Nymphea

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Current Version

for general notes click here

  • Macintosh computer equipped with an audio interface compatible with Max/MSP (e.g. Motu 828mkII; Motu 896; Digidesign DIGI002; RME sound-card) to run a patch including all mixing and the effects.
  • 4 contact microphones
  • 4 microphones for the amplification

·         Mixer & stereo diffusion (possibly return monitors for the musicians)

Note: A WINDOWS patch version will be available soon. For a request of a specific patch version, please contact Chester Promotions.

Original version

  • Yamaha DMP7 digital mixer & Yamaha MLA7 pre-amplifier
  • Yamaha SPX90 for harmonizers - see Appendix II for parameters
  • 4 contact microphones
  • 4 microphones for the amplification
  • Mixer & stereo diffusion (possibly return monitors for the musicians)

Notes
The sound ideal is a clear and rich 'close sound'. The microphones can be placed over the shoulders of the violins and viola players, to bother less the musicians. Generally speaking, the microphones should be placed as close to the instruments as possible.

The loudspeakers should be placed relatively close to the musicians to build one sound image.
The general level should be set to be rather loud, nevertheless not painfully so!

Harmonizers (see Appendix II for parameters)

Remarks concerning the DMP7 digital mixer:
The DMP7 mixer was chosen here to automate the simultaneous, complex effect changes.
When the proposition2 is chosen, one should edit the DMP7 programs so, that also the faders for the instruments (=amplification) are open. Here the same microphones are used for the effects and the amplification.

1) The instruments are on channels 1-4 as follows:
          channel 1 = violin1
          channel 2 = violin2
          channel 3 = viola
          channel 4 = cello

2) The instruments are placed in the stereo space according to musicians’ normal sitting order that is gradually from left (channel 1) to right (channel 4).

3) The programs marked in the score 1-36 are on the cartridge memory locations 31-66. DON'T modify these original programs, but copy them rather on another cartridge, if changes are needed.

4) Change the programs exactly when marked in the score.

5) Often a level of a given effect is to be modified gradually by hand; in that case the effect in question must be recalled in order to be controlled by the 'return fader' (in the score e.g.: return =send3). The fader is moved according to the approximate values given (referring to the numbers on the DMP7 faders) in the score.

6) The amplitude levels recorded in the programs are to be considered as references: it can be necessary to adapt them according to the different types of microphones used or to a given room acoustics.

7) To get a good idea of the processing, please listen a recording of the piece with the score, after having read these notes.