• An autonomous surf-rock band creates and performs pseudo-random instrumental music
• Accompanied Sunset Beach by Holly Faurot and Sarah Paulson
• Developed using the JMSL and Java

This was the second piece created in collaboration with the performances of Holly and Sarah. The performance was a multi-hour event of bathing suit clad performers standing on an installed beach inside their performance space. (I’m told an actual ton of sand was used.) Performers watched and followed videos and occasionally broke their glamorous stares by chewing fruit and spitting it out into parts of their bathing suits.

This was very messy.  

Playing off of the directed yet still autonomous performers, I took this opportunity to create a virtual surf band that would, in turn, create the soundtrack for the event. This band was to be directed, yet autonomous. Individual members were created: drummer, bass player, organist, and lead guitarist. Decisions are made using Markov Chains every measure of 4/4 time to mimic the basic I-IV-V progressions often used in surf music. This provided a decent amount of randomness while still keeping things in check on average.

Psuedo-random functions choose from pentatonic pitch classes for the lead instruments. On V-I changes, decisions are made as to whether or not the band should take a break. This not only provided needed breaks for the audience, but provided a good mechanism for changing program material – as if the band were taking a break themselves after finishing up a good song. A little robotic, perhaps, but not half bad for a virtual band.

Looking Forward

• Try other genres
• or create new ones

Thanks to Holly Faurot, Sarah Paulson, and Nick Didkovsky

~ Available for museum installation/performance ~
~ Please contact me for more information ~

Note: Please stop the music player on the above right if you are planning to watch the video.  It might get confusing otherwise.