During the summer of 2018, I participated in a research fellowship for the Queen's Sonic Arts Sudio titled "Taming the Ghost in the Machine" where I conducted historical research, interviewed current composers, and designed, protyped and constructed a purpose built electronic instrument. Numerous recordings were produced as a result of the research project.
Application: Electronic feedback is a method of sound synthesis used in electronic music. Feedback techniques generate sound by connecting the output of signal modifying devices such as amplifiers, filters, and modulators back into their own inputs, thus creating a feedback loop. This signal looping reinforces and amplifies otherwise inaudible characteristics unique to each individual circuit. These circuits or devices can then be combined into networks of interconnected feedback loops and parallel paths to create sonically unique and interesting outcomes.
Challenge: As the network of devices grows, the performer sacrifices control of the inherently chaotic output. This is particularly challenging for live performances or when first exploring the technique.
Research Question: How to bring control to complex feedback systems for live performances, i.e.,how to tame the ghost in the machine?
Purpose-built electronics were designed, prototyped, and constructed to aid the realizatinon seminal feedback compositions.
While researching David Tudor’s feedback works, original schematics were uncovered for specific devices used in Untitled and other feedback pieces. These schematics were prototyped and then modified to add more control and options to the circuitry. The Tudor circuitry built for this project, along with various other circuits of original design, were constructed using some original components once owned by Tudor, supplied by supervisor Dr. Matt Rogalsky.
The collection of prototyped circuits designed and built for the realization of Untitled were integrated and mounted onto a metal face plate, facilitating the interconnection of circuits through patch cables. The purpose-built ‘Feedback Machine’ is comprised of fifteen circuits that include: High and Low-Pass filters; Diode Ring Modulators; Four-Quadrant Multipliers, Variable Frequency Dividers, Voltage Controlled Amplifiers, Mixers; and, Amplitude Modulators.
The Constellation Box is a device built to aid in the performance of the Ralph Jones' feedback based composition "Star Networks at the Singing Point." Sounds for the piece are generated by connecting an amplifier’s input and output through passive electrical components configured in a star network, which is described as having three or more components connected at a single node. By increasing the gain of the amplifier,the sound “changes intermittently and unpredictably such that the circuit begins ‘singing’ of its own accord” [Jones].
The device contains two gain stages and is a three input, four output matrix mixer. Moreover, the input and output interface is accessed through jumper wires with alligator clips, making it easy to connect to the nodes across the star network circuitry. The Constellation Box allows for a wide range of routing capabilities and the randomization necessary to make the star networks ‘sing’.
Through this research and in realizing the feedback works of Jones and Tudor, evident is a direct and substantive trade-off between predictability and control on the one hand, and spontaneity and diversity on the other. With fewer components in a feedback network, the results are more easily reproducible, however, the range of possible sounds is limited. With a growing complexity in the feedback path there is increased spontaneity and a larger diversity of possible sounds, however, the performer sacrifices control, making it challenging in live performance.
A performer might creatively decide to choose either control or spontaneity, or anywhere in the spectrum between the two. In research and interviews with Jones, Johnsen, and Nakamura there appears to be a convergence of views; the desire to be sonically surprised in an untethered exploration of interesting new sounds that can only be achieved by relinquishing some control. In other words, in playing with feedback, performers must strike a balance between taming the ghost in the machine and letting it run wild.
The following is a list of all the performances in which I have used the purpose-built feedback instrument:
11/15/2018 - The Isabel Bader Centre as part of the Queen's Mosaic Concert Series, Kingston ON
11/18/2018 - The Human Media Lab as part of the Tone Deaf Music Festival, Kingston ON
11/21/2018 - Art and Media Lab, Isabel Bader Centre as part of Tone Deaf Music Festival, Kingston ON
01/16/2019 - Union Gallery for celebration of Art's Birthday, Kingston ON
05/23/2019 - Pressed Cafe, Ottawa ON
11/24/2019 - Kingston Public Library as part of the Tone Deaf Music Festival, Kingston ON
A full description of the recordings can be found here.
A poster board outlining the major topics of the research project including research goals, methodology, observations and outcomes, can be viewed in the PDF viewer below or through this link.
Taming the Ghost in the Machine (Poster).pdf