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Abstract
We present a visual notation framework for real-time, score-based computer music where human musicians play together with electronic processes, mediated by the Antescofo reactive software. This framework approaches the composition and performance of mixed music by displaying several perspectives on the score’s contents. Our particular focus is on dynamic computer actions, whose parameters are calculated at runtime. For their visualisation, we introduce four models: an extended action view, a staff-based simulation trace, a tree-based hierarchical display of the score code and an out-of-time inspector panel. Each model is illustrated in code samples and case studies from actual scores. We argue the benefits of a multifaceted visual language for mixed music, and for the relevance of our proposed models towards reaching this goal.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Julia Blondeau for contributions to Section 5, and the Journal’s editors for their highly constructive reviews.
Notes
Grigore Burloiu, University Politehnica Bucharest, Romania.
1 An incomplete list is available at http://repmus.ircam.fr/antescofo/repertoire.
4 (in terms of structure, duration, timbre, etc.).
5 OpenSoundControl, a multimedia communication protocol: http://opensoundcontrol.org/.
6 In the literature, this kind of ‘live’ notation is sometimes called dynamic notation (Clay & Freeman, Citation2010), regardless of the underlying scenario being computationally dynamic or not. In this paper, we use the term ‘dynamic’ with regard to notation for the scoring of dynamic music in general. While the notation itself may be dynamic, this is not a necessary condition.
7 Wang (Wang, Citation2008) defines a strongly timed language as one in which there is a well-defined separation of synchronous logical time from real time. Similar to Wang’s ChucK language, Antescofo also explicitly incorporates time as a fundamental element, allowing for the precise specification of synchronisation and anticipation of events and actions.
8 available at http://forumnet.ircam.fr/products/antescofo/.
9 At the time of writing, the newest release of Antescofo is v0.9, which includes Ascograph v0.2.
10 Our use of the term ‘out-of-time’ is derived from the sense coined by Xenakis (Xenakis, Citation1992) to designate composed structures (and the methods used to generate them), as opposed to sonic form. In an analogous fashion, we distinguish ‘in-time’ electronic actions that are linked to specific acoustic events from ‘out-of-time’ constructs, which are not. Just like Xenakis’ structures, during the performance, the out-of-time constructs are actuated (given sonic form) in time. The difference from Xenakis’ approach is that Antescofo out-of-time actions do not reside on a separate plane of abstraction from in-time actions: only the nature of their activation is different.
11 Details on how such ad’hoc trace generation and execution is accomplished can be found in Poncelet & Jacquemard (Citation2015).
12 Of course, a loop can be made simultaneous through a zero repeat period, while a forall can function sequentially by way of branch-dependant delays.
13 Recall the general atomic action code syntax: . A receiver might get no numeric value, or a list of values. We use the first value if any, or else a default height of 1.
14 This table and the corresponding trace listings are an example of the automatically generated output of the Test framework.
15 As found in JBLO_loop_ex-StepTWO.asco.txt.
16 as defined in Section 2.4.