Dorothée Hahne

Many of my live-electronic compositions can be realised stage-ready with simple means. For this purpose, I have designed and pre-configured the respective software in such a way that it only takes a few clicks on the performer’s computer. The technical development of the performance of audio hardware is astonishingly rapid. The hardware used in this example for a 10 year old recorder virtuoso demonstrates vividly how even proven solid equipment can be used on a smaller budget: a Macbook Pro, as multi-channel audio interface a MOTU Ultralite MK3 Hybrid, a Bose Soundlink Mini II stereo speaker, an AKG S1000 microphone, an AKG headphone, as well as the necessary cables:

First, all devices are (according to instructions) set up and wired together. Then the audio interface, then the speaker and finally the Macbook is switched on:

The (configuration of the Macbook) allows that after starting the computer the audio interface connects automatically and the interactive software for composition (TelePartY) is opened:

The TelePartY software “remembers” the preset audio configuration (here as stereo version), so that only 3 more clicks are missing to make music intact:

1. The first mouse click in the main window on the green button [Reset All] loads all software-internal presettings.

2. The second mouse click on the green button [Audio ON] activates the connection to the audio interface.

After that, the volume levels for the microphone and the headphones (through which the synchronized metronome click is played) must be set once at the AUDIOINTERFACE. (If you save the setting at the audio interface, you will save this one-time intermediate step in the future). In the sense of house or chamber music the live played flute is not amplified electronically, but only recorded to be played back again at the same volume (an additional amplification of the live played voice is however just as possible with appropriate room size)

Optionally, a preset playback can be loaded with 3 clicks on the small round button [Playback 4 Soundcheck] and of course also switched off again in the same way for playing yourself. This allows you to comfortably test the volume and acoustics in the room.

3. The software starts with pressing the space bar with 2 bars counting in metronome click!

Each mouse click on the green [Reset All] button ends the current playback and resets the software with all presets ready to start again, so that pushing the space bar restarts the playback.

Thee software always starts from the beginning, which is the most practical solution for this type of composition with live recording and playback.
In addition to the metronome, a synchronised beat counter and signal lights indicating when the software is recording are present in the top left window.
For this reason, the solo part should be rehearsed in the exact timing and original tempo before using the software.

To stop the software, click on the red button [Audio OFF] to turn off the connection to the audio interface.

With the key combination [Control (apple)] + [Q] the software is terminated and the Macbook can be shut down again.

Picture and sound (played through the loudspeaker) of the last sample video were recorded with a simple smartphone.

The software makes it possible to realise performances mono, stereo and also quadraphonic, in which case the live recordings and their variations circulate around the auditorium in different movement patterns (see in the video also the lower window bar in the TelePartY software).

Sheet music and software for TelePartY, including detailed instructions, will be published in the newsicStore as a download. Pre-orders are possible by E-mail.