Space as Timbre (SAT)
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Space as Timbre (SAT)
Robert Hasegawa (McGill University) [PI] with Carmine Cella (University of California, Berkeley), Pedram Diba, Jonas Régnier, Anqi Liu (UCSD), Jeanne Côté, Charles Eric Fontaine (McGill University), and external collaborators Alex Huyghebaert (McGill University), Matias Perenetti-Piniagua (McGill University), Éric Bourgeois (McGill University), Paul Celebi (McGill University), William Boivin (McGill University), and Seungwoo Han (McGill University).
Description:
The purpose of the Space As Timbre (SAT) project, is to collect qualitative data in order to analyze and understand the perceptual effect of timbre in composing new spaces for an acoustic ensemble, thereby creating the opportunity to treat space as a form bearing element in music.
SAT enables the collaboration between student composers and performers from two ACTOR partner institutions (McGill University, and University of California, San Diego) in the creation of new works for an ensemble of 6 instruments. Additionally, SAT composers use computer-assisted orchestration in the process of synthesizing various spaces for the composition of their works. The outcome of this research-creation project includes a public presentation followed by the premiere of the pieces.
SAT’s research method focuses on creating various spaces in a sound. This is achieved by applying different impulse responses to a recorded sound. By doing so, we are able to create a variety of spaces for that particular sound. These new sounds are then used both as sonic material and as a structural model for orchestral synthesis. The orchestral synthesis of these sounds/spaces is achieved by employing technology (computer-assisted orchestration) as well as the creativity of trained musicians.
For the technology portion, Orchidea is used to create various solutions for the orchestral synthesis of each target sound. During this process the goal is to experiment with various settings for partial filtering and sparsity to achieve the closest timbral result to the space of the target sound. In addition to Orchidea, the musicians of the ensemble are asked to listen to the audio files and to try to achieve the closest spatial effect of a particular sound by experimenting with various playing techniques (extended techniques, pedaling techniques, bow placement, etc.). These experiments are based on the results created on Orchidea; however, the musicians are also encouraged to come up with completely new solutions as well. This could result in solutions with innovative playing techniques that Orchidea may not have suggested.