The Genealogy of Transfigured Wind
III. Computer Cues
Although, in the early 80's, computers were capable of processing sounds that had been converted to digital form, they were still far too massive and delicate to serve musicians under actual performance conditions. Thus, the four primary "computer cues" assembled from multiple layers of multi-channel sound files, were transferred back into the analog realm for dissemination in concert using magnetic tape recorders. The audio recordings and information below document the planning, structure, and mixing operations necessary to realize the "tape cues." One can listen to individual sub-components, and then hear them progressively montaged.
Structure
Below, you will find detailed, diagrammatic plans for each of the 4 major sections of Transfigured Wind. Each section begins with a Solo for flute. The presence of Solo flute materials, Ensemble sections, and the stratified structure of the tape cues is specified in each.
- Figure 66 - View Section I
- Figure 67 - View Section II
- Figure 68 - View Section III
- Figure 69 (70) - View Section IV (2 pages are joined together)
Audio
Tape I is a composite of 2 layers with the following structure (click on the image below to play each audio layer; alternately, select any text link below the image to play each layer):
(1) 81 - Layer 1 (1:28.5)
(2) 82 - Layer 2 (0:29)
(3) 83 - Final Tape Mix (1) + (2) = (3) (1:28.5)
Tape II is a composite of 6 layers with the following structure (click on the image below to play each audio layer; alternately, select any text link below the image to play each layer)::
(1) 84 - Layer 1 (1:07)
(2) 85 - Layer 2 (2:08)
(3) 86 - Layer 3 (0:59)
(4) 87 - Mix (1) + (2) + (3) = (4) (2:08)
(5) 88 - Layer 5 (0:46)
(6) 89 - Layer 6 (0:53.5)
(7) 90 - Layer 7 (0:34.5)
(8) 91 - Mix (5) + (6) + (7) = (8) (0:53.5)
(9) 92 - Final Tape Mix (4) + (8) = (9) (2:09.5)
Tape IIIais a composite of 6 layers with the following structure (click on the image below to play each audio layer; alternately, select any text link below the image to play each layer)::
(1) 93 - Layer 1 (0:38)
(2) 94 - Layer 2 (0:46.5)
(3) 95 - Layer 3 (1:15)
(4) 96 - Mix (1) + (2) + (3) = (4) (2:10.5)
(5) 97 - Layer 5 (1:04)
(6) 98 - Layer 6 (0:50.5)
(7) 99 - Layer 7 (0:57)
(8) 100 - Final Tape Mix (4) + (5) + (6) + (7) = (8) (2:53)
Tape IVa is a composite of 5 layers with the following structure (click on the image below to play each audio layer; alternately, select any text link below the image to play each layer)::
(1) 101 - Layer 1 (2:43)
(2) 102 - Layer 2 (1:04)
(3) 103 - Layer 3 (0:57.5)
(4) 104 - Layer 4 (0:24)
(5) 105 - Layer 5 (1:14.5)
(6) 106 - Final Tape Mix (1) + (2) + (3) + (4) + (5) = (6) (3:57)
Plan for the mix down of Tape I, the simplest mix
After the original source materials recorded by Harvey Sollberger were edited and computer-processed, the resulting sound files were either spatialized for a virtual quadraphonic space, or were montaged with complementary (or alternative) versions so as to make up sets of four, one coming from each loudspeaker.
The goal was to end up with a 4-channel master tape for musical performance. This tape was always a composite of several component layers, so that a mixing plan was necessary. Here is the simplest, for Tape I. It involves only two components: a mix of four SPIRLZ processes (mix1f) all starting at 0:00, and a phase vocoded time extension (N1aT101), beginning at 0:40. The accompanying diagram indicates which tracks of a multi-track tape were to be used to create this 1:28 minute result.
- Figure 71 - View plan
[The often maddening complexity of sound file names needs comment. One always begins a project in the relative calm of clear categories and ideals. What actually occurs next is never simple, however. A process is attempted and the results fail to satisfy, so one tries again and again, each time re-naming the new file (so that its lineage remains intact and available as an intermediate stage that can be returned to if necessary), but its new features are also suggested. The naming makes sense at the moment it is done. But, of course, that "sense" fades with time, and layers of recalculation.]
- Figure 74 - This is the composite plan including the three primary sub-mixes (SUB 1 and SUB 2 begin at 0:00, SUB 3 at 8:09).
- Figure 75 - Detailed structure of the SUB1 component.
- Figure 76 - Detailed structure of the SUB2 component.
- Figure 77 - This structure is a part of mix SUB2 (beginning at 0:00 in the preceding plan: 75).
- Figure 78 - The SUB3 component of Tape IVb
- This component of SUB3 has, itself, 3 elements:
Figure 79 - SUB311
Figure 80 - SUB312
Figure 81 - SUB313
- The second component layer of the higher-order SUB3:
Figure 82 - SUB32
Documents prepared by the mix-down engineers Josef Kucera and Ron Quillin
- Figure 83 (84) - Tape I studio mix diagram
The components of mix1f, beginning at time 0000 are in the first row of boxes representing tape channels 5 (Left Front: LF), 6 (Right Front: RF), 7 (Left Rear: LR), 8 (Right Rear: RR). The later starting N1aT101.hi is on channels 3 (RR), 4 (LR).
The second page of this pair concerns Studio mixing adjustments that may be required with the reference of Tape Location, Equalization adjustments (EQ) and the name of the sound file concerned.
- Figure 85 (86) - Tape II studio mix diagram
As above, box number corresponds to tape channel assignment. Brackets show groups. For Tape II, 20 of the available 24 channels are in use.
- Figure 87 (88) - Tape IIIa studio mix diagram
- Figure 89 (90) - Tape IIIb studio mix diagram
Note that there is a labeling error at the top: IIId actually = IIIb.
- Figure 91 (92) - Tape IVa studio mix diagram
- Figure 93 (94) - Tape IVb studio mix diagram
Again, there is a labeling error here at the top. These pages apply to Tape IVb, not "IVA."
Here, because the four sets of related file groups are serially presented in time , the same tracks (5-8) are used for the SpN2B1, SpN2B2, SpN2B3, and I2B123 in sets of four.