Charlie Sdraulig
back and forth
for amplified toy piano and bass guitar
2013
(Version 2/11/13) Copyright © Charlie Sdraulig, 2013 All rights reserved.
For Federico Costanza and Lucia D’Errico
Note
The performers go back and forth between fluctuating parametric extremes.
A fixed, linear tablature notation is combined with a modular system of interaction that accounts for sounds produced by the players themselves as well as ambient
environmental sounds.
A few simple questions form the basis of the system for interaction (developed and extended from earlier pieces in the process series). This system is a way to navigate through
and respond to sounds, draw connections between them and ultimately read sounds like a score. Many of these sounds take place at the threshold of audibility. The ambiguity
of this context – coupled with the questions – ideally inspires active listening and subjective responses according to each performer’s perception of their own sound, the sound
of the other performer and the relationship between them. The performers’ perception and responses, mediated by this system of interaction, creates the music in real time.
The players are required to assume a sonic and behavioural identity and after a time not only reproduce this identity, but act within it.
However, more important than this system of interaction is the environment it aims to create, namely an environment where active, close, subtle and sensitive listening is
prioritised.
This is the third work in a series of pieces, collectively known as process.
i
General performance directions
The players should face each other.
Each player should have two stands. Ideally, print the music on card (or glue/tape the music on to backing card) and then tape the pages together in the following
configuration:
1
3
2
4
5
7
6
8
Pages 1-4 on one stand and pages 5-8 on the other (or an alternative order if desired). This is to avoid page turns. The players may also perform from memory.
The toy piano must be amplified. Speakers should be as close to the players as possible. The audience should still have to strain to hear sounds such as those produced at the
beginning. Adjust according to the performance space. In general, aim to balance the levels of sounds of the instruments as equally and as closely as possible. Monitor
speakers for the players are recommended.
There are no parts, both players perform from a copy of the score with the appropriate version of page 6.
Keep physical movement to a minimum. Try to only perform the actions that are absolutely necessary for a realisation of the piece. The performance should have an air of
focus and concentration.
Cues
Angled, near-vertical arrows going between different parts are cues. When you hear/see the cue, play the relevant passage.
Arrows point away from the part that you receive the cue from and towards your part. Ignore cues that don’t point in the direction of your part.
Some of these cues are intentionally ambiguous and require active decision making on the part of the players. If you happen to miss a cue, listen out for sonic ‘landmarks’ and
adjust accordingly.
ii
Finger variables
Finger height/pressure:
Finger height/pressure is indicated by the hand drawn lines.
When the line is very faint (at the beginning of page 1, for example) hold your finger about 5 mm above the surface, there should be an extremely low risk of producing a
sound. Movement is primarily choreographic in interest.
When the line is dark (at the beginning of page 5, for example) apply as much pressure as is comfortable, so that there is no possibility of damaging your finger or the
instrument.
Smoothly transition between these states.
At the mid-point between these two extremes hold the finger between 0.5 to 2 mm above the surface. There should be a moderate to high risk of producing a sound. Allow the
natural nervous twitch of your muscles to make accidental contact with the surface. The quality of physical contact should be similar to holding your thumb and index finger
as close together as possible without intentionally touching.
Finger rotation
Smoothly transition between the following states:
P = finger pad
P & N or N & P = a mixture of finger pad and fingernail
N = fingernail
Incremental change between states is indicated like so:
Finger speed
The temporal alignment between the parts in the score is an approximation. The score shows the likely vertical relationships. Players should aim to replicate the indicated
proportions between events. However, there is an inherent degree of flexibility.
The gradient of a hand drawn line indicates its speed. A steeper gradient indicates a faster speed.
iii
A perfect reproduction of every gradient is not required. Both players will need to constantly adjust their speed flexibly in response to cues in any case. Simply try to make
sure that steeper gradients are relatively faster than before etc. The following is intended merely as a guide:
(Numbers are in degrees.)
0 = stationary
1-20 = a slow speed
20-40 = a moderate speed
40-60 = a fast speed
A very slow speed (1-10 degrees) is defined by the bass guitarist: scrape the low E string at a high pressure with a fingernail slowly enough so that the sound that results is
broken and not quite continuous. This is a very slow speed.
