Percussion for Apartments

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1 Percussion for Apartments for solo percussion + electronics Aaron Gervais

3 Percussion for Apartments for solo percussion + electronics August 2016 Duration: 2 00 Aaron Gervais Dedicated to ustin DeHart Première, conga movement: 0 September 201 ustin DeHart, percussion SEMPEM niverdade Federal de Goiás Goiânia, Brazil Première, full work: November 2016 ustin DeHart, percussion Center for New Music San Francisco, CA SA Copyright , Aaron Gervais (SOCAN). All rights reserved.

4 Program Note The idea for Percussion for Apartments came to me a few years ago when percussionist ustin DeHart and I were talking about collaborating on a solo percussion project. My instrumental background is in percussion, but starting in college I often lived in apartments where it wasn t practical to practice at home. I was always somewhat jealous of musicians who played quieter instruments and could practice without having to head out to the studio. We struck upon the idea of doing a series of quiet pieces for percussion that were apartment appropriate a sort of chamber music for percussion in the original sense of the term. Since everything was to be played quietly, it would by necessity involve a lot of extended techniques and nontraditional sounds. In addition, the act of generating all those sounds consistently requires a sort of intimate, tactile relationship with the instrument that would make a multipercussion setup impractical. For that reason, I decided to focus each piece on a single instrument and the sounds it could generate. To add textural interest, I also incorporated a live looping patch, written in SuperCollider, as a part of the performance. ustin premiered the first piece, for solo conga, at a festival in Goiânia, Brazil, in 201. Following the success of that piece, we decided to create three additional vignettes, for suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, and pandeiro. The full set was premiered in San Francisco in Technical Requirements Conga drum Suspended Cymbal Glockenspiel Pandeiro Various mallets and striking implements One of either: MIDI drumpad interface with 16 pads, such as the Korg nanopad2 Bluetooth page-turning foot pedal or similar device SuperCollider script (provided with the score) and laptop computer Digital-audio interface, stereo sound system, and all appropriate cables Shotgun mic or other highly directional microphone, with stand The SuperCollider script provides the looping functionality required in the score, and there are two ways to perform it, either using a MIDI drumpad interface or with a foot pedal. The piece should be played very quietly, with amplification used to make it audible to the audience. The microphone should be placed very close to the instrument. The SuperCollider patch does not amplify the acoustic instrumental sounds; as such, the hall s soundboard should be used to balance the sound of the acoustic instrument with that of the SuperCollider patch, as required. Both sound sources should be approximately the same volume so that they blend together into a unified sound.

5 The performer should not use on-stage monitors because of the quiet volume of the piece and the potential for feedback. In-ear monitors can be used if desired. Speakers should be placed downstage right and left of the performer, but not too far away, no more than 1 feet from the performer. Hanging overhead speakers located dozens of feet from the performer should be avoided because they will detract from the blending effect and phase shift the acousticelectric sounds. If using, the MIDI drumpad interface should have the following layout (similar to the Korg nanopad2), with two rows of eight buttons. The lowest button in the SuperCollider patch is assigned to MIDI note 7 by default, which is the lowest button on the Korg nanopad2; however, the patch can be adjusted for other controllers by changing the Lowest MIDI Note setting Notes on SuperCollider Performance LoopingRecording: The SuperCollider patch provides eight loop buffers for recording, and the current state of each buffer is shown in the patch s interface. Pressing keys on the drumpad controller will variously arm the recording, startstop playback, arm an overdub, or erase unneeded buffers. If using the foot pedal version, the pedal cues trigger the drumpad events instead. Regardless of which performance version is used, all of the necessary actions are notated in the score. That said, the performer should still be aware of the basic functions of the patch, as shown below, so that she can determine if the sound is correct: If the buffer is: When the lower pad is pressed: When the upper pad is pressed: empty arm (starts record on mic input) arm (starts record on mic input) armed disarm disarm recording stop record, start playing stop record, start playing playing pause arm overdub (starts record on mic input) paused play nothing paused (pad doubleclicked ) no special behavior (play then pause) erase Drumpad Notation: To assist with drumpad performance, the laptop screen shows which buffers are active, using a series of colors. Similarly, the drumpad notation is color coded in the score, as shown in the key below.

