Extended Trombone
ET, Extended Trombone is a research project funded by the University of Edinburgh's Development Trust Research Fund (DTRF). The project aims to take extensive samples of extended playing techniques developed by John Kenny to produce a library of trombone sounds. From this research and library creation we will develop new works for trombone and computer.
Are search engines musical? Can we use them in combination with sound libraries as a route to creating rewarding sonic structures? Is it possible to perform a sound library? Is it possible to perform with a sound library?
The trombone is a special instrument. Extremely simple in design, it is essentially a flared metal tube of variable length but the range of possible sound is enormous. This depends on the type of metal used, the bore of the tube and especially the lips driving the machine. John Kenny has been developing extended techniques for the instrument across his entire career and has recently been working with composer Martin Parker to develop a sound library of some of these effects for use in live performance.
Sound library and categorisation techniques are essential tools in sound design and electronic composition. We have found that search results reveal structures that could be musically useful, especially in improvised contexts. Martin Parker has been developing work in this area for a number of years and is creating ways to extend the trombone further by implementing real-time computer-based processing on live and archived sound.
Sonogram
Together, John Kenny and Martin Parker are writing new music based on the sound library and the exploration of intelligent structures derived from search engine results. We have also created a method for using sound from the live trombone to explore the library in real-time. This means if the trombone plays a note, the library is searched for a sympathetic or contrasting note to respond with or to make a chord.
Virtual Trombone
One of the current implementations of the of the sound library is Virtual JK. Virtual JK literally plays through selections of notes gathered from a search query. The system behaves rather like an improvising live instrument in that the randomness of play-back can be controlled. A collection of sound files are traversed by Virtual JK in a pre-defined, random or weighted random order. The computer can then treat this as a live sound source and perform further processing on the signal.
melograph
Examples
Short Fanfare - This is a short fanfare generated from a section of the library that uses muted trombone samples;
Multiphonics
John Kenny is an expert with trombone lip and voice mulitphonics. In the interests of a complete library, we have also invited female trombonist Emily White to give us a selection of multi-phonics with female voice. Martin Parker has developed a tool for analysing the audio signal and generating sonograms and melographs of audio input. We speculate that images of this audio could be used for further pattern matching as a way to create other sonic structures based on the look of the sound.
Funding information
ET Extended Trombone was started with support from the University of Edinburgh's DTRF (Development Trust Research Fund). The fund helped initiate a new project with virtuoso Trombonist John Kenny. The purpose of the research was to develop a sound library of John Kenny's extended playing techniques and use this library as a source for creating a new piece of music for computer and trombone and also to produce a web or CD based document of the library that is available to the public for re-use and remixing through custom made software.
Biographical Information
Martin makes music, designs sound and creates interactive visuals involving computers and live musicians. He studied composition at the University of Manchester and completed a Ph.D in Composition at the University of Edinburgh in 2003. He is Academic Director of the University of Edinburgh's MSc in Sound Design and Artistic Director of Edinburgh's Dialogues Festival . He performs widely as a soloist with laptop and is a member of concert remixing duo SNAIL. Some of his music is available on Ein Klang records.
Recent work includes 'Filament - copperwire', an interactive sound installation commissioned by the ISCM in the Tyrol, Austria.
More information is available at www.tinpark.com