Peter Wiessenthaner
composer. audio-visuell live-elektronic concertperformances

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No notes. Criteria for in- and exclusion determine the play, define the frame,
allow for the unforeseeable. At the moment of play the composition is found.
Elements of colour and picturesare put in relation.

Founder and curator of SKOP: www.skop-ffm.de

Stations since 1982
deutsch - español

If not particularly given pictures and videos
copyright by Peter Wiessenthaner

February 20 2024 - The Strasbourg Cathedral is one of the most important cathedrals in European architectural history and one of the largest sandstone buildings in the world. It was the tallest building in the Middle Ages.

I filmed the building from the forecourt, from above and from the inside. The recordings of the individual parts are approx. 15 - 20 seconds long. With DaVinci Resolve, the individual parts were extremely slowed down and the outlines of the individual parts of the structure or their surroundings were "traced". The film consists of 3 parts and its total length is 32 minutes.

The sound was recorded for the individual parts in front of, on or in the building and distributed in several repeating sections over the entire length.

Film Strasbourg Cathedral

Film Strasbourg Cathedral

February 06 2024 - It's windy in the backyard of our house. The trees move in the wind. I recorded this for 29 seconds at 100 fps. The 29 seconds were stretched to 8 minutes. The trees in the film are traced in detail - branches and trunks - in their outlines, kept in black and white. This measure and depth of field give the film a high degree of plasticity.
The noises in the backyard were recorded with 2 microphones, 3 tracks in total. 1 track was also stretched to 8 minutes. In addition, all tracks in their original length were distributed 12 times over the 8 minutes. The pitch of each individual track was changed, and the chronological arrangement of the 3 tracks was slightly shifted relative to each other.
Slowmotion 7 Trees.

Slowmotion 7 Trees.

January 27. 2024 - Without sensuality no object would be given to us, and without reason none would be thought of.
Film

Film

04. January 2024


Phill Niblock has died. A great composer.


I'll miss meeting Phil, that's sad.


More informations please have a look at the link: Link

Phill Niblock, SKOP Festival 2003, 10 years later, Link

January 19. 2024 - Slowmotion 6
I shined a powerful LED lamp into the crystals of our chandelier. Due to the different frequencies of the individual colors, the light on the wall is reflected in different areas of the wall for individual colors, have a look to the lamp image. The recordings were taken at 100 fps, the room was completely dark and only the light refractions through the crystals shone. The tripod was always in the same place, but I moved the flashlight. This resulted in movements of the colored areas in different directions at the same time. It's a single take, with no cuts and no fades.
In DaVinci Resolve, these movements have been amplified. It was quiet except for very muffled noises. In 25 audio tracks I made these noises dynamic in volume, in a movement through the pan and in fading in and out of the individual tracks.
Slowmotion 6

Slowmotion 6

January 04. 2024 - Slowmotion 4
Nature shot: grass, bushes and trees. 3 shots, 50FpS to 120FpS. Zoomed into the picture in 2 shots during recording. The recordings were expanded to extreme slow motion in DaVinci Resolve Studio. In the Fairlight engine I improvisedly transformed the original sound into a total of 7 tracks, creating its own world with some connections to the image. Rendering the entire film was very time-consuming due to the 7 tracks in the Fairlight engine. As already stated: It is much more time-saving if the sound editing takes place in ProTools.
Slowmotion 4

Slowmotion 4

Dezember 16. 2023 - Slowmotion 3
Photo towards Antonplatz, tram stop, winter 2023.
Almost nothing happens due to the extreme slowdown of the 18 second 100 fps recording. Edited to almost 30 minutes, it almost looks like a photo. The sound strongly counteracts this. The transformations take place in the pure fifth and the pure octave. Clay-like shapes appear in the stream of noise and disappear again.
The film was shot with automatic white balance, unlike SlowMotion 1 and SlowMotion 2, which were shot with 5600K white balance.
The automatic white balance fluctuated minimally around a certain value during the recording and this led to fine color gradations. The sign art in the scene illustrate these color gradations.
The film was edited in DaVinci Resolve Studio, the original audio in ProTools. DaVinci's Fairlight engine didn't offer enough options for my sound editing, so I edited the 18 seconds of original sound in ProTools.
Slowmotion 3

Slowmotion 3

November 30. 2023 - Slowmotion 2
A 17-second film recording from November 27, 2023 was recorded at 50 fps and also made 15:19 minutes long in DaVinci Resolve. These measures created a strong slow motion effect. Film shot in Berlin Weissensee, tram stop Antonplatz.
The original sound of this scene was transformed and adapted to the movement.
Slowmotion 2

