Control of time in musical performances using a computer sequencer program and a synthesizer.
M. V. Mathews · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1991
Timing is one of the most important expressive factors in musical performance. The conductor program is a species of sequencer program with which a performer can control a synthesizer to play music. The conductor program responds, in real time, to gestures made by the performer on two radio batons. Three types of time control can be used: (1) Specific tempos can be written into the sequence stored in the computer memory. (2) A sequence of trigger points can be written into the sequence. The program acts to put the sequence of trigger points into correspondence, in time, with the sequence of beats generated by gestures of a baton. A trigger can cause a note to start or to stop. The time between two successive triggers can set a tempo. (3) Continuous control of tempo can be done by making tempo proportional to a coordinate (x, y, or z) of the position of a baton. All three tempo control methods can be used in the same piece of music by writing suitable instructions into the sequence. The conductor program thus provides very flexible and expressive time control.