A Bowindo Recordings
Special Limited Edition
www.bowindorecordings.com
[Version 0.1] - 2013
Domenico Sciajno
The App Release
Instruction Manual
IMPORTANT PREMISE
There is one basic thing to keep in mind when approaching this
application: it could appear like yet another multitrack sequencer,
but this aspect and its functions are actually strictly subjected to
the basic concept of The App Release: a metaphoric translation
of the Sonic Shufe’s graphic score that is normally played live
by musicians.
In fact when you launch the App, two main windows will appear: the
control section on the left and the green playground on the right.
While the function of the control section can be intuitively under-
stood, it is the green playground window that needs some expli-
cation to understand the link between the original score and this
application version.
The original score is interpreted by musicians (players). Each
musician will then represent one layer of the composition like it
would appear on an original score with staves or on a multitrack
sequencer. The sonic processes that constitute the composition
are in fact graphically represented on 48 graphic cards (sound-
cards). Each musician will interpret his part that consists of a
sequence of soundcards that are randomly distributed before the
performance. The number of cards that constitute the sequence
to be interpreted by every musician will then be 48 divided by the
number of musicians/layers ([P]layers).
The default duration of the interpretation of each soundcard is 5
minutes, so if that value is not changed before the performance,
its duration will be 5 x (48 divided by number of layers).
The original score is for a minimum of 3 up to a maximum of 16
musicians. So for instance in the case of 6 musicians with the
default duration of 5 min x soundcard, the default duration of the
performance will be 40 minutes: 5 x (48/6).
In The App Release version the number of musicians can be cho-
sen among 3 values: 4, 6 or 8 [P]layers.
That’s why on the green playground you will see several layers
( depending on user’s choice: 4-6-8, where default at launch is 6) with
48 empty boxes that will be lled randomly with the score’s graphic
cards: it will oer a global overview of the composition/orchestration
like on an orchestral general score or on a multitrack sequencer.
Another essential dierence consists of the fact that while in the
original score all the soundcards’ sequences are performed live by
one single musician per each layer, in The App Release every lay-
er will be a sequence of sonic processes interpreted and recorded
by 48 dierent musicians, therefore every soundcard is a soundle
that has been played by a dierent interpreter.
So when you start the random assignment of the soundcards over
the layers you will obtain the composition’s sonic content and its
superimposition and distribution over time.
When you start the session/performance, all the rst soundcards
of each row will start playing simultaneously for the default dura-
tion. Then they will crossfade to the second soundcard and so
on, until the end of the sequence when it will restart from the rst
soundcard in an innite loop. That’s exactly what happens with
the original score and its live interpreters: they will all start playing
the rst card and will skip to the next once the default duration is
reached and so on, in an innite loop.
In the live original performance of Sonic Shufe there is a con-
ductor who can control several things (like the default duration of
each soundcard) and also change the course of the composition
by anticipating and postponing soundcard changes for all or for
single players and calling the end of the session.
In The App Release you will be the conductor and the 48 musi-
cians will be the interpreters (through their recorded soundcards),
so you will have control over all the aspects of the performance
except for its sonic source.
Speaking of the sonic source, you will have the possibility to use
the embedded soundcards (here intended as the Original Sound-
cards which are the peculiarity and one of the main features of
this release) or you will be able to load your own audio les (here
intended as the User’s Soundcards). In this way, beyond being a
means for a pure and playful listening experience, the use of this
application can be extended and transformed into a very useful
tool for sketching or even dening your compositions and sound
installations. If this will be the case you are of course free and
encouraged to do so: the author would be very happy if you let
him know through his site www.sciajno.net and mention it in your
creation’s notes.
What has been mentioned so far is essential to get the conceptual
aspect of this release and the link between the functions of Sonic
Shufe’s original score and The App Release version. Once this
is acquired, controlling the App and its sonic production will be
simple but powerful!
All the specic actions and all the controls that you will handle
are pretty intuitive and will be properly explained in the various
sections of this instructions manual or in the popup hints directly
on the App user interface: they will appear when you roll with the
mouse over commands and inputs.
(69 pages)
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