Birds in C
Conduct an orchestra of birds through a re-interpretion of Terry Riley’s “In C”
Referencing Riley's original 53 short melodic fragments, recorded bird sounds are composed into the phrases to create an unexpected cacophony of chirps, whistles, and hoots. As the conductor, users add different birds to the orchestra and advance each of them through the phrases. Graphic representations of the phrases allow users without knowledge of typical music notation to associate the auditory relationship with what they see, thus learning while performing the piece.
Role: design, development, user testing, sound design, wireframes, prototyping, mockups
Tools: p5.js, Adobe Audition
Shown at NYU ITP Winter Show 2016
Notation
The project introduces a new notation for the musical phrases; users with no prior musical background can visually associate the graphic peaks and valleys with the auditory change in tone.
Composing Relationships
A live timeline represents the current state of play, overlaying all birds together. Below, the next phrases in sequence for shown individually for each bird allowing users to visually anticipate the auditory outcome of advancing a bird.
Sound Translation
The original score for “In C” consists of short melodic phrases without chords or harmonies. Yet through it's performance, the individual phrases and patterns overlap, creating a layered texturing of sounds. Reinterpreting this dense sound, “Birds in C” instead manipulated bird songs.
Prototyping
Various iterations considered different ways visual information and animation could help users make sense of the unfamiliar sounds and compose the piece. The challenge lay in indicating what sounds were currently being played and how they might combine with future sounds.
Conduct the birds
Visit the live site to play the chirps, hoots and whistles of owls, sparrows, and other birds