Masque de fer

Abstract:

Our research-creation project aimed to integrate acoustic drums and various electronics in a semi-structured unconventional composition process. The bottom-up approach allowed both parties to be curious and create a novel piece featuring new timbres and new orchestration applications for the drum kit with electronics. The tools used for this research creation were standard drum kit, microphones, percussion sampling pads, and computer with Max MSP. 

Similarly to popular music production, a studio version proceeded the live version. The compositional materials came from the performer’s idiomatic relation to the instrument and were directly influenced by the composer. This bottom-up approach allowed for a variety of timbral possibilities which would likely have been overlooked in a top-down approach.

One of the most essential tools for this research was the microphones. All performances related to this research were recorded in a controlled hall. These sonic materials were used to choose, combine, and juxtapose events to create an ideal performance of this piece which then served as a reference for live performance.

The purpose of our research was to further develop the use of extended techniques for the drum kit and to elaborate on the notation of each technique. This process served as creative use of drum kit and percussion timbres to the benefit of composers. For our research, we included common extended techniques within the percussion repertoire as well as new techniques which have not been used thus far in contemporary percussion.

The outcomes were a new piece for solo drum kit and electronics as well as a database of extended techniques which are part of our research-creation module for the TOR. The new piece features a variety of new timbres which have been taken from the database. The database of extended techniques may be useful as a composition tool for further research on drum kit and percussion. This research informs orchestration by contextualizing each drum kit timbre within an electroacoustic composition. The composition is a first trial for the use of our extended technique database as an orchestration tool.