A moderate speed (30 degrees) is defined by the bass guitarist: scrape the low E string at a high pressure with a fingernail fast enough so that the sound that results is
comfortably and consistently continuous. This is a moderate speed.
A very fast speed (50-60 degrees) is defined by the bass guitarist: scrape the low E string at a high pressure with a fingernail as fast as is comfortable, so that there is no
possibility of damaging your fingernail or the string. This is a very fast speed.
The toy pianist should mimic these speeds as closely as possible.
Incrementally increase the speed as necessary between these extremes.
Rate of change
The rate of change of each of these variables (height/pressure, rotation and speed) should be predominately very slow. Within each variable, change, from one extreme to the
other, should occur over roughly the same time as it takes the bass guitarist to play from the nut to the 12th fret at a very slow speed.
Practice moving from one extreme of each variable to the other at this rate of change.
However, in specific circumstances the score occasionally notates other rates of changes and jumps in variable states. Follow the notated indications in these exceptional cases.
iv
Toy Piano
This part requires one 37 key Schoenhut grand toy piano.
The toy pianist should stand; the toy piano itself should be raised of the ground and placed on an x-frame keyboard stand or something similar.
The lid of the grand toy piano must be removed. The music stand should also be removed to expose the hardboard above the mechanism, but a strip of hardboard may also be
affixed or placed on the toy piano instead.
With the exception of page 8, this part is only played with the index fingers of both hands.
The entire part takes place inside the toy piano. The keyboard is not used.
Tablature
Hardboard above the mechanism
r = the right edge of the hardboard
l = the left edge of the hardboard
For the majority of the piece, the right hand index finger horizontally rubs/scrapes the hardboard above the mechanism. Try not to rub/scrape vertically. At a high pressure,
the whole instrument may rattle. If finger pads and a high pressure are combined, a ‘groaning’ sound should result. This sound is similar to the sound made by a super-ball
mallet. Saliva may be required to coax out this sound.
v
Soundboard
r = the right edge of the soundboard
l = the left edge of the soundboard
For the first three pages of the piece, the left hand index finger horizontally rubs/scrapes the soundboard (i.e. the wood below the rods). Try not to rub/scrape vertically.
Choose a part of the soundboard that is easy to access and provides the largest horizontal area to rub/scrape. At a high pressure, the whole instrument may rattle.
Metal rods rubbed/scraped with a finger
t = the top of the metal rod (i.e. the end furthest away from you)
b = the bottom of the metal rod (i.e. the end closest to you)
From pages 5 to 7 and the beginning of page 8, the left hand index finger vertically rubs/scrapes a metal rod. The metal rod is indicated by its sounding pitch above the staff
(i.e. the first metal rod to be rubbed/scraped is the lowest note on the toy piano). At a high pressure, the whole instrument may rattle. If finger pads and a high pressure are
combined, a ‘groaning’ sound should result. This sound is similar to the sound made by a super-ball mallet. Saliva may be required to coax out this sound.
vi
Metal rods scraped with wire (page 8 only)
On page 8 one length of metal wire rope (approximately 30 cm long) is used on the metal rods:
vii
Draw the metal wire against the metal rod with the indicated pressure. The metal wire is also used as a bow:
NB = No bowing, only draw the metal wire against the metal rod vertically.
VS = a very slow bow speed, moving the wire up and down to produce a discontinuous sound.
S = a slow bow speed
M = a moderate bow speed, a comfortably continuous sound
F = a fast bow speed
When bowing two metal rods at once, bend the wire into the following shape:
viii
Bass guitar
Lay the bass guitar flat on your lap or on a table.
Only play on the low E string with your left hand index finger throughout. No other string or finger is used. Dampen the other strings with a sponge.
All EQs – where available – should be turned up to their maximum setting.
Tablature
The tablature indicates the position of the left hand finger on the string, on or between the nut, 5th fret or 12th fret.
Right hand muting
For most of the first three pages, the right hand dampens the E string. This is indicated by an M above the tablature.
