title: Samay Chakra

description:
Samay Chakra is a computer-based sound installation. It was programmed using the MAX programming language to perform music according to the basic rules of India's classical Hindustani music. The fundamental unit of this music is the raag. Musically, a raag is a system of scales and melodies that is to be performed at specific times of day and during certain seasons. Using sensors, Samay Chakra collects data from the surrounding environment and applies that information to the composition of the music.

Samay Chakra:
A Contemporary Approach to Classical Hindustani Music - Bart Woodstrup

What is Samay Chakra? Translated, Samay Chakra means "time cycle." It should be thought of as both a program and a composition, written in the MAX/MSP programming language.

"Samay Chakra" is to be performed continuously in a public architectural area, such as a hallway or foyer, where it can be allowed to interact with people and the environment. Ideally this area would be exposed to natural light. The sounds would be played at a low volume and be ambient in timbre. When programmed to run continuously, the raags will change at the appropriate times of day or in response to changes in the weather. Although, the program does not, necessarily, have to run continuously.

It is music inspired and arranged according to the traditional Hindustani Music of North India.

What is Hindustani Music?
Simply, it is the music of North India. Hindustani music of the North differs from the Karnatak music of South India in that it is less stringent and highly improvisational. The instrumentation is also different. Reason: North India borders many countries and over time has had many more cultural exchanges (through war or trade) than that of South India, which is bordered by mountains and oceans. Karnatak music does not allow much, if any, deviation from the rules associated with its performance. Hindustani music allows individual development of the music.

Hindustani Music is composed of three main elements:Melody - a single melodic line that continuously evolves and adapts throughout the performance (usually performed on sitar or voice)Drone - a fixed, unchanging drone based on the tonic note and serves as the foundation for the melodic line (Tanpura or Harmonium)Percussion (rhythm) - known as taal. It is cyclic with the principal beat at the beginning of the cycle. This beat is known as "sam" and is the point where the beat and the melody coincide. (tabla)The melody, drone, and percussion, are performed according to specific rules that are dictated by something know as a raag.

The Raag
It should not be thought of as merely a scale - like in western music. It varies according to ascending or descending notes, and defines the stress of a particular note.

It is a fusion of both scale and melody.

It is an idea that certain patterns of notes evoke a heightened state of emotion. The emotions are known as the raas. A raag will focus on only one emotion for the duration of the composition.It is an abstraction of musical possibilities.

The Performance of a Raag
A raag is performed in three movements: Alap - the introduction to the raag. The performer gradually develops each of the notes in the raag - setting the parameters for the performance. It is free of meter. Jod - a bridge from the alap to the main movement. It is also free of meter, but can have a percussive accompaniment. (this has been left out of Samay Chakra) Gat - The main movement of the composition - can last for several minutes or several hours.

The Time of Day
Over many centuries, Indian musicians have developed music that is in tune with a specific time of day. It is not only improper to perform a raag outside of its prescribed time, but many believe that doing so will result in a detriment to one's health.

There are 8 watches of the day that are recognized, roughly three hours each. Theses watches are not rigorously observed, yet noon, midnight, sunrise and sunset are usually strictly adhered to. Currently the tradition of performing raags at specific times is becoming less common. This is mainly due to recorded media, radio play, and performances that take place in the evening.

How does the program work?
Using the date object in Max/MSP, the program selects a series of raags appropriate for that time of day or season. Then, based on sensor information, it selects the most appropriate raag. So when the program is first turned on it works like an alarm clock, meaning that it starts to perform whenever one of the eight watches of the day begins. The performance begins with the drone. This repeats continually through the piece.The alap section introduces the melodic part of the raag. This section of the performance lasts as long as it takes for the computer to ascend through all of the notes of the raag. (about two octaves)When the Alap ends the main movement officially begins. At this point the rhythm begins. It moves in a cyclic pattern of 16 beats.

