freqHappening: Showcase of Interactive Electronic Music

On Wednesday June, 4th 2003 students from the CCS Music Course, Interactive Computer Music and Synthesizer Design, held a concert called freqHappening to show off their latest skills. Interactive Computer Music and Synthesizer Design was taught during the Winter and Spring quarters of 2003. As the course title suggests, students learned how to create their own synthesizers from scratch on the computer using a software environment called MAX/MSP. Students then used various types of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers to get information into the computer, allowing them to play their synthesizers. Among other things, MAX/MSP also has the ability to manipulate live sounds or recorded samples, which allows for an almost unlimited amount of sound possibilities.

Works at the concert included, Sam Fischmann’s untitled work for cross synthesized voice controlled with MIDI knobs, keyboard and faders; Andrew Halseth’s Campus Point for horn and foot pedal controlled electronics; Brian Wood’s There is Yogurt…Sometimes There’s Other Stuff for yogurt, voice and electronics controlled with a drum-pad; and John Meyers’ Left On! An improvisatory piece based on drones and glissandos controlled with MIDI knobs, keyboard and faders. The concert also included works by MAT graduate student Barb Noren (who presented a work, jzzlctro, for flute and electronics) and CCS Freshman Robert Janeway (who improvised a work, Vintage Moth, using another software environment called Reason). Most of the works featured 4-channel (quadrophic) spatialization of the sound.

Andrew Halseth’s Campus Point for horn and foot pedal controlled electronics	John Meyers performs Left On!
Sam Fischmann’s untitled work for cross synthesized voice contrond faderlled with MIDI knobs, keyboard as	Brian Wood performing There is Yogurt…Sometimes There’s Other Stuff for yogurt, voice and electronics

Overall the concert was a success and has been the inspiration for a new group called, Interactive Electronic Media Group at UCSB (IEMG-UCSB). The IEMG-UCSB will provide a forum where composers can continue to learn how to make their own computer-based synthesizers, learn how to make sensors and other control interfaces that are useful in electronic music performance, and organize future performances of interactive electronic music on and off campus.