When ½M, or half muted, occurs on page three, raise the right hand 2mm above the string so that the natural nervous twitch of your muscles makes accidental contact with
the string. The quality of physical contact should be similar to holding your thumb and index finger as close together as possible without intentionally touching.
O, or open, indicates that there should be no muting with the right hand. From page 4 onwards there is no more right hand muting in the piece.
ix
Wire
Just before your entry on page 8, Very quickly grab one length of metal wire rope (approximately 30 cm long, see photo in the Toy Piano section) and hold each end of the
wire in a hand.
Draw the metal wire against the string with the indicated pressure. The metal wire is also used as a bow:
NB = No bowing, only draw the metal wire along the length of the string.
VS = a very slow bow speed, bow from side to side to produce a discontinuous sound.
S = a slow bow speed
M = a moderate bow speed, a comfortably continuous sound
F = a fast bow speed
The wire will cause electronic ‘crackle’ sounds to occur indeterminately.
x
Text box notation of pages 1 to 3 and 7
Text boxes begin and end according to the indicated cues.
Play constantly. Never stop playing in a text box.
Listen to the other instrument and ask the appropriate question as often as possible. It will be necessary to aurally assess your own sound, the sound of the other player and
the relationship between them. For text boxes, rely only on your aural perception. It is very important that modifications of sounds are perceived aurally, not visually. If you
see a physical change but do not perceive one aurally, then wait. Listen and only respond when you hear a change.
In response to a question, change the appropriate variable incrementally at the very slow rate of change.
Continue towards the variable extreme you were approaching before the text box. So for example, on page 3 the bass guitar will continue to increase finger pressure when
answering ‘no’.
When you reach one extreme of a variable, gradually head towards the other extreme. So if a player had decreased their finger speed to the point that they were almost
stationary (a very slow speed), they would then start to increase their speed until they reached a very fast speed and so on.
Only one finger variable (height/pressure, rotation or speed) may change at a time. So for example, always maintain the previous finger rotation as you change finger
speed etc. However, sometimes you are required to change the range as well as a finger variable.
The initial range of a text box is indicated as follows:
When you reach an extreme of the range head back in the other direction: bounce back and forth.
xi
On pages 1 to 3 and 7, when an appropriate answer includes the ‘change range’ instruction, always incrementally expand the range at the very slow rate of change:
Note that the range is always fixed at one end (the nut, left or bottom) and only expands at the other end (12th fret, right or top).
Change direction of the finger at the beginning of each new answer. So if on page 1 the bass guitarist perceives that the sound of the toy pianist is produced with more of
the fingernail than their own sound, the bass guitarist would answer ‘yes’ and slowly change their finger height/pressure and range. Then if for a moment the bass guitarist
perceives that the sound of the toy pianist is produced with less fingernail than their own sound, the bass guitarist would change their answer to ‘no’, change finger direction
(i.e. head towards the nut instead of the 12th fret) and then slowly begin to rotate their finger etc.
At the end of a text box, always immediately adopt the notated direction, finger height/pressure and speed.
From the end of page 2 onwards some text boxes require that two questions be answered simultaneously and as often as possible:
(1) What is the other player varying?
(2) The variable specific question.
If you are unsure what your response should be to a question, continue to play as before and listen until you are able to make a decision. Due to the ambiguity and potential
inaudibility of some sounds, moments of indecision will occur in this piece. However, recognise that it is ultimately necessary to make a decision as best as you can and live
with the consequences. All responses will be necessarily highly subjective. Misunderstandings and ‘mistakes’ will occur, though if each and every response to a question is
undertaken in an informed, thoughtful and critical manner it is not possible to perceive incorrectly.
Practice each text box in isolation, they can help to prepare for pages 6A and 6B.
xii
Environmental Cues on pages 5 and 7
In the performance environment there are continuous and non-continuous ambient sounds.
Ambient sounds are sounds that you and your duo partner are not responsible for creating.
The division between continuous and non-continuous sounds is arbitrary. You must decide how to classify any given ambient sound. However, it may be useful to think of
continuous sounds as relatively long sounds and non-continuous sounds as relatively short sounds. Exactly how you interpret these terms and divide ambient sounds will
drastically alter the length of a given section.
