Patch informations

Overview

The electronic patch has 6 inputs :

• Input 1-2 : Harp Stereo (you can adjust mono downmix)
• Input 3-4 : Cymbalum stereo (you can adjust downmix)
• Input 5 : Guitar
• Input 6 : Bassand

and 5 outputs :

• dac~ 1 2 3 4 for loudspeaker 1 to 4 clockwise
• dac~5 for the clicktrack

To trigger electronic events, you can either do it manually using the arrows of the keyboard (right arrow trigger next event, up/down arrows scroll through events without triggering), or use a click track with automatic event triggering. For click track, you can either use an internal click track sequence, or use an Ableton Live/Digital Performer external session for more control. In all cases, there is a section in the piece where you will need to manually trigger events.

The patch comes with Ableton and DP simulation sessions containing the MIDI triggers and individual stem recordings. It also comes with Ableton and DP concert sessions ready to go.

Two MIDI BCF 2000 (16 faders) were used to control the effects and the input/output levels.

A spare parallelly received MIDI events sent from the main computer.

Installation

1. Download 'SulSegno_2025.dmg'.
2. Copy the folder 'SulSegno_2025_ARM' on your hard disk.
3. Launch Max 9, and select the folder 'SulSegno_2025_ARM' in 'Options > File Preferences' menu.
4. Open the file 'SulSegno-2025.maxpat'.

Main Window

The concert patch is composed of :

• Left : configuration interface and display patchers
• Middle: dsp, master level and click track faders.
• Right: events display and click-track interface. You can preview the bar of the next event in the actual section of the piece, and see the current event playing.

MIDI triggers event : for safety, you can deactivate this option if working with internal click track or manual triggering.

Initialization

1. Check "Audio status..." : FS 48kHz ; I/O Size 256 ; Vector Size 64 ; Overdrive OFF.
2. Check "Midi Setup..." : make sure all your devices are "on".
3. Click 1- midi config and select the corresponding devices for the MIDI triggering (not concerned if playing with internal click track or manually), the two fader controllers and the spare connection MIDI device.
4. Click 2- reset.
5. Turn DAC on.
6. Rewind your DP or Ableton sessions if used. Press play in Ableton/DP or "Play/Stop" in Max or press right arrow key to start, depending on your setup.

MIDI Click precisions

• Note 108 triggers next event.
• Note 70 (A#3) plays the first beat sound.
• Note 82 (A#4) plays low beat sound.

For the 2017 version, no click track was used and all cues were triggered from the FOH by the computer music designer as a request from the conductor.

Execution instructions (click track version)

To begin the piece, start manually the click-track at the first beat of the conductor. Just after bar 225 beat 1, stop the click-track, and position the cursor in DP/Live to bar 246. There is a harp solo, and you must trigger the events manually (better directly in max with 'right arrow') until event 245 included. After you have triggered event 245, It's up to you to decide when to start again the click-track. After you start it, the conductor receives three beats before bar 247.

Mixing

Sul Segno makes a great use of RT treatments along with relatively short soundfiles and longer "tapes". Instruments should be clearly amplified and the electronics and amplification should sound at the same level. If all the instruments are used for RT, Harp is the main-processed instrument. Harp input should be slightly louder than the others, and a short rehearsal with harp only would be useful, especially for the 2 solo parts. Electronics and amplification should blend in.
Some strong levels of electronics useful for setup would be found at bar 97 and following (1st tape part), at the climax of Harp 2nd cadenza between bar 233-235 and at bar 342 (end).
All the treatments On- Off and volume curves are automated. Nevertheless, the Computer Music Performer should mix the master layer of these elements.
The mixing of the effects can be done with a 16 faders mixer. Some treatments need particular attention: FFT filters, harmonizers, resonators, sfiles and granulators.
Have a look at the matrix patch during rehearsals to visualize the treatment chain, use the patcher "POTARDS" to access the mixing page.

Electronics elements Overview :

spatialization : instruments will be spatialized by the patch. See for example bar 287.

del: delays ; reinjection of material. Lots of moment in the piece. should be as equal as the amplified sound (ex on bar 3). used in conjonction of other treatments (ex from bar 248 with mod)

harm : 4 harmonizers. use of delays inside the harm too. good examples on dbass at bar 134 & following, or in the 2nd harp cadenza at bar 225 & fol.

mod : ring modulation ; example at bar 248

shift : frequency shifting : example on harp at bar 39 (with dels); result should be as loud as the real harp;

munger ; various granular textures& patterns ; look at end of tape 1 section beginning at bar 106, and especially at 248 & following (guitar capture and rythmic patterns)

reson : resonators (cnmat) ; various models and configurations are used, especially on harp lots of use in the piece, especially 2nd Harp Cadenza at bar 235 and following or at bar 175 and fol., 203 & fol. ... can sound loud ; beware of feedback.

Reverbs : used all along the piece on instruments or treatments outputs. RevA is for longer times. Example of use at bar 44 and following, or bar 164.

Gran; granulator ; used for various types of textures. One of the main source of electronic sounds. Granulates sound that are captured during performance. Take a look at : bar 106 and following, gran and mung should make the texture of bar 120 and fol. And especially have a look from bar 128 (capture) until the end of 1st Harp cadenza at 167. Gran should be at the same level as the harp at bar 152, then make all the accompaniment texture during the cadenza. To be constantly adjusted for the mix.

Samp : sampler(or~) trigs rather small sound files, especially the bass sounds ; example at bar 245 or from bar 313. Should be well present !

Sfiles : Main sound files, multichannel. All the harp sequences (look at bar 14), textures, and TAPES : bar 97, bar 327 and fol. Bar 342 at the end. Not too loud for the rather short ones, but bar 97 should be well present. Do not cover the instruments at the end (327). End sound file (from 342) should be a little bit faded out at the end of the file.

Filters : 2 FFT filters. Used at various places in the piece, be careful of feedback. Take a look at bar 14 on the dbass (should be a little coloration of the sound) and at the 2nd Harp cadenza at bar 225 where the FFT filters should be pushed louder.

`Dist : not used