EVENING AND MORNING: THE FIFTH DAY (BirdKits) (1996) for MIDI keyboard, computer and WaveFront sound card with SampleStore Arthur B. Hunkins Then God said, "Let the waters abound with life, and above the earth let winged creatures fly below the firmament of the heavens." And so it was. God saw that it was good, and God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and morning, the fifth day. Genesis I: 20, 21, 22-23 Every creature is a word of God. All things are interdependent. Meister Eckhart The earth does not belong to people; people belong to the earth. . . . This earth is precious to the Creator and to harm the earth is to heap contempt upon its Creator. Chief Seattle GENERAL EVENING AND MORNING is a work for one or more performers on a single MIDI keyboard. (For a multiple keyboard option, see below.) The keyboard connects via MIDI input cable to an IBM-compatible computer containing a WaveFront sound card with SampleStore capability. As of this date (10/96), 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). In all cases 1Meg sample RAM is added to the board by the user. The keyboard must possess a minimum four-octave (49 key) range; it may or may not be velocity sensitive. The sound card's output is stereo, and stereo pan position is an important feature of EVENING AND MORNING. A wide, well-differentiated stereo field is required in performance. This work is a companion- piece to EVENING AND MORNING: THE SIXTH DAY (CricKits) (1996) for the same medium, and much of the documentation (readme files) for the two pieces is identical. If two performers collaborate in the realization, they can either split the keyboard "down the middle" (C2-B3, C4-C6), OR one take the outside keys C2-B2 and F#5-C6, the other the midrange--C3-F5. With three (or more) performers, the outside sets of keys can be handled by two different people; and/or the midrange can be split at C4 or C5, or one performer play C3-F3, C4-F4 and C5-F5 while another takes F#3-B3 and F#4-B4. Any "split" performer (one handling non-adjacent keys) should probably be situated on the opposite side of the keyboard. This is not a composition in the usual sense, but rather a framework for improvization--a set of performance materials. The subtitle BirdKit is meant to convey this idea--a "kit" of bird samples (actually, wood thrush samples) as live-performance MIDI instruments. The work exists as a set of twelve "kits"--BIRD1A-C through 4A-C, each a slightly different WaveFront "drum kit" (.WFD file). The twelve sets are identical except in three respects: the range of pitch transposition/displacement (versions A-C--with A being the least, C the most), panning position and peak amplitude (versions 1-4). Each of these variables changes per event ("note"). BIRD1A-C randomize both event pan position and peak amplitude. BIRD2A-C use a fixed pan position per key while randomizing peak amplitude. Keyboard velocity sensitivity does not affect any of these versions. BIRD3A-C randomize pan position, while 4A-C use fixed pan position (per key); in these six, a velocity-sensitive keyboard can control peak level for all sounds. In all twelve "kits" a small amount of amplitude variation is added (speed or level varied at least once per key). The four-octave keyboard is divided into a number of different "zones": C2-B2 keys (bottom octave), C3-B3 (subdivided at F#3), C4-B4 (likewise split at F#4), C5-F5, and F#5-C6. (The range comprises the two octaves on either side of middle C, and the lower four octaves of a five-octave keyboard.) Three wood thrush "calls" constitute the raw samples; varied editing/looping of these furnish the specific "patches" for each range. The first "zone," C2-B2, is dedicated to four "warble loops" (the only continuous sounds) taken from the three samples; these fade in and out slowly. Each loop is assigned three keys. The two middle octaves plus the bottom half of the top octave treat the "calls" in fairly intact fashion, looped (as a whole) or not. The C3-B3 octave states the complete "calls" (two keys per "call"); C3-F3 state the "calls" singly, while F#3-B3 loop them. The third octave (C4-B4) is comparably distributed, except that its "patch" eliminates the concluding warble. (It is thus the shortest of the three "complete call" presentations.) C5-F5 consist of single statements of the material minus their opening click(s); again, each call is assigned two keys. Envelopes for these two and one-half octaves (as well as the "click loops" described below), are straightforward, containing only a brief final fade. The top half-octave, F#5-C6, is dedicated to loops of the opening click(s) of the three "calls." Click loops of the first two samples (containing two clicks apiece) are each assigned two keys (F#5-A5), while the third sample (with a single click) gets three (A#5-C6). Starting with C3, each half-octave is assigned the three "call" samples in identical order, with each "patch" being allocated two keys. Each of the two or three keys per "patch" is different in pitch (in some versions, only slightly), loudness and pan position. In principle, the higher the key (per "patch"), the higher the pitch. (Versions with multiple random factors also exhibit patterns of relationship between these factors and key position, which the performer may choose to explore.) PREPARATION FOR PERFORMANCE There are two methods of software preparation for performance of EVENING AND MORNING. One requires Windows and the Windows application WavePatch 1.3 (not included with these materials), while a simpler and faster method works from DOS but is not possible with Monterey. (If WavePatch 1.3 is not included in your bundled software, it may be downloaded free from the Turtle Beach Systems Beachcomber BBS; filename is waveph13.zip or wpatch13.zip. It is also available at www.tbeach.com or ftp.tbeach.com/tbeach.) In all