Continuous ambient sounds may become non-continuous and vice versa. All ambient sounds may transform and change. You may constantly need to re-define what your
distinction between continuous and non-continuous ambient sounds is. You may constantly need to re-classify ambient sounds according to your perception alone. There is
no need for any agreement between the two players on how to classify sounds.
Very few sounds will result from your actions in the environmental cue sections.
xiii
Pages 6A and 6B
All directions concerning variable extremes, rate of change and text boxes still apply. The initial variable trajectories (i.e. the extremes that each variable is heading towards)
are given.
All the variable states and sounds/techniques used at the end of Page 5 carry over. Continue to play constantly.
The instrumental cues and environmental cues are combined. Attempt to listen and be aware of the sounds of the other player as well as the ambient environmental sounds.
Inevitably there will be sounds that you miss, simply try to react when a sound catches your attention. Note that a ‘yes’ answer for environmental cues does not affect the
rate of change at all.
Remember that the overall question ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist] varying?’ takes precedence over the other finger variable questions. You may also need to switch
between finger variable questions very quickly.
There is a linear, if cyclic, element in this modular system for interaction: when swapping back to a variable that you incrementally changed in the past, pick up where you
left off last time and resume your journey towards the appropriate extreme of that variable. For example, a player is increasing finger pressure in response to a question in
the system for interaction. Then their answer changes so that they change finger speed. However, they should maintain their previous finger pressure whilst changing their
finger speed. Consequently, if they return to changing their finger pressure at a later point in time, they should pick up where they left off before and resume their journey
towards the appropriate extreme: increasing their finger pressure until they are applying as much pressure as is comfortable.
Remember to always change the direction of the (indicated) finger at the beginning of each new answer. When you reach one extreme of a variable, gradually head towards
the other extreme.
When increasing the rate of change do so extremely gradually.
The experience of playing this section should be one of “a constant questioning, and a constant listening.” Ask questions as often as possible and attempt to perceive
the slightest changes of variables within sounds. Try to react as quickly and as often as possible to the other player and environmental cues.
xiv
Range for pages 6A and 6B:
Gradually contract/decrease the range from its initial starting point when appropriate. At first, this should occur at a very slow rate of change. However, as environmental
sounds occur the rate of change will speed up.
Note that the range is always fixed at one end (the nut, left or bottom) and only contracts towards the other end (12th fret, right or top).
Note that if you are changing your range and a non-continuous ambient sound occurs that is louder than your sound, you should jump half way to the nearest extreme
within your current range at that moment. You should not suddenly cut the overall range in half.
When the range is as small as possible, do not begin expanding it again. Pages 6A and 6B end when one of the players’ range has decreased to the extent that they are almost
stationary. At times a player may appear to be stationary as a result of changes in finger speed, but only end pages 6A and 6B when a player is stationary because of changes in
their range.
Suggested exercises for Pages 6A and 6B
The mental gymnastics required to play these pages are considerable. It’s difficult. Therefore, do not attempt to play the whole system at first, but rather break it into smaller
components and rehearse these separately.
For example, after practicing all the other pages:




Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely but use a slow rate of change for all the variables.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely but use a slow rate of change for all the variables. Also, gradually decrease the range
from the maximum possible to almost nothing.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables. Also, gradually decrease
the range from the maximum possible to almost nothing.
xv














Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but use a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist] varying?’ and
change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but use a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist] varying?’ and
change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable. Also, gradually decrease the range from the maximum possible to almost nothing.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist]
varying?’ and change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist]
varying?’ and change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable. Also, gradually decrease the range from the maximum possible to almost
nothing.
Begin by improvising using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but use a slow rate of change for all the variables. Then, ask all the instrumental cue questions
momentarily. Then, go back to improvising. Then, alternate between asking all the instrumental cue questions and improvising. Spend more and more time asking
the instrumental cue questions and less and less time improvising.
Begin by improvising using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables. Then, ask all the instrumental
cue questions momentarily. Then, go back to improvising. Then, alternate between asking all the instrumental cue questions and improvising. Spend more and more
time asking the instrumental cue questions and less and less time improvising.