6 Drumpad Keys (lower set of ) (upper set of ) Drumpad Color Codes recording playing paused Foot Pedal 1 2 cue numbers Foot Pedal Notation: The foot pedal notation is shown on a single line, with the cue number under each note. Numbers on the screen count the foot pedal cues as they go by so that the performer knows where she is in the patch. Conga Notation Conga bass tone open tone (fingers) 1 4 1st 2nd rd 4th th heel toe heel toe skin nails Harmonics Hand 1 Hand 2 Rub Drumhead Dynamics: The rubbing of the drumhead with the hands is the quietest sound in the piece, and its dynamic range should serve as a reference for the other dynamics. Of course, a rubbing at forte will never be as loud as a bass or open tone at forte, but the piano dynamics should be adapted so that the rubbing can be heard alongside the other sounds. Harmonics: Lightly place the side of one hand against the drumhead on a harmonic node (initially, these can be found through trial and error, though their locations should be memorized), and then strike near the edge with the fingers of the other hand. The harmonic series can be heard as the hand is moved from node to node. The closer the node being touched is to the position on the drumhead struck by the fingers, the higher the harmonic. The performer should endeavor to touch the nodes as precisely as possible in order to achieve a clear, resonant tone. The resulting sound resembles a temple block.

7 Rubbing: For longer durations, the performer should improvise patterns with one or both hands across the drumhead, emphasizing phrasing. Given the quiet nature of the piece, some incidental, unnotated rubbing sounds will also occur, as the hands move from one location to the next. These incidental sounds are desirable, but the performer should choreograph hisher movements so that the sounds reinforce the phrasing of the piece. Cymbal Notation Suspended Cymbal RH: hand, mallets, or bow LH: knitting needle, thimbles RH LH RH edge to edge to bell center center LH bell. o dead stroke scrape butt end of mallet on cymbal LH lightly touches cym. while RH strikes tap edge (harmonic) open, \ light mute b " mute strong mute Glockenspiel Notation Glockenspiel. b ò, \ h mallet hand thimble hand deadstroke thimble mute fingertip mute harmonic 1 harmonic 2 mallet handle Mallets and thimble should be chosen to provide a contrasting sound. Mute is done with the flesh of the hand. Fingertip mute: lightly mute with thimble to provide a sound that contrasts to the open and muted sounds. Harmonics: Choose any two harmonics that sound on your instrument when the thimble touches the node and the bar is struck with the mallet. These will be subtle. It s more about the color change. Mallet handle: play with the mallet reversed, striking with the wooden handle.

8 Pandeiro Notation Pandeiro 1 - open mute* heel toe slap low thumb strokes hand strokes pitch slap high pitch shake instr. tap jingles with fingers * Lowest pitch is basic muted tone done with thumb. Higher pitches represent increased thumb pressure.

9 Percussion for Apartments I. Conga Aaron Gervais Conga Drum Pads (sounding) Foot Pedal Moderate q = j 6 6 Œ pp p ppp whimsical, playful j Œ Œ j Œ Œ j p mp p pp j Œ Œ j Œ 4 6 (12 recorded, all paused) j 1 1 Œ ppp j mp p pp Œ Œ 6 7 j Œ Œ Copyright Aaron Gervais (SOCAN). All rights reserved.

10 2 j j p pp pp p pp ppp r Œ j ( recording, then series of 1- playpause) Œ j 14 6 mf mp p Œ r Œ Œ Œ r Œ r Œ pp mf p Œ j Œ j Œ Œ j j Œ j Œ Œ j

11 1 f j Œ (1- recorded, all paused) j Œ 1 pp 21 6 pp pp pp j 4 f sub. pp sub. pp sub. f sub. pp sub.

