Rehearsal Notes from Friday 6th March 2009


Rehearsal

Peter Seth and Thomas on Friday 6th March. In the performance Lab.

What was it like (Thomas’s version)

We started by listening to some of the recording of last rehearsal, whilst setting up.

This was quite a technical rehearsal,  (beset with technical problems), but also with breakthroughs such as the use of the Lemur to give a visual feedback and provide and useful control surface for the Ouija players. This will make a big difference . Peter said it was helpful to see the control output of the shadows (photo here gallery.me.com/thomasgardner#100023

(video input program crashed 6 times and destroyed its own code each time, the microphones seemed to have low input and distorted at the same time ….).

 

I had a plan of some things that needed to be tried out in the rehearsal (arising from the new way that the Ouija players can change their environment), but had not actually discussed it with anyone else beforehand.

 

The ideas still fit with the interest in working with phonographic material, but are a more technical sub-part of it.

A goal of this rehearsal was to give the Ouija players freedom to move around in the environments. We have previously gone on a linear path, rather like a composition, with predetermined changes to the environment. In some performances this felt at odds with the needs of the moment.

 

An alternative is to allow changes in the Ouija environment which reflect and respond to the kinds of material in the various location recordings and in the performers.

This area of movement is currently visible as a matrix of dots on the lemur , see photo. This will be developed further for the next rehearsal

(a bit like a parameter space mapping)

I was hoping to work out a basic space with XY extremes (different kinds of extremes for different improvisations), but we only got one space set up…

Because of the technical stress we were clearly not working at an intuitive level – we didn’t really have time to allow the experience of the current environment to sink in (its richer spatial, temporal and geomorphic qualities). Even so, I think the end improvisation felt good, and seemed to have unexpected as well as hoped for revelations.

 

Aesthetic aside. Location recording as score (points broadly in the direction), but, also,  the phonographer in the group.

 A 'rehearsal' period and a performance are an exploration of the contexts and contents arising from the  intersection between ‘performer’ and ‘phonogram’. Interpreted in the here and now of the group. ie Consequences will flow from the interacting present of the performers, mediated by the ‘memory material’ of the location recording. Result: evanescent moMents ( of timbre, gesture, intensity, duration, pitch and harmonicity, height, gravity, activity, lethargy, inspiration, transformation)

 

Self observation. Something that I appreciate is arriving at a Double listening state (or whatever to call it). Its when you know that the sound/activity that you are doing, even though it has no immediate parallel in the sounds of others, will soon have a place or will become relevant again!  Example - Peter can create steady sine tones from instruments, so if you, as an instrumentalist, hold a steady note while there is a lot of noise activity there is a strong chance that at some point steady sine tones will reaappear, its part of the lingo.

 

 

Pre rehearsal plans (from before the rehearsal)

Using location recording material. Please bring it as Stereo files.

Lets have a maximum of 3 files each to start with, the files to be no longer than 3 mins each, and to reflect different aspects of the same place.

(can be vocal recordings etc)

 

This rehearsal will be in the Foley room (just next to our usual room).