Day16: more nitty gritties

It's really time for 'down and dirty'. This morning I had one of the most extensive look at violin pitch in the most precise manner with Norbert at IRCAM. I have been using pitch tracking ever since I started to compose for interactive computer in 1992, but now it seems I maybe looking at the new era. My residency is really for this, to finally improve on my years of DIY "Do It Yourself" or in my case, "DIMB" (Do It Myself Badly!). The downside, or the inevitable consequence I was expecting, is that I maybe looking at getting into the anechoic chamber pretty soon, taking samples. I have done this taking samples in anechoic chambers quite a few times now, because of the Subharmonic research with several scientists. I'm 'used to it' although it isn't that pleasant. I made a joke today that I do require a bottle of Cognac, Calvados, etc to make myself happy in there! (I was just reading the above link on Anechoic Chamber and it looks grim: "radiation hazard, Fire hazard, Trapped personnel" What the...!? :)

Since my focus at the residency is quite multi-directional, and since there are about 5-6 researchers I'm working with and they travel one by one occasionally, I think I found a way to maximize my work. As usual I got several projects going on all at once and advance one of them when the other ones are paused. This way things will always advance. However I have to be in charge of keeping track of all of them so nothing will fall behind. Who knew that my concert preparation technique "no stones unturned" practicing method applies to this kind of research work :) I still do--when I have a recital or a huge concert I make a graphic list of how much I practiced and how for each of them, so I will be free of worries that I'm less prepared for somethings. If I have to worry, my head spends the energy for worrying and I cannot concentrate well. I have limited "RAM" (Random Access Memory)!

There are of course, other projects that with or without IRCAM I wanted to do this summer; one of which is to try out K-Bow, which I have on loan. I got IRCAM to lend me a violin to put it on and I'm powering it up today. It would be really interesting to see how it works, and to compare with the IRCAM system.

I know, the coffee cup is too close to that precious circuitry. I just did that on purpose to give the size-perspective for the photo :) Coffee cup was empty and way far away afterwords. A violinist and dear friend Jon Rose, who is the spokes-person of K-Bow, gave me valuable advice on this, and no doubt I will be relying on those words, pretty soon. Like tomorrow.