ABWOON: BIRTHER OF THE COSMOS (1997) for Yamaha TX81Z Tone Generator and MIDI Keyboard Arthur B. Hunkins Abwoon d'bwashmaya O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos, you create all that moves in light. O Thou! The Breathing Life of all, Creator of the Shimmering Sound that touches us. Respiration of all worlds, we hear you breathing--in and out--in silence. Source of Sound: in the roar and the whisper, in the breeze and the whirlwind, we hear your Name. (KJ Version: Our Father which art in heaven) Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus translated by Neil Douglas-Klotz GENERAL ABWOON is a live performance work for Yamaha TX81Z Tone Generator and MIDI Keyboard. It is a minimal, meditative work based on a small group of related, two-operator FM bell tones. The stereo output from the TX81Z is run to a stereo amplifier. ABWOON may be performed in either mono or stereo mode. If stereo is selected, place the speakers so that stereo imaging is only modest. (If such placement is not feasible, select mono mode.) Preset amplifier level to between moderately soft and moderate for two notes sounding simultaneously (on non-velocity-sensing keyboard). Suggested minimum duration is five minutes. Any MIDI keyboard of four octaves of more may be used to control the synthesizer. (If it is velocity sensitive, so much the better--see below.) Use the four lowest octaves of a five-octave keyboard. All keys are active except the highest C(7). One MIDI cable is required. ABWOON exists in two variants or "performances"--one of which is chosen for a given realization. ABWOON1 (PF01) is intended for ANY MIDI keyboard, while ABWOON2 (PF02) requires a velocity-sensitive controller. The difference between the two versions is that the "tones" of ABWOON2 can be slightly richer (in FM modulation). Keyboard velocity determines overall volume, as well as (to varying degrees) tonal fullness. A third, contrasting version--based either on ABWOON1 or ABWOON2--is described at the end of these instructions. In this work, the keyboard is divided into eight "ranges" (i.e., an eight-way split). Each range spans the interval of a perfect fourth (half-octave)--either C to F or F# to B. Thus, range 1 is the lowest C3-F3; range 2, F#3-B3; range 3, C4-F4; range 4, F#4-B4; range 5, C5 (MIDI middle C) to F5; range 6, F#5-B5; range 7, C6-F6; and range 8, F#6-B6. C7 is not used. Each range is assigned a single note (i.e., only one key per range will sound at a time). The half-octave ranges are assigned specific stereo imaging (when performed in stereo). Ranges 1, 6 and 8 emanate from the left speaker; 3, 4, and 5 from the right; while 2 and 7 are centered. Every keypress ("note") produces two "tones"--each a two-operator FM "bell" sonority. The two tones slowly blossom, and when released, recede. In total there are FIVE two-op tones, combined in various ways over the eight half-octave ranges. These tones are referred to as tone A, B, C, D, and E. Importantly, they are paired (as "notes") in the following ways (their half-octave ranges are listed low to high): AC, AD, AE, CD, BC, BD, BE, and CE. (Note the parallel arrangement of the two halves of the keyboard. See also, below, the further distribution of keys within the half-octaves, into "levels" and "series.") SETUP First, prepare the TX81Z to receive the "performance" (.prf), "voice bank" (.vb), and "scale" (.sca) files by "unprotecting" it as follows: Press PLAY/PERFORM until it displays PLAY SINGLE (it may already do so); then press UTILITY. Press the PARAMETER keys until Mem Protect:on appears, then press the DEC button one time (the display changes to Mem Protect:off). Continue by pressing PLAY/PERFORM again. Next, connect the MIDI cable between MIDI Out on the MPU-401 style interface to MIDI In on the TX81Z. Get to the floppy drive directory (a: or b:) that contains this diskette and type MIDIEX . Choose T then type the filename, ABWOON.PRF , then again. (This loads the two "Performances.") In a moment, the display "Midi Received" should appear; if it doesn't, recheck these steps. Press PLAY/PERFORM once; the display should now include the name "ABWOON." (If it doesn't, press one of the DATA ENTRY keys until it does.) Repeat the transfer process twice more, once for ABWOON.VB, then ABWOON.SCA. Each time, choose T, typing the new filename, then . ("Midi Received" should again appear; press PLAY/PERFORM to return to performance identifier "ABWOON.") At this point, the download procedure is complete. Hit EXC to exit from MIDIEX. The TX81Z is now programmed; you have only to select one of the two "performances." This is done with the two DATA ENTRY keys. The performances are indicated by identifiers PF01 or PF02, followed by their names (ABWOON1 or ABWOON2). (Press PLAY/PERFORM once if you don't see "PF01" or "PF02.") Recall that non-velocity-sensing keyboards are limited to ABWOON1; also that ABWOON2 offers slightly richer sonorities than ABWOON1. Keep the screen on this performance display. PERFORMANCE Keyboard MIDI Out must be connected to synthesizer MIDI In. One item must be verified on the keyboard: its MIDI Transmit Channel must be set to 1. Probably it already is, but check the keyboard (and documentation, if necessary) anyway. (If, when you perform ABWOON, no sound is heard from the synthesizer, a wrong transmit channel is likely the problem.) There may, in addition, be other items on your keyboard that need to be set in order for it to ACT AS A CONTROLLER. For example, Yamaha 4-op FM synthesizers require a MIDI On/Off setting to be ON. Check your keyboard documentation. The performer constructs, in advance, his/her own realization of this work, according to the "Performance Rules" below. (Alternatively, a well-informed performer who has internalized the "rules" and gained considerable practical experience with ABWOON, may opt to improvize.) In essence, the piece consists of series of overlapping dual "bell tones" performed alternately in the various keyboard ranges. The principal pitch of one of the two bell components of each new "note" matches one of the prominent pitches of the previous "note." The overall pace of change is fairly slow and even. As an improvizational aid, labels, placed