cases, the minimum 1Meg RAM must be installed on the sound card. Both procedures below assume a norm of 24 simultaneous voices (keys down at once). This gives maximum fidelity and will be satisfactory for all but the most elaborate rendition! The number of voices may be increased to any number up to 32 with only a minimal sacrifice of tone quality. Directions for specifying a higher number of simultaneous voices are given below. Before following EITHER procedure, create a directory on your C: drive named \BIRDKITS and copy all diskette files to it. METHOD #1--applies to ALL SampleStore synthesizers: Monterey, Maui, Tropez, Tropez Plus, Rio; and requires WavePatch 1.3. Make sure WavePatch is installed in Windows and is working properly with your WaveFront card. Enter the WavePatch application, and under File, select Load Drum Kit, and access your C:\BIRDKITS directory. Load your choice of BIRD1A-C to 4A-C. 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 (unless you need more--up to 32). 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 EVENING AND MORNING. Method #1 has the advantage that it can be used with ANY MIDI interface/connector in your system, including a separate MPU401-type interface or other sound card. If you have the other sound hardware set up correctly and working with WaveFront (avoiding address and IRQ conflicts!), you should be able to use its MIDI connector for this piece. As a result, you may not need to deal with the proprietary Turtle Beach MIDI adapter discussed below. Simply select the RELEVANT MIDI INPUT AUDITION DEVICE in WavePatch's Window/Master Controls selection box, as discussed above. METHOD #2--applies only to Maui, Tropez, Tropez Plus; it does not require WavePatch or other Windows software. However, if you have the Maui, you MUST interface with the proprietary Turtle Beach MIDI connector (see below). If your sound board port address and/or IRQ are not the usual defaults /a330 and /i2(9), do the following before proceeding: use a text editor to change these numbers on the first (and last) line of kit.bat to the proper ones for your system. (This instruction is included in kit.bat, as is the brief direction for specifying more than 24 voices. Also see kit.bat and setwf.doc for the /MPU flag required with Rio.) Now, from the C:\BIRDKITS directory, simply type kit xx {ENTER}--where xx equals 1A-4C corresponding to your choice of BIRD1A-C to 4A-C. After running kit.bat (which takes notably little time), you are ready to perform. Since this method transfers MIDI information from your keyboard to the WaveFront "drum kit" on ALL channels, the keyboard's output channel number is immaterial. (As noted below, when using MULTIPLE keyboards, it may be best to choose DIFFERENT output channels for each instrument.) PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS The overall effect of the "structured improvization" should be that of a layered texture that slowly shifts and evolves. Each key that loops 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 should be accomplished in part by changes in amplifier level in all BirdKits except 3A-C and 4A-C when performed on a velocity-sensitive keyboard. With the latter versions, keyboard velocity may largely create these framing dynamics. 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 in fixed-velocity renditions, amplifier level remains unchanged. As described earlier, the performer basically has four types of "patches" with which to work: "warble loops" (bottom octave of keyboard), "click loops" (top half-octave), single "calls" (lower halves of octaves 3, 4 and 5), and "call loops" (upper halves of octaves 3 and 4). The "warbles" and "clicks" function primarily as background, and remain pressed for extended periods of time--changing infrequently (particularly the "warbles," which have long fadeins and outs). The "clicks," however--not being continuous--MAY be treated as individual fragments, as can the "call" loops. (Episodic use of the "clicks" could be effective at the beginning or end of a performance.) The single and looped "calls" represent the foreground and main motivic content of the work. They should probably dominate the mid- section, with the most active texture mixing all three "calls" in rapid, quasi-random exchange, accompanied by sustained "call" loops (and perhaps "warble" and/or "click" loops as well). The performance might well begin with a slowly gathering background texture of either "warble" or "click" loops (in the case of the latter, possibly preceded by "click" fragments that increase in in density and eventually settle into loops). "Clicks" could then be added to "warbles" or vice versa. The realization could end either with the reverse progression (completing an "arch" form) or the OPPOSITE "patch" type from the beginning (e.g., if "clicks" were added to "warbles" toward the start, "warbles" would be subtracted from "clicks/warbles" at the end). In the mid-section, individual "calls" could first be introduced sparingly, then more frequently and overlapped, perhaps a single "call" type at a time. Eventually "call" loops join, thickening the texture--perhaps erratically at first (short loop segments), then sustaining. As the texture ultimately winds down (becoming more transparent), either the "call" loops disappear first (one at a time), or the single "calls" diminish--becoming fewer and less frequent. The latter scenario leaves an entirely more peaceful looping texture, which itself may progressively thin and/or metamorphose. Indeed, single "calls" might be completely omitted from the realization, the piece becoming a total "process"--nothing but loops subtly added and subtracted over fairly long spans of time. (Such a realization would parallel that of the sister piece EVENING AND MORNING: THE SIXTH DAY (CricKits).) The structural possibilities are enormous