'Rainshadow' is an exploration of space and the derivative structures that link one’s immediate surroundings within a larger topographical or spectral framework. Using a pair of piezo-electric transducers set in a hand-held “wand” and tactile interface, the performer probes surfaces in the environment to capture minute impulse signals. These impulses are transformed using a variation of Karplus-Strong synthesis, imbuing each texture with a discrete pitch derived through intersections of a virtual overtone and undertone series. The resulting harmonic structure—constituting a 13-limit system of Just Intonation—is mirrored in the altered tuning of the cello.
Ben Luca Robertson is a composer, experimental luthier, and co-founder of the independent record label, Aphonia Recordings. His work addresses an interest in autonomous processes, landscape, and biological systems—often by supplanting narrative structure with an emphasis on the... Read More →
