Thrie Heids was a successful collaboration between composer Stephen Deazley, students at Braidburn Special School and myself. We also worked with Drake Music Project, Scotland and with composer/sound designer/drummer Pete Vilk and Sound Designer/Computer operator Nick Wilsdon.

Sept-Nov 2006
I was commissioned to develop an interactive music system that would allow performers from Braidburn school to integrate with the Brewhouse band and Stephen Deazley’s fast paced music seamlessly. The collaborative nature of the project allowed Stephen’s music to be written as we developed systems. Ideas emerging from workshops were integrated into the music and we could develop material according to ideas Stephen was having as he wrote the music. However, the software suite was created in such a way as to be entirely scalable for different pieces, performers and interfaces.

Particular features of the software include a dynamic mapping system, rehearsal cues via presets and real-time sound design. Rather than fixing sounds to pre-defined synth tones and samples, we could calibrate the sounds and change them in real-time according to properties mapped onto their interfaces.

Dynamic Mapping System;
A range of interfaces are attached to various computers such a light sensors, switches and joysticks. The computers are connected to a network hub and data from the interfaces is sent to all computers simultaneously. A switch therefore can be a snare drum in one moment and the next playing a scale on a bass synth in the next.

Rehearsal Cues/Presets;
The system was built so that every setting chosen during rehearsal could be stored and defined. We could then jump from section to section easily without holding up rehearsals with the ensemble.

Realtime Sound Design;
Each element of the sound created in the computer is configurable. In only a few cases did we use specific samples every time. This meant that if particular sequences needed to be punchier in a large venue or if we decided that a particular sound was too edgy this could easily be modified in situ.

Technical details;
For the performance it was valuable to have two computer operators to manage the four computers we had on stage. The number of computers was helpful because it permitted distribution of CPU load across a number of machines and this also allowed for the possibility of crashes with zero down time. However, the piece could be run with one computer operator if necessary and two computers.
All computers need to be Macintosh, OSX and as a fast as possible with plenty of RAM.
Each computer needs a professional quality audio interface and this should also have midi onboard. PCs could be used too but these require much more setup time in the first place and tend to be less reliable with 3rd party sound cards.

In our performances in November 2006, Nick Wilsdon was the second computer operator and Pete Vilk played an essential role at workshops while software was developed. He also wrote some software that allowed one of the Braidburn performers to beatcrunch during a solo.

The piece was performed twice.
06-11-06 Edinburgh; North Edinburgh Arts Centre
08-11-06 Glasgow; Fruitmarket, City Halls, Music and the New Musicians conference;
http://www.newmusicians.org/projects/heids.html