° >œ >
œ œ œ œ >
œ œ
> œ œ approx x3times

Perc. ¢ / œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™

Œ ™ j j j j j
Elect. &
/ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œ ‰ ™™
Lights

7
126
>
° ™ >œ œ œ >œ ‰ > > > œ œ œ
Perc. ¢ / ™ œ œ œ V™ œ œ

j j j j
Elect. &
/ ™
™ œ ‰ ‰ œ Œ œ ‰ œ™ Œ œ Œ
Lights

> >Æ >Æ


128
° > > œ > > œ œ approx x2times
™™
Perc. ¢ / œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

™ j j j j j
Elect. &
Lights / Œ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œ ‰ ™™

fill in with 16th notes subdivisions


130 > > >
° ™ œ œæ œæ >œ œ œ > œ > æ œ æ æ
Perc. ¢ / ™ V™ œ œ œ
æ æ œ œ

j j j j
Elect. & ™
/ ™ œ ‰ ‰ œ Œ œ ‰ œ™ Œ œ Œ
Lights

> >Æ >Æ


> j œj
°
132
æ > æ œ æ > >
æ æ œ æ œ
approx x2times
™™
Perc. ¢ / œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ‰

Œ™ j j j j j ™™
Elect. &
/ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Ó œ ‰ œ ‰
Lights

° UÆ
134

Perc. ¢ /

Elect. &
Lights / œ
both hands
IR sensors
8

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