I’ve almost finished with my initial round of tweaking and bug fixing on the GMS, so I’ve finally been able to put a bit more time into actually using the software for its intended purpose. My most recent work with it involves a companion document in Ableton Live that loads a number of virtual instruments into about nine separate MIDI tracks. Ableton provides the external sync via the Apple IAC (Inter-Application Communication) drivers. In turn, the GMS sends MIDI note on and off data to the instruments in Ableton. Using this method I can live loop on various tracks and build a multi-timbral composition in real-time. Here’s an example for a recent practice session.
I’ve been scheduled to perform live using my GMS this Wednesday night, May 13, 2009. I’ll be projecting against the Western wall of Art Institutes International. The reactive music will be amplified along with the projection as it is produced in real-time. Here’s the publicity statement that went out about the event.
John Keston will be performing using his gestural music sequencer or GMS on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 in the parking lot next to Art Institutes International Minnesota, 15 South 9th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The GMS was written in Processing.org by Ai instructor, Unearthed Music recording artist, and AudioCookbook.org founder John Keston. His tool analyzes video input and converts it into a sequence of musical information in real-time. The live video image will be projected on the building while the musical response to the images is amplified through a sound system. For more information about the GMS visit audiocookbook.org/tag/gms/. All Ai students, staff, alumni, and the public are welcome to attend this free performance. A drawing will be held (for WDIM students only) giving away two passes to this years Flashbelt conference.
Here’s a segment from a practice session today to give you an idea about what sort of output the GMS can produce. All of the percussion, melodic lines, and bass were generated by the sequencer, then live looped to produce the results.
Today while testing some code I had written to help lock in the GMS with external MIDI synchronization, I made a brief recording of live looping the output from the sequencer by capturing the notes in Ableton Live. Ableton was also acting as the clock source. The new feature works by initializing start times to the nearest quarter note. This way if the sequencer produces an odd number of fractional durations a simple start and stop of the GMS with the space bar will lock it back onto the quarter notes provided by the master clock. This may be a precursor to how I end up using this instrument once it is a complete package.
I stumbled across this backwards dissonant Rhodes chord while going through the recorded sounds in an Ableton Live project from about two and a half years ago.
I’ve almost finished with my initial round of tweaking and bug fixing on the GMS, so I’ve finally been able to put a bit more time into actually using the software for its intended purpose. My most recent work with it involves a companion document in Ableton Live that loads a number of virtual instruments into about nine separate MIDI tracks. Ableton provides the external sync via the Apple IAC (Inter-Application Communication) drivers. In turn, the GMS sends MIDI note on and off data to the instruments in Ableton. Using this method I can live loop on various tracks and build a multi-timbral composition in real-time. Here’s an example for a recent practice session.
