TECH.tonl

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Melismatic Murmurations is a series of improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David S. Ifland and saxophonist Joseph S. Lyons. In this trio version for alto saxophone, cello, and brainwave performer, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The brainwave performer uses B.WavZ, a brain-computer-music-interface that can detect both mental commands to synthesize the bass, wind, and bird sounds as well as quantify the performer's emotional state to determine the performance metrics including reverb, delay, looping, and pitch bending.

In September 2024, a video  of this premiere performance with added one-to-one visual effects was released by TECH.tonl Productions Technical Director Maxwell Lewis; the composer considers this video to be the definitive recording of Melismatic  Murmuration #3. 

Cast:

Joseph S. Lyons, alto saxophone

Eunice Koh, cello

David S. Ifland, brainwave performer

Production Team:

 Joseph S. Lyons, original A/V production of "Melismatic Murmuration #3-I"

Maxwell Lewis, VFX for "Melismatic Murmuration #3-Ia" 

This world premiere performance took place on March 29, 2024 at the University of South Carolina School of Music Recital Hall in Columbia, SC. 

"OCULUS" is a multimedia composition that takes the listener through the eye of Hurricane Laura. This hurricane made landfall on August 27th, 2020 at 1am and swept directly over the composer's hometown of DeRidder, LA. Hurricane Laura was the strongest storm to hit the gulf coast since the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) started tracking hurricanes in 1851 and caused catastrophic damages to coastal parishes in the west side of Louisiana.

“The South Grows Dark” (Movement I) is the buildup of the storm in which can be heard clips of weather service updates describing the storm, falling trees, a glass tornado, and multiphonics that mimic the sounds of exploding electrical transformers. “The Eye” (Movement II) is the eye itself in which can be heard the call of a lone mourning dove, the open space of the sky, and the eerie calm that the eye brings. The other side of the eye wall approaches and ends the second movement.

“The eye of a hurricane is terrifyingly beautiful. After hours of wind and rain, finally, there comes silence. The sky opens up and it feels like you could touch the stars. It's calm and tranquil… but it is not safe… You still have to live through the other side…”

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, alto saxophone & A/V production

David S. Ifland, modular synthesizer

This performance took place on March 29, 2024 at the University of South Carolina School of Music Recital Hall in Columbia, SC. 

Melismatic Murmurations is a series of improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David S. Ifland and saxophonist Joseph S. Lyons. In this trio version for alto saxophone, cello, and brainwave performer, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The brainwave performer uses B.WavZ, a brain-computer-music-interface that can detect both mental commands to synthesize sound and quantify the performer's emotional state to determine the performance metrics including reverb, delay, looping, and pitch bending.

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, alto saxophone & A/V production

Eunice Koh, cello

David S. Ifland, brainwave performer

This world premiere performance took place on March 29, 2024 during Lyons' final DMA dissertation solo recital at the University of South Carolina School of Music Recital Hall in Columbia, SC. 

 Melismatic Murmurations is a series of  improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David Ifland and myself. In this duo version for soprano saxophone and brainwave performer, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The brainwave performer uses B.WavZ, a brain-computer-music-interface that can detect both mental commands to synthesize sound and quantify the performer's emotional state to determine the performance metrics including reverb, delay, looping, and pitch bending.  (Performance begins at 3:31.)

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, soprano saxophone

David S. Ifland, brainwave performer & A/V production

This world premiere performance took place on April 2, 2023 at the 2023 NASA Biennial Conference at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS.

 Melismatic Murmurations is a series of  improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David Ifland and saxophonist Joseph S. Lyons. In this duo version for soprano saxophone and brainwave performer, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The brainwave performer uses B.WavZ, a brain-computer-music-interface that can detect both mental commands to synthesize sound and quantify the performer's emotional state to determine the performance metrics including reverb, delay, looping, and pitch bending.

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, soprano saxophone

David S. Ifland, brainwave performer & A/V production

This world premiere recording was made on March 9, 2023 in the CU-Denver Recording Core in Denver, CO and is part of Ifland's MS thesis project.

 Melismatic Murmurations is a series of  improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David Ifland and saxophonist Joseph S. Lyons. In this solo version for soprano saxophone and interactive electronics, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The patch also uses a process called transient detection; when the sound picked up by the microphone crosses a predetermined dynamic threshold, the playback effects are randomized.

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, soprano saxophone

David S. Ifland, A/V production

This world premiere performance took place on February 20, 2023 during Joseph S. Lyons' first DMA dissertation solo recital at the University of South Carolina School of Music Recital Hall in Columbia, SC. 

 Melismatic Murmurations is a series of  improvisations for live instruments and modular synthesizer co-produced by sound designer David Ifland and saxophonist Joseph S. Lyons. In this solo version for soprano saxophone and interactive electronics, the modular synth patch records the live audio, processes it, and plays it back on a loop. The patch also uses a process called transient detection; when the sound picked up by the microphone crosses a predetermined dynamic threshold, the playback effects are randomized.

Cast & Production Team:

Joseph S. Lyons, soprano saxophone

David S. Ifland, A/V production

This world premiere recording was made on October 22, 2022 in the University of South Carolina W. W. Hootie Johnson Performance Hall in Columbia, SC.