Slowmotion 2

September 30. 2023 - Slowmotion 1
A 13-second film recording from September 27, 2023 was extended to a length of 21:28 minutes using DaVinci Resolve. The resulting extremely slow movements are almost invisible.
As music, I recorded a variant of Hit machine: 7 tracks of a composition realized with MAX / MSP. It is a dynamic system, it regulates and expands itself. This leads to a variety of possibilities for sound design. Hit machine was performed in: New York, Hamburg, Berlin and Frankfurt. Hitmachine can independently generate form blocks that can be clearly distinguished from one another and is therefore able to create large form relationships. This machine also makes it possible to create musical breaks.
For Acoustic Frontiers, a radio station in Canada, a total of 6 variants of hit machine were created, each of which was presented in approximately 20-minute broadcasts.
How can the connection just created be understood?
Extending 13 seconds of film from a street that is a little busy to a duration of 21:28 almost creates the impression of a photograph. The very slow pace of the film is diametrically opposed to the high pace of the music.
This may lead to more concentration on the music.
Slowmotion 1

Slowmotion 1

August 15. 2023 - Thunderstorm short Film.

Thunderstorm short Film.

July 15. 2023 - Non-public screening of my film, “Berlin, Monbijou-Areal”, in Frankfurt. It was a private invitation.
The film screening was a success. Although the film contains no music and no commentary, it was viewed by audiences as: “this is a great film”; “very good film” etc. I was happy about that. Because: I wasn't sure whether an audience would not only follow the recordings of "some streets in Berlin" for 1 hour and 45 minutes patiently but also with interest.
Trailer

Non-public screening - Trailer

April 24, 2023 - Berlin, Monbijou-Areal, a film.
The film about the Monbijou area in Berlin is finished. It is a film about the architecture of an area in Berlin that includes the Carré of Kupfergraben, Monbijou-Bruecke und-Strasse, Ziegelstrasse, Oranienburger Strasse and Tucholskystrasse. There are film recordings from 2022, March, June, October and March 2023, plus photos from 2009, which were processed in this film. The photos from 2009 show changes in the architecture since that time. The trailer shows essential procedures for the production of the film. The film has a length of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Here the Trailer

Berlin, Monbijou-Areal, Film, Trailer

July 21. 2023 - With the new formula for calculating the travel distance based on hand movements, it is now possible for the sliders to cover the entire path quickly with a quick movement of the hands or for the sliders to move extremely slowly with a slow movement of the hands. This makes it almost possible to target a target with pinpoint accuracy. The first step in the solution was an exponential equation for determining the routes. I tested different bases and exponents. Since the entire length of the travel path from the position slider is 26265 individual steps, the exponential equation results in the smallest possible step of approx. 0.4 mm.
The second step of the solution: if the string divider reaches a range of 200 steps around a Pure Interval through the hand gestures - about 2 mm - then the string divider is guided to an exact position that represents a Pure Interval. Now a target can be precisely controlled with the hands. A "non-musician" is now supported to play Pure Intervals, see images.
Because ::: The play of dissonances has clear leeway in terms of accuracy. If a dissonance, e.g. a minor second, is a little too high or a little too low, then it will always remain a "minor second". However, if a Pure Interval is a little too high or a little too low, then we perceive it as "out of tune".
Formula for calculating, JPG

Formula for calculating, JPG

December 21, 2022 - The composition "Exploratory, Rhine version “Looking for Daniel”, #9(number nine)" by Phill Niblock was realized with the SPO and is now available on CD. The composition was realized with the SPO. This required some enhancements to the instrument to produce a sustained tone that resembled the tone produced by a human being. An Ebow was installed on the instrument and each voice was programmed in its pitch over time. A particular challenge was to implement the microtonal fluctuations inherent in human sound production with a wind or string instrument in these programmings.

As part of the roulette performance of Phill Niblock's "6 Hours of Music and Film" in New York, part was the first performance of my interpretation of this work.

Here is my interpretation of the composition by Phill Niblock: Link to the mp3-file.

Link mp3-file

September 15, 2022 - Prague, on Charles Bridge.
Video

Prague, Charles Bridge, Video

September 14, 2022 - concert with the SPO in Prague. Organizer was ECHOFLUXX, organized by the American composer Dan Senn. The instrument could be discussed in detail after the game. The audience took an active part in the discussion about the instrument. Of particular interest was the tuning-technical background of the instrument with the possibility of positioning the string divider extremely precisely, e.g. to make the difference between a beat and a pure consonance audible and visible.

Video

Prag, ECHOFLUXX-Festival, 2022, Video

September 9, 2022 - SKOP Festival • Computerm-Musik IV, playing with the stringed instrument SPO. I played the "Follow the LED's" version. Here, within an area between 4 glowing LEDs, sound actions are to be triggered by hand gestures. I play according to the specifications for my playing without sheet music.

After I played, the audience could also play the instrument. Apart from the requirement to trigger sound actions in the area of the 4 lit LEDs, there were no further requests for the audience.