The Performer (computer)
A random number generator is the heart of the performer. The numbers it generates select which notes of the raag are to be performed. Notes with greater prevalence in the raag are programmed to be chosen more often than less important notes. These notes will also likely have greater velocity and/or sustain.The duration of a note and its note division (i.e. whole, half, quarter note) is determined by the probability object in MAX. The probability object selects the division of the beat and gives that information to the tempo. The tempo then tells the random number generator when to produce the notes for performance.Duration: generally speaking, note duration will depend upon the note - division of the beat. A series of sixteenth notes will have less of duration than that of a whole note.Note on phrasing: Musical phrases are essential to recognizing raags.

Samay Chakra is not currently programmed to perform specific musical phrases or adaptations of those phrases. Though this could easily be done through the use of the table object or a list. I prefer to rely on chaotic orders of notes.

Ascending vs. Descending
As stated before, a raag will perform certain notes in ascent and omit them in descent and vice a versa. A raag will also perform some notes if they come in between two specific notes. The ascent/descent was determined by if/then logic. When the specific note is chosen for performance the program will ask if the previously played note was less than, greater than or equal to the current note. It will then choose whether or not to perform the note. If a particular note must be performed in between two specific notes a similar logic is used. When the specific note is chosen the program will ask if the previous note is equal to the required note. If it is then the series of notes will be played. This is particularly useful for chromatic phrases.

Embellishment
The melody is just the skeleton of the music; embellishments are its flesh and blood. In India these embellishments are referred to as ornaments or (Alankaras) for they decorate the music. They take the form of glides or bends from one note to another. They can also sound as if they are vibrating between two pitches. In Samay Chakra, attempts to perfect ornamentation have been in vain. Originally the sounds were generated through the use of MIDI and a commercial synthesizer. The effect of embellishment was limited to the use of a pitchbend. This was only temporarily adequate. Currently I am developing a patch that will randomly apply ornamentation at appropriate times. I am using the "line" object in MAX to ascend or descend through the note values and give the impression of a note glide. I plan on using an ultrasonic sensor to interact with the people within the performance space - and set the amount of embellishment to correspond to this data.

Intonation
Intonation of the raag is one of the most precious Hindustani musical practices. Proper intonation is judged mainly by the performers aural experience. Therefore documentation regarding proper intonation has been difficult to come by. It has been recorded that there are 22 recognized pitches within the Hindustani octave. These microtones should not necessarily be ideas set in stone. I feel that the use of these microtones is of a musician's personal choice and determine the characterization determined by the musician.

Sensors
Samay Chakra uses 4 sensors with the Icube system from Infusions Systems. These sensors measure heat, light, humidity, and distance (ultrasonic). These sensors are in several ways throughout the work in order to adapt the composition to changes in the surrounding environment. For instance, the light sensor is used to determine the presence of the sun. This is important at sunrise and sunset due to the fact that some raags associate a certain note with the presence of the sun, therefore this note will not be played when the sun is not present. This also works with cloud cover.The heat sensor determines the tempo of the performance.The humidity sensor assists in choosing which raag is appropriate for performance. For example, certain raags are commonly played during the rainy season in India. Therefore this sensor would choose an appropriate raag for a rainy day. Other items affected by sensors: Intonation, duration, embellishment, probability, aesthetic or timbre.

MSPMSP is a program that plugs into the MAX graphical programming language. It allows control over real time synthesis and digital signal processing. It is used with Samay Chakra to provide continuously evolving sound.

List of Raags used in Samay Chakra:

Bihag Kalingda Lalita Todi Marava Bhairavi Des

Bibliography

Chowdbury, Jayeeta. Personal Interview with Hindustani vocalist. November 1998.

Danielou, Alain. Northern Indian Music. Vol. 2. London: Halcyon Press, 1954.

Deshpande, Vamanrao H. Indian Musical Traditions. Bombay: Popular Prakashan, 1973.

Deva, B. C. The Music of India: A Scientific Study. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Private Limited, 1981.

Farrell, Gerry. Indian Music and the West. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997.

Fyzee-Rahamin, Atiya Begum. The Music of India. London: Luzac

format: interactive sound sculpture

exhibitions:

2001
New Music and Art Festival, Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH

Electronic Music at Lewis, Lewis University Romeoville, IL.

SEAMUS 2001, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.