12 j j f sub. 6 pp sub. 2 j 1 j 1 j 1 1 j ppp mf Œ Œ (1- series of playpause) Œ Œ pp j p pp mp p Œ r Œ j Œ (1- recorded, all paused) Œ r j Œ j Œ

13 ppp pp pp ppp 4 Faster q = 6 pp mf Œ Œ j Œ (4 recorded, all paused) Œ j Œ Œ j (tempo being recorded) 4 Œ pp mf pp Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ (6 recorded)

14 6 47 Œ Œ Œ 4 4 Œ mf f pp ff Œ j Œ Œ Œ j 1 pp ff sub. mf f Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ j j Œ Œ Œ j p 6 6 Œ Œ Œ R Œ Œ r j 4 4 j 4 Œ Œ f p mp pp f Œ j Œ Œ j Œ

15 6 4 4 mp f sub. mp pp f mp Œ R Œ Œ j r Œ Œ Œ 6 7 f pp f mp f Œ Œ ( only) (4 only) Œ Œ Œ pp f mp mf j j (4 only) 67 Œ f Œ j 4 j 2 4 Œ (6 only) 4 mf 4 4 4

16 Œ Œ f ff mf pp j 4 j Œ Œ 74 a tempo q = 72 r (overdub 1) p ppp mp Œ Œ Œ Œ pp p pp Œ j Œ 6 7 (overdub 2) 6 Œ j Œ 7 j 1 6 Œ ppp mf mp Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ r Œ j Œ Œ Œ r Œ

17 1 p pp mf Œ Œ Œ pp ppp pp Œ Œ j Œ Œ Œ j Œ 100 f j Œ pp 6 p Œ Œ (erase ) Œ Œ

18 10 Œ j pp p ppp p ppp j 4 p ppp p mp pp 104 Œ p mp pp sub. j 4 4 j 4 Œ Œ Œ j

19 j mp pp sub. ppp mf pp sub. mp (7 recorded) Œ mf p mp Œ r mf r Œ Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ j Œ Œ j r Œ Œ Œ Œ r Œ Œ Œ r Œ r Œ Œ 11

20 12 10 p sub. mf p mf Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ j p f Œ Œ Œ Œ (4-7 playing) p sub. f mf mp Œ Œ Œ Œ (2 playing)

21 11 r Œ 11 6 j accel. pp r Œ Œ 1 mp p mf 140 (recording ) 7 6 j (,6,7 playing) pp p mf (recording ) (erase 4) j q = 4 accel. pp ( recorded) 14 6 Œ Œ

22 mf pp mf Œ Œ r Œ Œ Œ r Œ q = pp j Œ r Œ (4 recorded) (,4,7, playing) Œ r j Œ p pp mp Œ j Œ p mf Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ Œ j

23 12 f p R R Œ Œ r Œ r Œ 1 11 accel. mp pp mf Œ j R R Œ j r Œ r f Œ Œ Œ j (,4,7, playing) Œ Œ j

24 16 17 q = 112 Œ Œ mf p ff Œ Œ 16 ad lib. (all erased)

25 b II. Suspended Cymbal 17 Suspended Cymbal Drum Pads (sounding) Foot Pedal Slow q = 60 4 Œ RH, w palm or fingers j Œ Œ pp gentle, distant p pp mp 4 j Œ Œ j 4 j Œ Œ j 1 2 Œ 14 LH, knitting needle tap Œ j mp p mf p j Œ j Œ j Œ j Œ 4 Œ Œ Œ 14 Œ Œ (mute) (deadstroke) pp mf ppp Œ (1-4 playing) j Œ b Œ Œ j Œ Œ o p mp p mp Œ j Œ 6

26 1 16 b b (move toward bell) j j Œ p mp p mp mf f mp Œ j Œ (bell)..... f p mf p mf p lightly hold needle against cymbal so it rattles 16 b ÍÍÍÍ j. j j mf p mf pp Œ Œ f p mf p sub.