and open-ended; the designs sketched above are only several of many possible plans. The performer is urged to create his/her own unique "roadmap" through this material and to trace ever-new paths through improvization. The strongest single suggestion is to begin and/or end basically with the "warble" and "click" loops, as these are ambient background sonorities low in activity level. (In addition there is the general injunction against anything sudden or dramatic.) Even this remains a suggestion or guideline, however--not a requirement. As the player explores the looping/editing of the various "patches," he/she will discover how the sonorities have been laid out on the keyboard "intuitively" in several respects. Important in this regard are the divisions into octaves and half-octaves, with single and looped versions of "patches" paired within the octave; the low and high keyboard "frame" of background loops ("warble" and "click"); the low to high progression of complete to partial "calls." Such a layout should cut down on learning time and facilitate spontaneity. Rehearsal, then, is largely a matter of planning and realizing evolving textural densities, while becoming sensitive to the effect/role of various loops and single voices 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. OPTIONAL 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, in both DOS and Windows, with a modest amount of reverberation. (To change this setting, you must run one of the procedures described below.) These effects can ONLY BE CHANGED IN WINDOWS. EVENING AND MORNING may be realized without processing, with the modest default reverb, or other reverb type at a low to moderate level. (Do not use chorus or any "other" effects.) Since the non-looped editing of the "call patches" leaves their endings sounding rather abrupt, modest to moderate reverb MARKEDLY IMPROVES these sonorities. (For example the Tropez Plus FX Control Panel setting of 24 for Hall Reverb can easily be increased to a maximum of 30, while maintaining the Synth Level of 79.) The intent is to augment the qualities of openness and spaciousness. However, too little processing is better than too much, since the samples themselves contain reverberation. "Realism" should be enhanced rather than compromised. On BOTH SOUND CARDS, the effects may be accessed in Windows through the card's Control Panel (located in the sound card's application group). After completing software setup Method #1 (using WavePatch), SWITCH to the Control Panel without leaving WavePatch. Click on "FX Clips." After making/customizing your effect selection (choices vary on the two boards; Tropez Plus offers up to three simultaneous effects--but select ONLY reverb), switch back to WavePatch. To try out different settings, switch back and forth freely. On the TROPEZ PLUS, with Method #2, you may utilize the effects in DOS, without accessing WavePatch. Assuming your system is correctly configured for Tropez Plus under BOTH DOS AND WINDOWS (Quick Install does this), first enter Windows and access the Tropez Plus Control Panel, selecting/customizing effects as above. After exiting Windows, NEXT run kit.bat as described under Method #2. You are now ready to perform. To modify effects, access the Control Panel in Windows, then exit and rerun kit.bat. (The trick here is that kit.bat runs a version of setupsnd that does NOT reinitialize the effects processor, but otherwise prepares the card to work in DOS. ANOTHER version of setupsnd--one that comes with Tropez Plus--is auto-installed in your autoexec.bat file; it DOES initialize the effects!) 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 only be ordered directly from Turtle Beach. Turtle Beach, however, no longer routinely handles "special orders" from either individuals or companies (though with perseverence you MAY be able to obtain the unit--for $30 plus shipping). 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. (Be aware that the Turtle Beach adapter also includes MIDI Out and Thru, but does not furnish the MIDI cables themselves.) Parts: Radio Shack 42-2468 5-pin DIN cable (6')--$4.99 (this is the single MIDI input cable); 276-1537 9-position male D-sub connector-- $.99; 276-1508 9-position metal D-sub hood for above connector--$2.19. 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! PERFORMANCE ON MULTIPLE KEYBOARDS EVENING AND MORNING may be performed on multiple keyboards by more than one player. In this case, one or more MIDI MERGE BOXES are required. When performing the work from WavePatch, all keyboards must be set to the SAME "drum channel" (only one may be selected in WavePatch); from DOS (running kit.bat), keyboard channels may be the same OR DIFFERENT (ALL channels are automatically set to "drums"). With multiple keyboards, the same key may be gated more than once simultaneously; this can result in interesting, unique chorus/beating effects. There is a problem, however, in using the SAME MIDI (DRUM) CHANNEL for several keyboards: gating a key OFF on one keyboard gates it off on all! This is best avoided! Since this anomaly does not occur when the channels are different, multiple keyboard performance should be done from DOS with UNIQUE channels per keyboard. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, this option is not available to the Monterey or Rio (simply avoid playing the same key simultaneously on two keyboards). Velocity and non-velocity sensitive keyboards may be used together. A keyboard need only contain the range of keys a given performer intends to play. With multiple keyboards, the issue of which performer handles which range of keys is completely open. It is possible, for example, that each player could work with the entire 49-key range, and that a very dense texture could result. The only (hardware-imposed) limit on density is that of 32 simultaneous voices.