Kevin Schlei

	'Drop' - 2006
	'Drop' is a live electro-acoustic piece composed with the sights and sounds of dripping water. Taking a page from Hugh LeCaine's 'Dripsody,' this original work creates all of its sounds using dripping water as its source. The challange behind the piece was controlling the water in a way that fit the composition. Pre-recorded dripping sounds would not give the audience a core element of the piece: the presence and interaction with the water. The solution was to build a device suited for stage presentation, including a way to amplify the sight and sound of the water. The end result is a mirrored platform design built for a small aquarium. An angled mirror below the aquarium allows a projector to shine light through the shimmering water. Above the aquarium rests a tower designed to slowly drip water below it.
The piece was conceived from the beginning as a live performance - everything from pouring water into the device to controlling the electronic sounds and lightshow is performed in real-time. Groups of patches were written in Pd to capture and alter the dripping sound. The result can be played by any MIDI controller, but the piece was designed with the fast, percussive notes that the Zendrum (percussion MIDI controller) can achieve. Both the electronic sounds and the colors and intensities of light react to the performance.
	As the piece progresses, the dripping water takes on varied qualities. At times it becomes a natural sound, much like the sound of ocean waves or a stream. Eventually it is recon-structed as a new, synthetic instrument. The projected colors and dancing movement are able to fill the performance space with light. While the piece can use a screen to display the lightshow, it is best viewed in a room where it can spill its color accross the ceiling. The visuals work in tandem with the sounds, with both created and changed by the notes and phrases played.
The code for the piece (Pd files) can be downloaded below, and a score is coming soon. While the piece was written for specific hardware, any input can be used as a source. The piece uses GEM for its visual element. You can either install GEM into the basic version of Pd, or download Pd-extended which contains GEM pre-loaded. Pd files: drop_kevin_schlei.zip Audio samples: Click Here