Debut: May 31, 2008
The Chocolate Factory
Long Island City, NY

• Autonomous synthesized Balinese Gamelan orchestra playing melodies loosely based on Gamelan Kong Kebyar structures.
• Accompanied My Meaty Showers by Holly Faurot and Sarah Paulson
• 20 minute performance consisting of 5 performers, 2 video monitors, and video (live & pre-recorded)

• Developed using the Java Music Specification Language (JMSL)

This work borrows from Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar musical structures (symmetrical melodies, axis, instrument harmonic and rythmic tempos, etc.), pairs those elements with FM and Chebyshev waveform synthesis, and presents it with user-directable controls like tempo, beat frequency range (below) and chance operations that control whether or not each individual note that is created is actually played. 

Balinese Gamelan instruments are tuned in pairs, such that the pairs are detuned from one another to create a beat frequency, or penjorog.  This interval is kept roughly the same across octaves and therefore octave are no longer all in a 2:1 ratio as in Western music.  In traditional instruments, this is kept anywhere from roughly 6-9 Hz and is one of the more noticeable characteristics of Balinese Gamelan music.  Keys makes this interval adjustable in real time - anywhere from 0 Hz (perfect unison) to 20Hz (way out of whack!). 

The gamelan score that is generated is always being generated full force - all notes.  But the percentage chance that each note plays slowly changes and, in effect, creates a more disjointed and random feeling structure.   The space is filled in with drones.  Listen in and let it crumble.

Thank you to Holly Faurot, Sarah H. Paulson, and Gamelan Dharma Swara.