1. Audio setup

The piece is for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Guitar and Cello. All voices and instruments have dedicated microphones for independent real-time electronic effects and amplification. Audio effects and soundfiles are sent to 7 speakers around the public.

The electronic part is done in a Cycling74 Max patch, with realtime audio effects and sound files.

Cues are triggered by the cello, using a foot switch.

2. Loudspeaker setup

The piece is configured for 7 speakers around the audience.

Note: for this performance, audio outputs of Max were sent to virtual speakers, set as sources in a Spat Revolution configuration. The Spat Revolution preset file is provided in the documentation.

3. Midi setup

A MIDI foot switch (sustain) is used to trigger FX cues, played by the Cello, on stage.

A MIDI controler (BCF2000) is used to mix the sound of electronic, in the FOH.

4. Software installation

1. Add the whole QSM concert patch folder to Max "File Preferences"
2. Donwnload and Install IRCAM's SPAT v5.3.5 (or later) in Max 9 Packages folder to ~/Documents/Max 9/Packages
3. Donwnload and Install IRCAM's ANTESCOFO v1.0-599 (or later) for ARM, in Max 9 Packages folder to ~/Documents/Max 9/Packages
4. Donwnload and Install ZHDK ICST Ambisonic Suite v3.0.2 (or later) in Max 9 Packages folder to ~/Documents/Max 9/Packages

4. Audio Routing

Main and Spare computers:

Inputs		Outputs
1	Soprano	1	Front Left Speaker
2	Alto	2	Front Middle Speaker
3	Tenor	3	Front Right Speaker
4	Bass	4	Side Right Speaker
5	Guitar	5	Rear Right Speaker
6	Cello	6	Rear Left Speaker
		7	Side Left Speaker

5. Max presentation

a) Presentation

The piece uses 3 different Max Patchs:

• _QSM_CONCERT_26a: Main Patch
• _QSM_SPATS_FX_12_7HP: FX spatialization Patch
• _QSM_SPATS_SF_12_7HP: Sound files spatialization Patch

b) Main patch

The Main patch receives audio from all microphones, applies audio effects in real-time, trigs sound files, manages the electronic score with Antescofo, sends audio to speakers / spatialisation patches.

Antescofo:

At startup, the latest Antescofo score is loaded, and ready to be started.

Next events are triggered with the MIDI foot switch (MIDI CC 64), or using "space bar".

The menu "score" displays all the scores present in "ANTESCOFO" folder.

• "reloadscore" button: reload selected score (stop Antescsofo processes)
• "start" button: start the selected score.
• "stop" button: stop all Antescofo processes
• "goto" menu: select a cue ot jump to it
• "green" button: re-trig the previous selected event in the "goto" menu
• "red" button: stops all sound files (which are not stopped with the "stop" button)

During rehearsal, to jump to a precise cue:

1. Click "stop" button to stop running processes
2. Click "red" button to stop playing sound files
3. Choose the cues to jump in menu "goto"

The next MIDI foot siwtch event, or "space bar" action will trigger the selected cue.

Matrix system:

Audio from microphones is sent to FX using the matrix "matrix_fx".

Audio outputs from FX are sent to speakers / FX spat patch using the matrix "matrix_outputs".

Sound files are directly send to SF spat patch.

These VU-meters displays useful information:

• Black VU-meter: voices (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) microphones inputs
• Blue VU-meter: instruments (Guitare, Cello) microphones inputs
• Orange VU-meter: FX audio channels sent to FX Spat Patch.
• Brown VU-meter: Sound file audio channels sent to SF Spat Patch
• Black VU-meter: FX and Sound files audio channels send directly to speakers.

MIDI mixer:

Mix FX and soundfiles outputs (post gain fader) using a MIDI controler (like a BCF2000)

MIDI CC	destination
1	Tape: Sound files gain
2	Harmo: Harmonizers gain
3	Rev: reverb gain
4	Chorus: Chorus, Flanger, Phasing gain
5	Delay: Delay gain
6	Sparkle: Ring modulator gain

c) FX Spat Patch

Click the bang to open the Spat oper interface.

d) SF Spat Patch

Click the bang to open the Spat oper interface.

e) Audio Config

f) Notes

Discard these two errors:

The "sparkle" FX is replaced by a ring modulator for CPU efficiency.

The "portage" was made by Frederic Voisin:

6. Initialization routine

1. Click "loadbang" message
2. Click "reloadscore" message
3. Click "start" message
4. Start DSP

7. System calibration and tests

Use "sinus" patcher in "adc" patcher, to send a short sinus into all inputs, to simulate microphone inputs.

8. Performance notes

In general, the audio FX are less present than sound-files. It is like a light coloration on the direct sound.