A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND (ReedKits) (1998) for MIDI keyboard, computer and WaveFront sound card with SampleStore Arthur B. Hunkins What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Matthew 11:7 Luke 7:24 The bruised reed he shall not break, the smoking flax he shall not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. Isaiah 42:03 A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoking wick he will not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory; and in his name will the Gentiles hope. Matthew 12:20-21 GENERAL A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND is a work for a single performer on a MIDI MIDI keyboad--with or without velocity sensitivity. The keyboard connects via MIDI input cable to an IBM-compatible computer containing a WaveFront (ISA-bus) sound card with SampleStore capability. Sound boards meeting these criteria are Turtle Beach Systems' Monterey, Maui, Tropez, Tropez Plus, and Rio daughterboard (mounted on a TB Tahiti; the Rio will not work with any other mothercard--Rio/Tahiti = Monterey). Except for the Maui, minimum sample RAM must be added to the board by the user; the smallest amount, 256K, is sufficient. (RAM is required even though only factory-supplied ROM samples are used.) The keyboard needs to have a minimum four-octave (49 key) range. The sound card's output is stereo, and stereo pan position is an important feature of A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND. A wide, well-differentiated stereo field is required in performance. Version GullKit1 is designed for velocity-sensitive keyboards, except for the Tropez Plus soundcard. The Tropez Plus requires a special "edition," GuKi2001 (see explanation below). The version for non- velocity-sensitive keyboards is designated GullKit2. It is performable on any WaveFront/SampleStore synth EXCEPT the Tropez Plus. (No version exists for Tropez Plus and MIDI keyboard lacking velocity sensitivity.) This is not a composition in the usual sense, but rather a framework for improvization--a set of performance materials. It simply creates a live-performance MIDI instrument accompanied with descriptive detail, and possible suggestions for performance realization. The work exists as three WaveFront "drum kit" files: ReedKit1.wfd--for all cards except the Tropez Plus and ReKi2001.wfd--for the Tropez Plus (also known as the TBS 2001). ReedKit2.wfd is the non-velocity-sensitive version which does not work with the Tropez Plus. The "special edition" for the Tropez Plus (ReKi2001.wfd) is necessitated by a bug in the WavePatch software for this card. The Random variable, which plays an important role in all instrument designs, only works correctly (in the Tropez Plus implementation) with respect to Pan position. All other instances required modification, and were replaced by Velocity. (Thus, velocity sensitivity in performance is a PARTICULARLY crucial element for the Tropez Plus.) In all other respects, ReedKit1 and ReKi2001 are near identical. ReedKits use two different kinds of samples from the WaveFront wavetable synthesizer: reed sounds (11 varieties--three English Horn and eight oboe) and a wind sound ("Bottle" sample). The keyboard distribution of patches made from these samples is divided by octave, and each key represents a different layer and unique sound. Each octave consists of 11 reed sounds (C-A#) and a wind sound (B), with the top C6 an additional (fifth) wind sound. The reed sounds duplicate themselves in each octave, and all are random (or velocity-controlled) microtunings around the single pitch C4 (middle C). While all other instances of "C4" vary in microtonal pitch, the lowest key (C2) is a pure, stable C4--a reference or anchor for the other tones, which vary equally around it. C2 is the ONLY key that does not vary in pitch-- either randomly, or according to key velocity (ReKi2001.wfd). Each successive higher octave of reed tones represents a greater random range of microtonal deviation and a slightly greater range of vibrato or tremolo. The onset of the vibrato or tremolo is slightly delayed each higher octave, and the range of these speeds expands. Also, in each higher octave, the attack time broadens and release lengthens. The net results of these changes is that when multiple reeds are sounded, each higher octave becomes somewhat "fatter," more raucous and intense, with greater amounts of beating. In all cases where values are selected