That pleased the respective players and the audience.

Here is the Video of my performance
Here the Video of the performance of the audience

SKOP-Festival 2022, Computer-Music IV, Performance SPO

July 02, 2022 - My grandson Matthias played the gesture-controlled string instrument SPO. After it was clear how to play the instrument, he played according to the program "Follow the LED's". The instruction is: Set tone articulations within the range of the 4 lit LEDs. Matthias has been playing the piano for 10 years, which was not a hindrance in the end.

Here is the Video

Matthias Wiessenthaner toco el SPO - Video

June 21, 2022 - Stream concert in Helsinki at Äänen Lumo on October 26, 2021 - Addendum. The live stream could not be recorded due to technical limitations, here is the link from the rehearsal to this concert. The concert took place as part of the festival: "Hybrid Night: Äänen Lumo + MUU Helsinki + Station of Commons". In the performance I was able to realize a lot of the composition, which made me very happy. Roberto von Äänen Lumo supported the entire streaming process, the test phase and the concert extremely well. The feedback on the performance was very gratifying for me. Thanks to Lumo Helsinki.

Here is the video of the rehearsal:
Video

Next performance with the hand gesture instrument is on September 14, 2021 in Prague at ECHOFLUXX 22.

Video of the rehearsal Äänen Lumo-Helsinki

07 March 2022 - Short film about what happened outside my window. Also in this film, as in "Two doves and one dog" the sound has a special place. In the gateway large metal parts were loaded onto a transporter. The very large driveway into the interior of the house opposite acted as a resonating chamber, which acoustically amplified the activities of the workers enormously. All recordings are influenced by these sound events.

Here the link to the video.

Behind the window - short film

February 27, 2022 - 2 days of stormy weather. In between one day break from the storm. Movement in a bush and in the trees in our backyard. Plus, once again, a visit from a sparrowhawk, which really shouldn't show up in town. Editing the sound highlights events.

Here the link to the video.

Storm - short film

February 25, 2022 - Some excerpts of a rehearsal with the SPO. The clips represent the main actions that are possible with the SPO - Super Prime One. There are a total of 4 hand gestures that can be used to control the instrument: Open and close hand for striking the pick, move open palm to the right and left for driving the slider, Victory sign for rotating the pick to play loud and soft. This applies to both hands. The LED's show the way through the tonal space, their programming is the essential part of the composition.
The alternation of dissonance and consonance is of outstanding importance, because: Even in the most modern music we cannot get around this fundamental connection. The only question that arose for me was, how do I address this connection? The gesture-controlled instrument SPO gives an answer.

Here the link to the video.

Video with the essential hand gestures

February 15, 2022 - For 6 hours of film and music by Phill Niblock at "Roulette Intermedium" in December 2021 the composition "Exploratory, Rhine version "Looking for Daniel", #9(number nine)" was realized with the SPO and premiered within the concert. For this purpose the SPO was extended by an essential addition, the Ebow. It allows the playing of a continuous tone and subsequently the recording of 23 voices, which were finally combined into a 2-track version.

Here the mp3-file with the composition of me.

Here the link to Phill Niblock's, 6-hours with music and film, poduced by Roulette Intermedium, New York.

Phill Niblock 6-hours music and film from Roulette, New York

January 13, 2022 - Short film about two pigeons and a dog. The sound of the film has a significant function in this film. It shows us the way to the dog.

Here to the link Two doves and one dog.

Two_doves_and_one_dog

October 7, 2021 - Video Walk Berlin
From 63 points of view the street situation was recorded with video and audio. Two streets were filmed, they run parallel to each other. A specific color appearance was created in DaVinci Resolve. The audio recording was not changed: No echo, no reverb, no compressor, no other kind of alterations.
Please note that it's a 4K video with about 5.9 GB and needs corresponding download capacity.
Here is the link: Video-Walk Berlin.

Video-Walk Berlin

July 13, 2021 - Workshop in my workshop: Playing the SPO via hand gestures
The gesture-controlled string instrument can now be played by you. Two programs are available. "Follow the LEDs" and "Find the LEDs". The first program leads you through the tone space with the illuminated LEDs and with the second program you should find LEDs that do not light up, i.e. if you are in the range of a pure consonance, the corresponding LED lights up and you can trigger a sound action. The correct position of the interval is then approached with the string divider.

The workshop has been well attended so far, especially "non-musicians" were enthusiastic about playing with the instrument. Soon pictures from the workshop.

Each color represent one kind of musical tuning.

