“For the last few months, I’ve been developing a hardware prototype for Kalun Leung’s Artist Residency at Harvestworks. The objective of this project was to design a new performance system in which the sonic possibilities of a trombone are manipulated or augmented through physical and electronic means. The final prototype consisted of a standalone piece of hardware that worked as an electronic performance device or preparation, similar to a mute, which can be used in conjunction with a trombone as part of the instrument.

There is the sound manipulation component of the circuit which is based on feedback generation while manipulating it within the bell of the trombone. There is a dynamic microphone element, which feeds the main sound manipulation circuit, which is basically a delay and feedback line, with a very short delay time, to create a kind of ‘spectral feedback’ for lack of a better term. Then, there is a small power amplifier which amplifies the sound manipulation component, and then is output to an 8-ohm speaker. The speaker and speaker enclosure are designed so that the opening of the speaker, and speaker itself, can be manipulated with the hand to alter the sound being generated.”

Text by Frank Spigner
Designed and realized by Frank Spigner
Co-developed by Kalun Leung and Frank Spigner
Inspired by Felix del Tredici
Filmed by Peter Brensinger
Made possible with the generous support of Harvestworks

Here’s the first prototype of mubone, an augmented trombone outfitted with electronic sensors and controls. It takes advantage of the trombone’s directionality/physicality and incorporates movement/space as expressive inputs.

This video documents the application of the mubone in a 3D granular synthesis environment adapted from Nathan Weitzner’s real-time 3D granular synth patch and Chris Carlson’s Borderlands Granular. It also showcases on-instrument amplification inspired by Felix del Tredici’s creative use of karaoke microphones and Nicolas Collin’s plunger controller for !Trumpet. Travis West designed the augmentations (Slide ARM and tuning slide-mounted orientation sensor) and the software that goes with it. I rigged the speaker/plunger mute with wii-mote in the opening shot.

The orientation sensors enable the trombone to act as a virtual XYZ cursor, in other words, as a gestural controller that operates in 3D space. The trombonist’s sound is captured using a piezoelectric pick-up on the mouthpiece and the recorded sound is simultaneously granulated and distributed in the virtual 3D space around the performer. The method with which the grains are distributed can be based on pre-defined user parameters such as time index, RMS averages, spectral content, etc. But generally, a vis-a-vis distribution mode will be used, meaning that the virtual location of the recorded clip will correspond vis-a-vis the instrument’s physical orientation at the time of that clip’s recording. For example, if the trombone is pointing 90 degrees to the right of the player and parallel to the ground, any sound recorded in that specified space will be planted there, ready for recall if the trombone returns to that exact position. In essence, it is a looper that uses virtual 3D space to recall clips but powered by a suite of granular synthesis techniques such as grain duration or spread. The environment is interfaced with the player wirelessly, allowing for maximum movement potential and facilitating the cognitive liberty needed for improvisation and spontaneous decision making.

A Yoke Labs Production

Kalun Leung
Travis West

Video: Peter Brensinger
Audio: Rebekah Wineman
Colour: Chantalle Clarkin

Performed as the opening act for the Never Before, Never Again Festival 2018 in Brooklyn. We were given 15 minutes to present an interdisciplinary dance piece. We performed an entirely improvised set with 5 dancers and 5 musicians and made attempts at overlapping these traditional roles.

Luckily I never had to break up with or over Siri, which seems to be not far from the truth for some relationships who are tethered to technology or relationships that live in networked spaces. I had an amazing opportunity to work with fellow New School students from Drama and Jazz in Jane Ira Bloom’s Improvisatory Artists Lab. My co-star Jacqueline Reed helped dramatize the sketch as we improvised our way out of a brutal Siri-mediated breakup with the aid of my trombone birthday cake. 

I wanted to harness the idea of a Games Night which would bring audiences and performers together in a fun and cheeky way. This is the first of a series of improv games that borrow from party games, recorded at The New School with Reggie Workman’s Futuristic Ensemble Class.