randomly within a given range (as discussed here), KEYBOARD VELOCITY determines these values in the Tropez Plus "edition" (ReKi2001.wfd). In ReKi2001.wfd, the actual meaning of velocity values usually alternates with adjacent keys; for example, high velocity means greatest value for one key and smallest value for the next. The individual wind sounds, on the other hand, are pitched at minor third intervals from each other (upwards from about F4). Their pitch (and amplitude) "wander" pseudo randomly ("slow random") within a constant range--which overlaps its "neighbor" wind sound in pitch. (The slow random effect is created by a combination of two low-frequency sine/triangle waves, whose frequencies are randomly determined--or velocity determined in ReKi2001.wfd.) Envelopes are identical; and the only other difference in sonority is that the random wandering "rate" is a bit faster for the lower octaves and the range a little more constricted. Though the sounds are editings of the same sample, they are all actually different loops, and thus are slight sonic variants of one another. Pan placement is random for all sounds in each "version"--even for the Tropez Plus. PREPARATION FOR PERFORMANCE WavePatch 1.3 (not included with these materials) is required for performance. (If WavePatch 1.3 is not part of your bundled software, it may be downloaded free from http://www.tbeach.com; filename is wpatch13.zip.) Make sure WavePatch is installed in Windows and is working properly with your WaveFront card. (Note that installation of WaveFront cards in Windows 95 and higher is often difficult. The default WaveFront synth IRQ 2/9 is sometimes unavailable--used for power management functions on many modern motherboards. The Maui seems particularly conflict-prone; IRQs 9 and higher create problems. IRQ 5 (and 7, for cards other than the Maui) seems the best alternative. Hint: Installation conflicts ALWAYS involve the WaveFront synth's IRQ, never its I/O address or any "Memory Range." Keep in mind that digital audio is not the issue, a wavetable MIDI synthesizer is. Also, on the Tropez Plus, the additional MPU-401 interface IRQ is irrelevent. All of these WaveFront sound cards have been successfully installed under Windows ME, on a system board with an ISA slot. They should work as well under Windows 95 and 98. Because WaveFront drivers do not exist for Windows NT, 2000 or XP, A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND cannot be performed on these operating systems.) Enter the WavePatch application, and under File, select Load Drum Kit, and load your copy of ReedKit1.wfd (ReedKit2.wfd for keyboard without velocity sensitivity) or its Tropez Plus equivalent, ReKi2001.wfd. Next, under Window, select Master Controls; choose the appropriate MIDI input device (usually External In) as the Audition Input and (if necessary) slide Volume to maximum. Specify Maximum Voices as 24. Make sure that Rechannelize is NOT checked. Then, either change the indicated Drum Channel number to the MIDI output channel of your keyboard, OR--on your KEYBOARD--select channel 10 (WaveFront default drum channel) as output channel. Finally, close the Master Controls window. Leave the WavePatch application open while performing A REED SHAKEN BY THE WIND. At this point, if your MIDI keyboard is not controlling the WaveFront synth, open your WaveFront Control Panel, select Synth, then Configure, and verify that Audition Mode is enabled. Close the Control Panel when you are finished. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS The overall effect of the "structured improvization" should be that of a layered texture that slowly shifts and evolves. Each key represents a layer. Numbers of ongoing layers represents textural "density," which is also related to quantity and variety of simultaneous sounds as well as their rate of change. The performance should begin with a textural and dynamic crescendo, and end with a comparable diminuendo. In general, individual loops remain pressed for substantial lengths of time, and enter and exit independently, creating a slow rate of incremental textural change. Texture should never change suddenly or dramatically. The initial crescendo and final diminuendo may be accomplished in part by changes in amplifier level. (On a non-velocity-sensitive keyboard, amp level manipulation at beginning and end is highly recommended.) The main body of the performance maintains moderate volume; while rich texture