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Elegy No. 2 – for violin and computer

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Click here to download the score and the SuperCollider patch

Elegy No. 2 is a piece for violin and computer. The piece was commissioned by Sarah Plum. This recording is a preview of the piece that will be recorded and premiered in early 2018.

Elegy No.2 can be performed with a minimal technical setup. The minimum equipment required for the piece is a laptop. The operation of the patch used for the piece is also done by the performer. In other words, it is a portable piece.  I also made a video for setup and explanation of the piece:

Hardware Setup

• Ideal Devices Needed: audio interface, microphone, computer, speaker, pedal
1. Connect the interface to the computer
2. Select the interface as the main source of input and output for the computer
3. Connect the output of the interface to the speaker
4. Place the microphone close to the violin
5. Use space bar of the keyboard to advance through cues (read section II)
6. Alternatively, connect a pedal to the computer or the interface. A page-turning

 

• Minimum Devices Needed: laptop, speaker

1. Connect the output of the laptop to the speaker
2. Place the laptop’s microphone close to the violin
3. Use the space bar of the keyboard to advance through cues

The balance between the computer sound and the violin sound should be 50/50. When possible, try to match the computer part’s volume to an unamplified sound of the violin

Software Setup

• The computer uses a free program called SuperCollider and the composer’s SuperCollider file • SuperCollider can be downloaded from http://supercollider.github.io/download

• Elegy2.scd can be downloaded from http://www.joowonpark.net/elegy2

• To run the file:

1. Open Elegy2.scd in SuperCollider
2. In Menu, select Language -> Evaluate File. A GUI window will appear
3. Hit Space Bar (or pedal with a proper setting) to advance through the cue 4. To stop, press Command+period (.) For windows, press control+period. 5. Repeat steps 2-4 to play the piece again

• For performance at a large space increase the value of ~dry in line 15 to 0.5-1.0. This will make the sound of the violin come out from the speakers

 

Singaporean Crosswalk Updates

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Singaporean Crosswalk was inspired by my trip to Singapore in 2010. The sound of the traffic light in the city was quite different from that of the United States and Korea.

 

It was fun, effective, and musically intriguing. During the day, this sound was a theme song for the people in a metropolis. During the night, the traffic lights became part of a flora and fauna surrounding the city. I thank SPLICE Ensemble for commissioning and premiering this piece. I also thank Oberlin College’s Center for Information and Technology for renting me multiple computers.

 Singaporean Crosswalk requires four laptops and four players. It uses the internal speaker and microphone of the laptop, so there is no additional equipment needed. The essence of the piece is in the creation of unique spatialization through physical movement of the laptop players on and off the stage.

The piece has a few updates and news since its release on the summer of 2016.

1. The patch has been updated. The new version has a ‘stop’ button. The sync is now done manually (everybody presses the ‘start’ button at the same time). The wi-fi sync function is still available in the old version (OldVersion.zip).

 

 

2. The piece was presented in Muncie (IN) and Philadelphia (PA) this week. At Muncie, the piece in f Ball State University’s E|M concert series on September 20th. It was performed by Ball State Laptop Ensemble (Lucas Baughman, Daniel Sitler, Carter Rice, and Chad Powers).

 

 

On September 23rd, Temple’s BEEP Electronic Ensemble did a surprise concert at Temple University. It was the first time the piece was performed in an outdoor environment.

BEEP — Temple Homecoming Invasion 2016 from BEEP on Vimeo.

I am quite inspired by these performances, and I want to expand the current quartet version into an octet or larger.

3. Singaporean Crosswalk was performed at Singapore in last October !!! This was a dream-come-true moment for me, and I am grateful for Yong Siew Toh Conservatory’s Listeners’ Present Symposium.

4. Studio version of the piece is now available as a part of Modulationist album.

5. UTRGV New Music Ensemble presented the piece and recorded the entire piece.

6. SPLICE Institute 2024 participants presented the piece at its 10th anniversary year.

JNNJ – for percussion duo and computer

Compositions, Performances, Uncategorized

JNNJ was commissioned and premiered by Hunter Brown and Louis Pino in 2016.  The piece is inspired by the life and dynamics of my family. The title is a combination of the first letters of mom, dad, and two sons.

Technical Needs

  • One computer with a DAW or Max: Download files from www.joowonpark.net/jnnj . A Logic Pro X session is provided on the composer’s website, but any DAW will work.  The tape part can also be played with the provided Max patch.
  • Two speakers (stereo)
  • Two headphones for click tracks
  • An audio Interface with four separate outputs
  • TapeL.aif should be routed to output 1, connected to the left speaker
  • TapeR.aif should be routed to output 2, connected to the right speaker
  • ClickTrackL.aif should be routed to output 3, connected to Perc1’s click track
  • ClickTrackL.aif should be routed to output 4, connected to Perc2’s click track

Performance Needs

  • Two percussionists with a snare drum and a large cymbal for each performer.
  • Both performers use brushes for the entire piece.
  • Perc1  stands close to the left speaker, and Perc2 stands close to the right speaker

Performance Notes

  • Each performer gets his/her own click track. The click tracks will run in different tempi, and will gradually change the rate over the entire piece. Each performer should follow the tempo of his/her own click track.
  • Interpret the score like a jazz chart. Improvise in the notated style (funk and swing).
  • Pay attention to the pitch of the click track to hear the section changes.
  • Section-specific notes:
  1. S1: The tape part will fade in at around 20 seconds mark.
  2. S2:  Perc1  transforms the rhythmic pattern to a swing  (indicated as “target rhythm”) while slowing down.
  3. S3: Perc2 transforms the rhythmic  pattern to more energetic and busy funk rhythm while slowing down. Listen for the white noise cue for the next section.
  4. S4: Both Perc1 and Perc2 trade off solo while speeding up. The trade off will gradually overlap each other. Listen for the white noise cues to play uneven brush sweep on cymbals.
  5. S5: Both parts will speed up significantly. When the tempo becomes too fast, freely improvise with great energy. Increase the use of cymbals throughout the section.
  6. S6: Both Perc1 and Perc2 plays energetic cymbal improvisation while slowing down. Accompany the tape part after the click track stops. At the end of the tape part (7:00), create a quiet windy sound by swinging the brush in the air.