Prototype Demonstration

Language of Praise

Working on the Prana Musical Controller this quarter has been a very rewarding experience. While I think there are probably years worth of work, practice, and further development in this project, this quarter I have had the opportunity to begin the process of learning how to perform with my breath.

I remain very excited about this project for a few reasons. First, as a composer who used to very much enjoy performing, I am thrilled by the opportunity to make music in real-time. It's something that I've missed without even realizing how much I've missed it, and its been empowering to find my own instrument for expression.

Second, I really love that while the PMC is unique in many ways, it is based on something that is a fundamental shared experience between all humans, (and all animals as well). In reading about the practice of Pranayama, I was struck by one of B.K.S. Iyengar's comments about breath. He says, effectively, that breath is the one universal--he says that there are many people who can't see, who can't hear, who can't walk, and on and on. But without breath, there is no life. It is fascinating, to me, to explore this life-force in a musical context.

Third, I feel that the PMC has the potential to address the disconnect sometimes felt in digital instruments between the controller and sounds, because it is using the acoustic sound of the breath, and the physical motion of breathing in conjunction with one another to create the sound. The potential for disconnect in digital musical controllers is huge, and one of a few reasons why I haven't worked on one before. I am particularly excited, therefore, in the potential for this project going forward.

Performance Scenario(s)

I can envision a number of different performance scenarios for this project, and hope to have an opportunity to explore at least some of them in the future. Below are a few of my ideas, as well as some approaches suggested in critique, and by colleagues:

-Original concept: Traditional concert performance, with performer on stage, wearing PMC, and speakers surrounding the audience. The sounds would be composed of three layers of breathing sounds: a completely pre-composed layer, a highly manipulated layer, created with buffers recorded in real-time during performance, and a real-time amplification/modification of breathing sounds.

-Keeping the identical musical context, it was suggested that placing the performer in a small room, opposite a loudspeaker, might highlight the element of opposition/struggle between the performer and the instrument they are trying to control with their breath. Aside from technical issues of feedback, I find this suggestion very interesting, and may pursue this either in addition to or instead of the original concept.

-I would like to explore a context in which the breath itself is actually visible, whether this is in a temperature-controlled indoor space, or outside. I'm also interested in exploring the possibility of capturing this on film and manipulating it in real-time. Currently I don't have the background to explore this direction.

The following are not specific performance scenarios, but are other directions in which I may take this project:

-While I am currently working on the project as the performer, as well as the creator, I am interested in bringing the the PMC to other performative contexts. Specifically, I would like to continue my research with dancers and possibly actors. Also, I want to do some research with musicians (vocalists and wind instrumentalists, of course, but also string instrumentalists and others).

-I'd like to consider breath in people of different ages or stages of life. I'm interested in researching breath and illness as well as breath and healing. I would like to explore the breath and the invisible breathing patterns that emerge between two people together in a room, or in a whole room full of people. Finally I would like to look at ritual communal breathing, and possibly even explore a concerto-like context with an 'orchestra' or chorus of breathers and a soloist using the PMC.

Fabrication Revisions

The current version of the PMC is problematic in a few ways:

-Aesthetic brings unintentional narrative into work
-Design restricts performer to specific body-type
-Many layers of cloth make PMC somewhat tricky to put on/take off, and makes it a -temperature-specific item
-Sensor placement is fixed/limited access to technology after shirt is sewn

Above is an image that represents the general direction I will be investigating for my redesign. I would like the PMC to be something that can be worn over clothing, and to be adjustable to different body types. The new form may differ from this harness in that it might have two belts (upper and lower) around the torso, and perhaps only one shoulder strap.

Narrative Qualities of Breath

I think it is somewhat impossible to avoid, in a piece about breathing, engaging with implied narrative qualities of breath. I am still thinking about precisely what narrative I might want to imply, and how to do so. I do think that using some of these qualities of breath could be successfully used as triggers for various musical events and/or parameter-range changes.

Structural Framework

State Diagrams

Arduino Code

Short and sweet code to send sensor values from LilyPad to SuperCollider:

int message = 0;
int numSensors = 6; //number of analog sensors used
int sensorVal;
int sensorIn = 0;

void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{

for(int a=0; a {
sensorVal = analogRead(a); //read sensor values at a
Serial.write(sensorVal/4);
}

Serial.write(message); //send message so SC can distinguish between serial values

}