is encouraged, the work should never become "loud." Except for initial and final fades, particularly in fixed-velocity renditions, amplifier level remains unchanged. What follows is a suggested performance sequence: Open with lower-octave soft wind sounds (lower B's), progressing to full-range, louder (fuller) wind, subsiding to a more moderate level (less dense texture) featuring lower-octave wind. Add to the above (stabilized), isolated, softer (thin texture) low- octave reeds, gradually thickening (increasing volume of) the low- octave reed texture. The first reed sound might well be low C (C2), the reference pitch from which the other reeds are progressively "detuned." The wind sound thins, softens and disappears. The reed sounds progress up the keyboard, thickening to a fairly high density (using both hands), the progressive detuning contributing to the intensity. The reeds then move, maintaining the textural density, back to the two lower octaves, whereupon they spread out (all four octaves) and stabilize (relatively little change). The wind reenters, softly, evolving to 2-3 layers maximum, while the stabilized reeds thin and soften. Wind is left alone, softens and thins to 1-2 layers, moving to the upper register (B4 and above) and very soft/fade out. Rehearsal is largely a matter of planning and realizing evolving textural densities, while becoming sensitive to the effect/role of various layers in the textural collage. Performances may either be well planned (even "scored") in advance, or spontaneous and interactive. They could conceivably even be realized as MIDI sequencer files, such as in Cakewalk, incorporating Cakewalk Application Language (CAL) to customize/randomize "performance" elements such as layer entry and duration, key velocity, textural density, or layer selection itself! The only requirement for any kind of realization is that the general norms outlined here be respected. Minimum duration is five minutes, but substantially longer performances are encouraged. DEFEAT EFFECTS PROCESSING ON THE MONTEREY AND TROPEZ PLUS Two WaveFront soundcards with SampleStore--Monterey and Tropez Plus-- contain real-time effects processors. By default, both boards initialize with a modest amount of reverberation. This reverb, and all other processing, must be turned off. To do so on the Monterey, click on Window, then Reverb View, and set the Mix slider to zero. The Tropez Plus requires initializing the Tropez Plus (Wavefront) Control Panel. With WavePatch open, bring up the Control Panel and click on "FX Clips." Check the "Bypass All FX" box then close the Control Panel. MAKING A MIDI CABLE Unfortunately, the MIDI connector for Turtle Beach Monterey and Maui sound cards requires a proprietary TBS adapter/cable that is difficult to obtain. (Tropez and Tropez Plus thankfully use the joystick/MIDI connector common to most sound cards.) This non-standard adapter is not packaged with the boards themselves, and can no longer be ordered from Voyetra/Turtle Beach. (You MAY still be able to obtain one from the following URL: http://www.midi-classics.com/c/c2642.htm - Stock#: 2642, Monterey 9-pin MIDI Adapter Cable @ $19.99.) Happily, you can construct your own fairly easily, with parts available from Radio Shack. The instructions below create one MIDI INPUT ONLY cable for Monterey and Maui sound cards. Parts: Radio Shack 42-2151 5-pin DIN cable (6')--$5.99 (this is the single MIDI input cable--the only MIDI cable you'll need to perform this piece); 276-1537 9-position male D-sub connector--$1.49; 276-1508 9-position metal D-sub hood for above connector--$2.79. Construction: Begin by cutting the DIN connector off one end of the MIDI cable. Strip about an inch of the plastic cover from that end of the cable; then twist the cable shield strands together while snipping off all the other wires EXCEPT the black and red. (Black corresponds to pin 4--the next to left pin as you view the remaining DIN connector with pins curving upward; red corresponds to pin 5--next to right.) As you view the D-connector from the OUTSIDE with the row of four pins to the LEFT, solder the black lead to the TOP LEFT pin (pin 6) and the red lead to the TOP RIGHT (pin 1). (Solder to the OTHER end of the pins you identified visually.) Then assemble the hood, taking the twisted shield and curling it around one of the two screws that hold the hood together. This is the most painstaking part of the assembly; but with it you are finished!