some samples of the "time card koto", a stringed instrument i built.  these are just short improvisations meant to demonstrate the range of sounds the instrument can produce.

in all clips the instrument is amplified (with magnetic guitar pickups) and played through a small Fender tube amp at medium-low volume (no reverb added).  the microphone is positioned to pick up both the amplified and acoustic sounds.

time card koto demos

After an overnight computational search for perfectly balanced scales with lots of consonant intervals, I came across this beauty. This is a piece I wrote in that scale the next day.

The scale is: 0, 76.7, 261.4, 490.4, 642.3, 763.9, 967.9 1200.0 cents.

just a bunch of noodling really -- nothing too serious.

Catnip (2016)

Guitar parts performed with a 14-EDO guitar plus pitch shifter.

Mynefielde (demo)

This work was composed in Dec 2015 as a commission from Da Camera:Houston for the Museum Fine Arts Houston's Rothko Retrospective with additional performances at Rothko Chapel. Inspired by late work of Mark Rothko. 

Recorded by Ingrid Hunter, Jae-won Bang, Annie Chen, Giancarlo Latta - violins; Jill Valentine, Jebat Kee, viola; Max Geissler, Helen Weberpal, cello; Renaud-Boucher Browning and Charles Paul, Bass

No. 11 for String Orchestra

Forever
Forever
The dark goes on forever
The dark goes on
Forever
The dark goes on forever
The dark goes on
Forever

And the light ends
Light ends
And the light ends
The light
Ends

And the dark goes on forever
The dark goes on forever
And the light
Ends
The light
Ends the Darkness

The darkness
The darkness

Forever

The now goes one forever
So the light goes on forever
The light goes on
The light goes on forever
The light is
Now
And Then

The dark won't last untethered
Cause the light ends the darkness
The darkness goes on forever
But
The light won't end, the day
The day will fade fade fade fade fade

Oh oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, whoa ha ha ha
Woe o'ha ha

The darkness goes forever
The darkness goes on forever
The light, it ends
And the light it ends

The darkness goes on forever
And the light ends
The light, ends forever
Forever is now

Forever Is Now

Train To Hawaii

DSMWS

For harpsichord with 2 split keys per octave, tuned in quarter-comma meantone (C C# D D# Eb E F F# G G# Ab A=415Hz Bb B). 
Matias Häkkinen, harpsichord. Chapel of St. Lawrence, Vantaa, Finland (first performance, 7 Aug 2017).
1. [0'0"]Tetradekafoninen preludi (Tetradecaphonic Prelude), 2. [4'10"] Urbaani yösoitto (Urban Nocturne), 3. [7'35"] Resitatiivi ja koraali (Recitative and Chorale), 4. [10'35"] Tetradekafoninen kapriisi (Tetradecaphonic Caprice), 5. [11'10"] Antiikin enharmoninen moodi (The Enharmonic Mode of Antiquity), 6. [12'50"] '2 U', 7. [15'05"] Koukkuja ja kertosäkeitä (Hooks and Refrains).

Enharmoninen sarja (Enharmonic Suite)

This piece was written for the flute players of Duo Zhonda, at Charlotte New Music Festival 2017. Music commonly thought of as lost and forgetful could have a variety of attributes. With an erratic nature, the music can be hasty, jumping from place to place in panic. With a monotonous nature, it can be pacing around in a circle wondering where it should go. In this piece, I purposely fade between the two ideas over the entire course of the piece, inversely with both rhythm and pitch. This piece is dedicated to my professor Jody Nagel, who often says, “Symmetry removes one’s ability to orient.” This short piece is an exploration of that idea, and inspired by that very phrase, as 36 is highly composite.

A sincere and heartfelt thanks to Orlando Cela and Wei Zhao for playing this!

Exponentially More Lost And Forgetful (36 - EDO)

A partner to 'Abstraction #1', these are a pair of piano pieces exploring the sonorities available to 23edo. This one is more on the urgent and restless side than the previous.

Abstraction #2

this sample demonstrates the primary playing techniques of plucking the strings between the fixed and moveable bridges.  vibrato and bends are made by pressing the string to the left of the moveable bridge.  here the instrument is played with a guitar pick (plectrum).

time card koto demos - primary techniques

another clip of basic playing techniques.

time card koto demos - primary techniques 2

this clip uses various "extended techniques" such as plucking the strings on the untuned sides of the bridges, rapping and scratching on the body, muting strings, etc.

time card koto demos - extended techniques

plucking between the fixed bridge (in this case, a metal cabinet handle) and tuning pegs.

time card koto demos - behind fixed bridge

plucking between the fixed end of the strings (wood screws) and the moveable bridges (L-brackets).

time card koto demos - behind movable bridges

here a single hair is detached from the cello bow, and one end tied to the low string near the fixed bridge.  the string is pulled between the fingers, varying finger pressure and speed to control tone.  (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS-_W-dOYeo for a much more masterful use of this technique!)

time card koto demos - bowhair tied to low string

Scott Thompson

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