above or on the keys, may be helpful in readily identifying half-octave ranges/tone combinations, as well as series (A, B) and levels/keys (see below). Following are definitions of terms referred to below (and above): "event"--any sound created by a single keypress. "note"--a single keypress. (Keys do not correspond to pitch in the usual way.) "range"--the eight half-octave keyboard spans discussed above. The six keys in each range are independently pitches, but their pitch relationships are identical in all ranges. "tone"--the A, B, C, D, and E two-operator FM bell sonorities described above. Each "note" is a combination of two "tones." Notes in a given range consist of the same pair of tones. "level"--a particular KEY of a given range. "Levels" correspond to key (order) as follows: level A1, keys C and F#; A2 and B2 (same!), keys C# and G; A3, keys D and G#; B1, keys D# and A; B3, keys E and A#; and B3a (a= "alternate"), keys F and B. The designations A and B refer to bell "tones" A and B, while the numbers 1 to 3/3a designate the principal pitch components of those bell tones. Levels other than "2," the "original" level, transpose the sonority to one of the original's OTHER important frequencies. Levels with adjacent numbers represent "going up or down one level." ("1" corresponds to the LOWEST pitch level.) Please note that level B2 progresses either to B3 OR B3a; level 3 does NOT move to 3a, or vice versa. "series"--the combination of "levels" relating to either the A or B bell "tones." Thus, within a given range (comprising six keys), keys 1-3 (the lowest) belong to the "A series," while keys 2 and 4-6 are part of "series B." (Key 2 is common to both series.) PERFORMANCE RULES 1. The first event consists of the lowest C#(3)--to which a second note is later added. 2. End with any single note (remaining from a two-note sonority). 3. Use all RANGES in the course of a realization. (This requirement does NOT extend to LEVELS or SERIES.) 4. Most of the time, two notes are sounding. (These are necessarily in different ranges, as one note is assigned per range.) 5. ONLY two notes may sound simultaneously; the second must die out before another enters. 6. One note must be sounding at all times. 7. Only one note may enter or fade out at once. 8. Notes sounding simultaneously ALWAYS SHARE A TONE (e.g, AC and AD, BC and CD) OR CONTAIN TONE A OR B. 9. These notes also normally share a level (e.g., concurrent AC and AD may connect via key 2, BC and CD through key 4). 10. LEVELS (keys) may be changed WITHIN the A (or B) series only when ON AN A (or B) TONE PROGRESSING TO ANOTHER A (or B). Move up or down one level only (e.g., AC key 3 to AD key 2). Thus A-series level shifts are possible only on two A tones, B-series shifts on two B tones. 11. SERIES (A to B, B to A) may be changed--along with level, SOLELY FROM LEVEL 2, the key common to both series. As always, move up or down only one level when changing series (e.g., BC key 2, the common key/level, to BD level 3--key 5). Also, similar to rule 10, EACH NOTE involved in the change must contain the TONE CORRESPONDING TO THE NEW SERIES (e.g., BC level 2 may move to BD level 3a, but not to AD level 3a; AC level 2 to AD level 3, not BD level 3). 12. Once a level/series shift is initiated, the second voice must next move to the new level and otherwise observe the conditions stated in rule #8. The voice may NOT initiate a further shift. (The FOLLOWING event may, if so desired.) ALTERNATE VERSION--incorporating more than two simultaneous notes A third, alternate version, based either on ABWOON1 or ABWOON2 as described above, allows for a richer texture--through the sounding of more than two notes at once. All materials and preparation for this version are the same as for the others. (The reasons for selecting ABWOON1 vis-a-vis ABWOON2 are also similar: ABWOON1 is required for non-velocity sensitive keyboards; ABWOON2 is slightly more varied, and rich in timbre than ABWOON1). Performance rules are identical, except for the items listed below. Regarding overall texture: a consistent voicing should be maintained throughout, with the number of simultaneously sounding notes not changing significantly in a short period of time. (The rule regarding starting and ending with a single tone continues to apply, however.) 13. Additional sounding notes are permitted. 14. All voices must fade in and out starting at different times, and FADEINS must not overlap (fadeouts may). 15. ALL SOUNDING NOTES must either share a tone with another sounding voice or contain an A or B tone. This rule applies even when one or more voices have faded out. (Following rule #15 is difficult and may well rule out an improvizational realization.) The only exception to this rule is when a voice is "orphaned" (i.e., no longer shares a level with another voice). This always occurs at some point during a change of level and/or series. When so "orphaned," a note must be the very next one to move (into compliance) or to simply fade out. 16. When the texture shifts to a new level or series (see rules 10 and 11 above), all sounding voices must "convert" to the new level or series at their first opportunity, and before any additional shifts are initiated. (Alternately, the "unconverted" voices may simply die out.) In addition, all "old" voices must either die out or "convert" before any new notes/voices can enter. The following is an example of change of level involving three voices. AC1, AE1 and BD1 are sounding, and AC1 initiates a change of level--to AD2. (AC1 and AE1 are the matched A pair involved; it is not necessary for ALL sounding voices to share the same A or B tone at the "switch point." They must, of course, all share the same LEVEL.) At this point either AE1 or BD1 must change to an appropriate level 2 note; if either simply died out, it would leave the other without a match, which is not allowed. (In other words, a note may be "orphaned" by another event's SWITCHING, but not by its just fading out or changing to another note on the same level.) Once the second note (here AE1 or BD1) has "converted," the remaining note is now "orphaned" and must promptly either fade out or "convert" before any other event can occur.