27 b b b Œ Œ pp mp RH to yarn mallets b b b b b j j æ æ æ æ j æ j æ æ æ p j j j Œ pp mf p mf p mf p f p mf p p f p mf p more animated, aggressive b b o o. æ û æ æ Œ 6 (tap edge at 0 angle with shaft) æ æ æ æ j f j j b j b b b b 6 6 æ æ p f mf mp f p Œ (6 7 playing) Œ j 14

28 b b b b b b b b j Œ Œ 1 b ", o 10 o o o b.. o o ",. o. æ æ æ b j æ æ ù æ æ j Œ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 1 j Œ j Œ 16 (strong mute).... b, " o æ û Œ j æ Œ Œ æ æ æ Kr f mp p f f f f mp f mp f mp f mp drag butt of handle on cym. Œ 16 p f mp p f mp 17 1 Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ b " b, b, b o j b ÍÍÍ o o æ Œ æ Œ Œ Œ. o ", j j Œ æ Œ ff p p f mp p p f p f p 1 20 b b (slower roll) j j Œ æ Œ æ Œ æ j æ " Œ Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ j Œ Œ

29 ,, b b 200 Œ K <q = q RH to bow q = 0 LH to thimble mp mp calm, tranquil mf mp Œ (erase all loops) j j j (very lightly muted) b \ b j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 2 play out of sync with loop b j j j j j j Œ j j j j mf p mp j Œ j Œ 20 b \, j j j j j Œ j j j j j j j Œ mp mf mp j Œ \ b j j p 2 b \ b \ Œ mf Œ j Œ j

30 \ \ b b b b \ b b 22 b 217 j j 221 p ff possibile mf ff mf Œ 26 (1-4 playing) j Œ, b, Œ j f mf ff 22 Œ mf ff 22 shape and build harmonics as they start to come out j j j j j j mf

31 b 2 j w Œ j pp 27 Œ j (erase all loops) 2

32 24 Glockenspiel Drum Pads (sounding) Moderate q = 100 RH: mallet LH: thimbles 4 4 mf with movement III. Glockenspiel b b b b ò b Foot Pedal 4 24 ò, b b ò, \ b b b ò 20 b b b p sub. mf sub. Œ Œ 1 2 b ò b b ò ò b mp Œ 2 (1 paused) Œ mf

33 260 ò b ò, \ ò, \ b ò, ò \ 2 26 ò, ò, \ b ò \ ò, \, \, 270 \, b b b b j p sub. mf mp Œ Œ (1 playing, 2 recording) 27 (mallet handle) h.. h h. h h h... h f mp

34 h h h. h. h h.. h. h h.. h... h... Œ f mp mf mp h.. h h h h f 27 Œ Œ # # Œ # # Œ f rubato, carefree b b b b Œ Œ Œ Œ (1 2 playing) (mallet head) one-handed trem. (recording) h h h h h h h h h h h h (1 2 paused) j Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ h h. h h h. 7 7 # # (mallet head) 7# # 7 Œ 7 # 7 7j 7 7 j 7 7 j # 7 j 7 # 7 7 # 7 p ff Œ Œ Œ j (- playing) (1 playing) Œ Œ Œ Œ j 10

35 b 2 Œ Œ accel. mf mf p a tempo q = 100 accel. a tempo q = b b b j b b b b (1 2 playing) 1 14 accel. q = 112 Œ Œ f sub. ff p Œ (handle) steady rhythm in each hand, out of sync Œ Œ j j Œ (all paused, 6 recording) Œ Œ j j Œ h h j (mallet head) Œ Œ # h # h f Œ j Œ (7 recording) (1 2 playing) j Œ Œ j j Œ

36 2 1 Œ Œ (handle) h h mp j Œ Œ (2 playing, 6 overdub) (7 overdub) j j Œ j Œ Œ # h # h Œ 1 h h Œ # Œ ( recording) (2,6,7, playing) mf lively, rubato, chaotic j Œ Œ 24 2 (head) 22 Œ (6- alternate onoff) Œ Œ ff mp Œ 26 # j # Œ ff f ff Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ (- playing) (7- playing) Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ

37 0 4 j # # # # # # # # # ## # Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ j 41 # # # # # # # # # # # p (1-2 playing) # # # j # j # n n Œ j (1 only) Œ Œ (1, playing) Œ j Œ # # # mf p (7- playing, 1 overdub) 2

38 0 4 # # mf Œ Œ Œ Œ j Y Œ Y mallets both hands l.v. sempre ff mf pp legato, rambling (erase all) Œ j Œ j Œ (series of recording and overdubs, sequentially 1-6) Œ Œ j Œ j Œ j j # j # Œ # j j # # j j # # # j # j j # # # # Œ Œ j Œ j Œ Œ j Œ j 4 6 # # # j # j j n n j n n j # Œ j Œ Œ Œ r Œ R j Œ Œ j Œ Œ r j Œ

39 62 # # # # # # j n n b n b Œ r R Œ Œ Œ Œ r Œ Œ Œ 1 66 b j b Œ Œ (7 recording then plays) b b Œ Œ b 6 Ÿ~ b Œ (7 series of overdubs) Œ 70 7 b mp Ÿ~ Ÿ~~~~ b Œ 6 Œ 71 72

40 2 76 Œ b Ÿ mf Ÿ~~~~ Ÿ~~~ Ÿ~~~~ Ÿ~~~~~~ Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~ Ÿ # # # j Œ 1 < Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~ Ÿ~~~~~~~~~ Ÿ~~~~~~~~ Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ # Œ w 6 < Ÿ~~~~~~ w 7 (all sequentially paused) j Œ j j Œ Œ Œ ff (erase all) j Œ j j Œ j Œ Œ Œ

41 Pandeiro Drum Pads (sounding) Foot Pedal IV. Pandeiro Moderate q. = Œ j mf energetic, driving j Œ 16 Œ Œ (1 playing, 2 recording) Œ 16 Œ Œ 2 (1-2 playing, recording) j Œ j Œ Œ ( overdub) (4 recording) Œ Œ 4 6

42 4 402 Slower q. = mp Œ 16 (4 playing) Œ j a tempo q. = mf Œ Œ 16 (1-2 playing) Œ Œ Slower q. = 0 6 j Œ Œ 6 ( playing) (1- paused, 4 playing) Œ Œ 10 mp 410 Œ 1 16 Œ mf 1 Œ Œ Œ j 16 1 j Œ Œ Œ j (1,2,4 playing, recording)

43 Œ Œ mp Œ Œ Œ j Œ Œ (6 recording, series of pauses and plays) Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ j j Œ Œ Œ Œ j tempo I q. = Œ Œ j Œ 16 mf (1,4, playing) molto accel Œ 16 mp (6 playing) mf

44 6 427 f q. = 100 a tempo q. = j Œ Œ mp (1-2 play then pause) 41 f molto accel Œ 16 mp q. = æ Œ 16 f p sub (6 pause, then 1 play) tempo I q. = mf

45 j Œ 16 Œ Œ (2 play, 1 paused) Œ 16 Œ Œ 6 ( play, 2 paused) Œ Œ j j Œ Œ j molto accel f 12 2 Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ 16 mp (1-4 playing) f 12 12

46 41 ff Faster q. = 12 Œ r Œ pp calmer, distant 12 Œ (7 recording) 12 Œ j 44 Œ r Œ Œ Œ (7 paused, 6 playing) Œ Œ j p Œ 12 r Œ 12 r r Œ r r Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ pp ( recording, 6 playing)

47 Œ r r r 17 Œ r Œ Œ Œ Œ 16 (6, playing) Œ Œ p

48 pp Slightly slower q. = 0 10 æ æ Œ Œ r Œ 10 j Œ p 10 Œ (7 playing) 41 r 11 r Œ Œ Œ r Œ r 47 Œ r Œ Œ Œ Œ 4 mf

49 pp 1 16 Œ 1 16 Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ Œ 0 Œ r mf Œ p (erase all) 0 Œ

NP Drumline Audition Packet. Marching Band 2016 Season

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