Dichotomy (1993) · 5.5 min
for flute, clarinet, 5-string Zeta MIDI violin controller, Yamaha SY99, and real-time signal processing
flute, clarinet, 5-string Zeta MIDI violin controller, Yamaha SY99, Mac laptop running Max/MSP
Program Note
Dichotomy was created and presented as part of the University of California, Berkeley, graduate student composition program. During this time De Ritis was exploring real-time signal processing and, in particular, how the pitch content of a MIDI controller might affect the delay lengths of the amplified instruments.
The premise behind Dichotomy is as follows. There is a sequence stored in MAX played on a YAMAHA SY99 using a vibraphone sample. The MIDI violin controller is triggering an FM bell-like patch and is mixed with its own amplified signal. The velocity (volume) data of the MIDI violin influences both the attack of the vibraphone sample and the delay length of the flute and clarinet (via system exclusive messages to a LEXICON LXP5). There is also real-time manipulation of the coarse and fine frequencies of the bell-like FM sound as well as in the fine tuning of the delayed signals of the flute and clarinet.
The premiere was performed by Cynthia Shaff, flute; Laurie San Martin, clarinet; and Anthony De Ritis, 5-string Zeta MIDI violin controller, at the University of California, Berkeley, Hertz Hall, Berkeley, CA on October 23, 1993.