RE: Microphones/ Cage

From: Philip Gelb (phil@philipgelb.com)
Date: Wed Feb 06 2002 - 19:35:24 PST


>Sorry I=92ve joined in the discussion about instrument materials a
>little late. I=92m in the middle of reading Takemitsu=92s writings and
>came across the following:

The Takemitsu books is wonderful!!!!

> I decided to use a contact microphone=85if you touch this
>microphone to wood it picks up the vibrations of the wood itself,
>bringing them into audible range. Through this scientific
>achievement new sounds can be heard.
>
> Has anyone out there tried this?

Cage did many pieces using this idea as have many other composers.
Some of Cage's pieces are "Cactus Music and "Music of Tree" and i
think there is one called "Child of Tree" but i am not positive.
There are recordings of these but it does not come across the same
was as when done live. Last year, a grad student at Mills College did
the Cactus piece and processed the sound of the cactus through MSP
and MAX patches (these are interactive computer music programs for
the mac). The results are rather interesting though i do not think
these are Cage's most interesting pieces.
  Seems that the flute solo part of Cage's "Ryoanji" is being played
by a number of shakuhachi players lately.

phil

-- 
Philip Gelb
phil@philipgelb.com
http://www.philipgelb.com (new homepage)



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