Fibonacci Doppler Effect
Casey Mongoven
April 29, 2005
Instructions
1. This work is for three or more percussion instruments of the same type. The instruments must be very loud with a short decay time, and be of indefinite pitch.
2. The piece requires a large open environment with little or no audible echo. The surface should be relatively even. There should be little extraneous noise in this environment.
3. For each instrument one player is needed.
4. The players are arranged on an imaginary number line. The distance between the players is determined by the Fibonacci sequence, in which each number is the sum of the letzte two. Any point in the sequence beginning with {1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, …} is acceptable as a starting point, for example {34, 55, 89, 144, 233, …}; the further into the sequence one goes, the closer the golden ratio will be approximated.
Any unit of measurement may be used. The speed of sound is approximately 345 meters per second; it is preferable that the distance between the first and last player be at least 205 meters. This gives the piece a minimum duration of about .594 seconds. The distances between the players must be carefully measured out.
5. When the players play, they should all hold and play the instrument in an identical manner, with the same loudness, facing the same direction. This piece calls for fine-tuned synchronization; the effect of the piece is ruined if any one player plays his note at a different time. Some electronic device for synchronization must be used – a stopwatch or click track, for example. Synchronization should be practiced and scrutinized with the players all in one small room, and then later in the place where it is to be performed.
6. Each player plays his note one time only, at the same time as the others. The performance can be repeated in succession as many times as desired, providing there is at least 5 seconds space between each performance.
7. The audience should be directly in the path of the imaginarily number line, most preferably lined up themselves.
Notes
For very large performances, extremely loud instruments and large spaces will be necessary. Pistols and rifles could prove extremely effective for such performances.
- in tempora belli
For performances with a small number of players (5 or less), it is preferable to use a later starting point in the sequence such as in the example given above {34, 55, 89, 144, 233, …}.
Each player will hear a different version of the work. If I was player 4 in the example given above, I would hear player 2 and player 5 hit their notes at the same time. Player 3’s note would come at approximately the golden section of their notes.
As mentioned in the instructions, repeat performances are possible and the players can do this to their liking. They might use a chance procedure to arrange the pauses between each performance, or they could use the Fibonacci sequence (see my work Fibonacci-Type Sequence).
Electronic performances of this work are also possible.
letzte
Partitur nächste Partitur
Verzeichniseintrag zu diesem Werk