Only ask the instrumental cue questions, but use a slow rate of change for all the variables.
Only ask the instrumental cue questions, but gradually speed up the rate of change for all the variables.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely and start with a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask the environmental cue
questions as well.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, explore them freely and start with a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask the environmental cue
questions as well. Also, gradually decrease the range from the maximum possible to almost nothing.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, and start with a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist]
varying?’ and change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable. Ask the environmental cue questions as well.
Improvise using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, and start with a slow rate of change for all the variables. Ask ‘what is the [toy pianist/bass guitarist]
varying?’ and change the same variable too, then after a time change a different variable. Ask the environmental cue questions as well. Also, gradually decrease the
range from the maximum possible to almost nothing.
Begin by improvising using the sounds required for pages 6A and 6B, and start with a slow rate of change for all the variables. Then, ask all the instrumental cue
questions momentarily. Then, go back to improvising. Then, alternate between asking all the instrumental cue questions and improvising. Spend more and more
time asking the instrumental cue questions and less and less time improvising. Ask the environmental cue questions as well.
Begin rehearsing the full system for interaction on pages 6A and 6B.
All of these exercises are suggestions. Feel free to create further exercises in order to address specific issues that arise in the course of rehearsals.
xvi
1
2
3
r
l
r
freeze, be absolutely still until the bass guitarist begins the next page
l
beginning
your finger should be stationary above the 5th fret
finger height: 5mm above the string, finger rotation: finger pad, no rh muting
start moving your finger as slowly as possible towards the string
then
there are continous sounds and non-continuous ambient sounds in the performance environment
if a non-continuous ambient sound occurs:
is the sound louder than mine?
yes → with your finger, immediately jump one half of the remaining way towards the string
no → incrementally increase the speed at which your finger moves towards the string
until
end
when your finger cannot press down on the string any further, move on to the next page
4
5
toy piano
beginning
all variables as before
initial rate of change: very slow
initial range: maximum possible
initial variable trajectories: decrease height/increase pressure, rotate towards fingernail, decrease speed, decrease range
then
instrumental cues
what is the bass guitarist varying?
finger height/pressure
finger speed
finger rotation
is the sound more continuous than mine?
is the sound changing at a faster speed than mine?
is the sound produced with more of the fingernail than mine?
or
or
yes → rotate lh finger and change range
yes → change both fingers’ height/pressure
yes → change lh finger speed and range
no → change rh finger height/pressure
no → change both fingers’ speed and range
no → rotate both fingers
always change the direction of the indicated finger at the beginning of each new answer
when you reach one extreme of a variable, gradually head towards the other extreme
and
environmental cues
there are continous sounds and non-continuous ambient sounds in the performance environment
if a non-continuous ambient sound occurs:
is the sound louder than mine?
yes → immediately jump one half of the way towards the nearest extreme of the variable(s) you are currently changing
no → incrementally increase the rate of change of all variables
until
end
when one player’s range has decreased to the extent that they are almost stationary, both players move on to the next page
6A
bass guitar
beginning
all variables as before
initial rate of change: very slow
initial range: from the nut to the 12th fret
initial variable trajectories: decrease height/increase pressure, rotate towards fingernail, decrease speed, decrease range
then
instrumental cues
what is the toy pianist predominately varying?
finger height/pressure
finger speed
finger rotation
is the sound more continuous than mine?
is the sound changing at a faster speed than mine?
is the sound produced with more of the fingernail than mine?
or
or
yes → change finger speed and range
yes → change finger speed and range
yes → change finger height/pressure and range
no → change finger height/pressure
no → rotate finger
no → rotate finger
always change the direction of your finger at the beginning of each new answer
when you reach one extreme of a variable, gradually head towards the other extreme
and
environmental cues
there are continous sounds and non-continuous ambient sounds in the performance environment
if a non-continuous ambient sound occurs:
is the sound louder than mine?
yes → immediately jump one half of the way towards the nearest extreme of the variable(s) you are currently changing
no → incrementally increase the rate of change of all variables
until
end
when one player’s range has decreased to the extent that they are almost stationary, both players move on to the next page
6B
7
8