[ISEA2016] Artist Statement: Andreas Weixler & Se-Lien Chuang — The Colours Of A Wooden Flute (Version ISEA2016, Hong Kong)

Artist Statement

Performance: Audiovisual realtime improvisation, 2016, 12’00”

Abstract
“The Colours of A Wooden Flute (version ISEA 2016 Hongkong)”. Fragments of memories (produced both by human beings and by computer) generate a synthesis of sounds and visuals. The sounds of live instruments serve as interface in an audiovisually interactive concert that merges a sophisticated instrumental sound and realtime computing in an amazing improvisation. While visual images and processes are being generated during the concert, a multi channel granular synthesis, spectral delays and virtuoso chances fit together minute tonal par ticles that make up the instrumental sounds into a constantly changing acoustic stream made up of different pitches, durations and positions in the electro-acoustic space. The musical and visual components interact and reciprocally influence each other in order to blend into a unique, synaesthetic, improvisational work of art.

Audiovisual realtime improvisation
Improvised instrumental music and audiovisual realtime processes interact and reciprocally influence each other in order to blend into a unique work of art of realtime composition. While visual images and processes interact with the music during the concert, a multi channel granular synthesis and a a multichannel spectral delay generate a spatialization of frequency oriented delays, pulses and feedbacks which sometimes sum up to an even reverberating ambience and fit together minute tonal particles that make up the instrumental sounds into a constantly changing acoustic stream made up of different pitches, durations and positions in the electro-acoustic space. Our art work and research describes the hook-up between human and machine, between musical inspiration and digital concepts. Musical instruments act as interfaces for digital audio processing and enable human beings to communicate with digital technologies as well as to generate, receive and exchange data versus emotions.

performer
multi channel granular synthesis
After the 8 channel audio matrix a 256 band fft filter for each channel creates a resonant sound, which can dynamically change. So the filtering frequencies are the same but the input is different on every channels, which gives a special flirring sound because of 8 intependent interferences. We implemented a continous blending from one filter spectrum to the other, which gives a continuous change in the performance.

bass recorder, interactive visuals
The bass recorder are acting not only as an musical instruments, but furthermore as an interface for the computing system. The musical instruments are controlling the creation of the visuals in realtime and their sounds will feed the audio realtime processes distributed on 8-16 channels. The control data of the audio computing is linked with the visual computing, also changes of the parameter of the visual computing effects the link of the data exchange of the visual and the audio computing.

Machine musicianship
Nowadays, as different forms of machine musicianship, are blooming where computer act like virtuoso musical instruments we are focusing on a very specialized form of realtime performance with a computer system virtuoso audiovisual interaction with musical instruments. Every performance of our interactive audiovisual works, even of the same title, is unique not only because of the inherent concept of improvisation, but also because the computer system and the progamming are further developed for every event. The realtime processes of an audiovisual interactive computer system collude with a free artists musical expression. Our art work and research describes the hook-up between human and machine, between musical inspiration and digital concepts.

References
1. The Color of A Wooden Flute (Version Brugg 2013), youtube.com/watch?v=Qk8smCrSphw
2. The Color of A Wooden Flute (Version Goldsmiths 2006), youtube.com/watch?v=x2SP2eZsuXY

Full text and photo (PDF) p. 283-284