Defining a language and the role of the discontinuous
A. Cutting a continuum into discrete elements: a prerequisite for the existence of a language.
Failure of continuum-based systems (noise, glissando).
Cultural differentiation by definition of cut.
B. Methods and criteria of cutoff and the effect on the richness of a language's possibilities (algebraic, geometric consequences).
The discrete element/object and its relationship with a hierarchy.
Local and global cut systems.
Compatibility of different cut systems.
Conflict between initial object and transformed object hierarchies. (e.g. piano tuning transformed by frequency translator)
The notion of interpolation in discrete systems.
The use of gesture or a fixed organization of timbres to create an ephemeral hierarchy.
C. Two stages in the organization of material:
- deciding on the cut: choosing the twelve-tone method (e.g.) ;
- writing figures (deducing, proliferating): Webern and the symmetrical organization of intervals.
The two stages are differentiated by the greater or lesser degree of intuition and subjectivity.
Techniques underlying the detection of discrete objects
A. Passive detection methods
- envelope, attack and dynamics detectors ;
- fingering detector
- mIDI detection
- pitch, dynamics, duration
- frequency inflection
- pressure after touch
- spatialization as a function of amplitude
- duration detection and quantization;
- filtering for
- pitch detection
- register-based activity detection
- mean value detection
- approximate timbre analysis
- pitch detection by zero crossing.
B. Active detection methods
- perceived pitch detection (Terhardt method)
- spectral analysis of the signal
- extraction of predominant components
- evaluation of masking effects
- component weights
- virtual height extraction
- salient height profile
- dynamic shape detection: envelope, trill, flatterzunge ;
- action memory (structural, factual) ;
- metric interpretation ;
- tempo tracking and synchronization ;
- score tracking by
- simple pattern recognition
- nominal score (the score object)
- real score (actual performance and its discrepancies)
- partition according to average behavior
- syntactic pattern recognition
- syntactic grammars
- applications at different musical levels
- use in open works.
- simple pattern recognition