Using Cents for Performers ... an example

Few are so lucky as to be compose for a top performer, a virtuoso, such as
Dave Taylor, bass trombonist. If you don't recognize him, Google his name.

Working with Dave on my polymicrotonal solo using cents was rapid. He did
rewrite the whole part to put the cents under the notes (while I always do
over the noteheads). Even after Dave first played my music in cents
notation, he presented a paradox: he played everything right but he couldn't
admit to hearing it. He had to trust me that it was right. I could sing his
line to him to get him started. But he has now played Zelig Mood Ring over
the world, as it is now requested of him.

See Dave play it on YouTube. Johnny

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk)

Cool piece Johnny.

One question - were the wide swings of the trombone (and you did the same
with your bassoon solo "Zanzibar") something done to produce a change in the
sound of the instrument or is it more a matter of expression?

Thanks,

Chris

On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 2:12 PM, <Afmmjr@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> **
> Few are so lucky as to be compose for a top performer, a virtuoso, such as
> Dave Taylor, bass trombonist. If you don't recognize him, Google his name.
>
> Working with Dave on my polymicrotonal solo using cents was rapid. He did
> rewrite the whole part to put the cents under the notes (while I always do
> over the noteheads). Even after Dave first played my music in cents
> notation, he presented a paradox: he played everything right but he couldn't
> admit to hearing it. He had to trust me that it was right. I could sing
> his line to him to get him started. But he has now played Zelig Mood Ring
> over the world, as it is now requested of him.
>
> See Dave play it on YouTube. Johnny
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk
>
>
>

Thanks, Chris. And yes, the wide trombone swings do change the sound, as
do the didjeridu section of Zanzibar, and as does the swinging of the
bassoon in circles in my pieces Dune, and in Samson and Delilah, and the use of
the cello in Odysseus...

Can you believe I had a bassoon teacher at Juilliard prep that was upset
when I moved my eyebrows?

Johnny

________________
Cool piece Johnny.
One question - were the wide swings of the trombone (and you did the same
with your bassoon solo "Zanzibar") something done to produce a change in
the sound of the instrument or is it more a matter of expression?

Thanks,

Chris

Johnny, have you messed with HEWM or some other 72-tet based notation
at all? I find it incredibly useful.

A long time ago I wrote a still half-finished string quartet. After
consulting the string players about what kind of notation they found
useful, they seemed to agree that "dynamic intonation" was where
things were at - they were used to dynamically tuning major thirds a
bit flat and minor sixths a bit sharp and all that. They suggested
little up or down arrows to signify little intonational shifts like
that. So my notation was basically going to be Tartini-Couper
notation, combined with little up and down arrows for "intonational
effect."

If you think about what this means, I've basically snuck in 72-equal
for them with this system. They understand intuitively that the kind
of intonational shift that you'll need to get to get from a normal
12-tet major third to a just one is about 14 cents, which is roughly
1\72. So quarter tone accidentals plus 1\72 shifts in either direction
gives you all of 72-equal.

If I ever end up writing in 72 again, that's going to be my approach.
I'm not sure how useful it'll be for ripping through 11-limit comma
pumps though.

-Mike

On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 2:12 PM, <Afmmjr@...> wrote:
>
> Few are so lucky as to be compose for a top performer, a virtuoso, such as Dave Taylor, bass trombonist.  If you don't recognize him, Google his name.
>
> Working with Dave on my polymicrotonal solo using cents was rapid.  He did rewrite the whole part to put the cents under the notes (while I always do over the noteheads).  Even after Dave first played my music in cents notation, he presented a paradox: he played everything right but he couldn't admit to hearing it.  He had to trust me that it was right.  I could sing his line to him to get him started.  But he has now played Zelig Mood Ring over the world, as it is now requested of him.
>
> See Dave play it on YouTube.  Johnny
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk
>
>

Actually, Mike, I have played in most every notation, including 72-tet
based notation. Shaahin Mohajeri left his music without any special notation,
as we had to memorize the differences for each note...and there were
written chromatic changes that did not change pitch. But it became just one
more notation. Trouble with 72 is I can and want to go deeper. A single cent
is my threshold of pitch acuity discrimination. HEWM, no.

Johnny

Johnny, have you messed with HEWM or some other 72-tet based notation
at all? I find it incredibly useful.

A long time ago I wrote a still half-finished string quartet. After
consulting the string players about what kind of notation they found
useful, they seemed to agree that "dynamic intonation" was where
things were at - they were used to dynamically tuning major thirds a
bit flat and minor sixths a bit sharp and all that. They suggested
little up or down arrows to signify little intonational shifts like
that. So my notation was basically going to be Tartini-Couper
notation, combined with little up and down arrows for "intonational
effect."

If you think about what this means, I've basically snuck in 72-equal
for them with this system. They understand intuitively that the kind
of intonational shift that you'll need to get to get from a normal
12-tet major third to a just one is about 14 cents, which is roughly
1\72. So quarter tone accidentals plus 1\72 shifts in either direction
gives you all of 72-equal.

If I ever end up writing in 72 again, that's going to be my approach.
I'm not sure how useful it'll be for ripping through 11-limit comma
pumps though.

-Mike

On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 2:12 PM, <_Afmmjr@..._
(/tuning/post?postID=SmQRQLGW7MY0vz51rSIVmPZmZ8eA2DUPRuDNwsjU4TddaPSj
TjWH1-wcqZmKTfEtBjfSaug) > wrote:
>
> Few are so lucky as to be compose for a top performer, a virtuoso, such
as
Dave Taylor, bass trombonist. If you don't recognize him, Google his name.
>
> Working with Dave on my polymicrotonal solo using cents was rapid. He did
rewrite the whole part to put the cents under the notes (while I always do
over
the noteheads). Even after Dave first played my music in cents notation,
he
presented a paradox: he played everything right but he couldn't admit to
hearing
it. He had to trust me that it was right. I could sing his line to him to
get
him started. But he has now played Zelig Mood Ring over the world, as it
is now
requested of him.
>
> See Dave play it on YouTube. Johnny
>
> _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk_
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MoRojVZZDk)
>