July 8, 2021 - Book presentation by Circuit-Art Publications, Mainz
PORTAIT MÉMOIRE is part of an art project by Harald Kubiczak with various forms that deals with memory.
Actually, I only vaguely remember the interview Harald conducted with me in 1998. The picture of me from back then has also disappeared from my memory.
I am happy to draw your attention to this book, regardless of the fact that my person is also represented in the book. The book cover shows a certain discomfort in today's art education. It exemplarily shows how remembering can be represented graphically. It is a book apart from the established art business and its media mediators. They have shown no interest in the book.

New book edition by Circuit-Art Verlag, Mainz

February 14, 2021 - First play with gestures from SPO via Kinect camera

After Thomas Perizonius had finished programming the gesture recognition, I was able to program the motors for the slider movements, the string divieder and the pick for their respective actions. A simple programming shows the basic actions for a play with gestures of the SPO.

Now details are programmed.

Please have a look to a short Video of 2 minutes.

Play from SPO with Kinect-camera - Video

October 21, 2020 - Controlled Randoms lead to different sequences and articulations. The composition particularly emphasizes different overtone articulations and thematizes the relationship between the right side of the string and the left left side of the string. Two mood systems were inited: the pure mood and the mood according to the 106th root of 2. This leads to up to 2 Hz intervals in the root mood. The composition is about 20 minutes long. I refer to them as LARGO.
The moods are indicated by the LED lights. White LEDs represent the intervals of the pure mood. The red LEDs represent the pure intervals such as: pure prime, pure third, pure fourth, pure fifth and the pure octave. Points between white and red LEDs are intervals of the 106th root of 2 mood. The pure prime is particularly highlighted by a special LED light and a strong articulation of this interval. The visual indications of the change from consonance to dissonance and vice versa, or from dissonance to dissonance to dissonance, etc., may be a support for the perception of the tonal events.

Video

Video

October 06, 2020 - The light-case is mechanically and programmatically complete. Different moods - pure mood, Pythagorean mood, 2nd-root-of-106-th mood etc. - can now be displayed visually. Depending on the position of the string divider, the respective LED lights up in the corresponding color. This is a prerequisite for playing with hand gestures, an essential orientation feature. Further development is now focused on camera detection programming of hand gesture recognition. An extensive composition = programming is completed, a video recording will be shown here soon.

SPO with light-case - video soon

July 19, 2020 - The composition by Phill Niblock, Exploratory, Rhine version “Looking for Daniel”, with the SPO has been realized. For this composition I have expanded the instrument by two essential objects: a holder for the ebow and a string divider with damper.
The smallest interval in Phill Niblock's composition is approx. 2.5 - 3.5 Hz. The 20 voices span the area of ??a "strange" minor third. Each voice contains approx. 22 sections of approx. 1 minute length, the pitch changes often only by 20 cents, the use of the next tone can be 15 seconds before or 15 seconds after the end of one minute.
The string instrument I developed is able to precisely control an engine position and articulate a tone at this point. This process can be reproduced exactly. Since cents are not a measurement variable, the intervals had to be determined in Hz and the frequencies assigned to an engine position, a rather lengthy procedure. I wrote a program for this. Then it was time to realize the composition. In the implementation program, the individual trips for the motors, the hits with the pick and the damping of the string were programmed. The change from one pitch to the next had to take place within a period of about 30 seconds. This was achieved in the program through random functions. The "stimulation" of the pitch could also be implemented by means of random functions: While the Ebow let the respective tone sound for approx. 1 minute, the string divider moved irregularly back and forth in such a way that the pitch had a frequency of approx. 2 Hz fluctuated, similar to the playing of an instrumentalist of unbound instruments.
With this game program, the individual voices could now be recorded, the conclusion was the mix on a stereo output. Here the mp3 file of the composition.
Project of corona.

SPO with Ebow fuer Phill Niblock, Rhine version, 2019

Test for the recording - Video

March 29, 2020 - Due to the current corona crisis, I am calling the workshop concert on March 8, 2020 to cancel. Here are the 6 programming examples - games of the electronic stringed instrument SPO. SPO, Super Prime One, an instrument that takes off the Pure Prime to the right extent. The Pure Prime is of outstanding importance for a play without notes. It is the big common denominator, a meeting point and location for the players. From which you can start a game in different directions. More on that soon.
Over the next few days I will upload 6 videos little by little. They show the diverse possibilities of the electronic stringed instrument.
Video No. 1
Video No. 2
Video No. 3
Video No. 4
Video No. 5
Video No. 6

SPO - Super Prime One

July 12, 2019 - Requirements for my composition
The pure intervals such as, prim, third, fourth, fifth, sixth lead in the electronic string instrument to strong overtone formations. It always sounds two parts of the string, when the plectrum strikes the string. The string divider is a ball bearing, the support surface of the string extremely small, so that the energy of the stricken string part transfers heavily to the other side. This results in very interesting sound qualities for me, which I followed up in a composition. Performance on Sept. 20/21 at the SKOP festival "NOW" in Frankfurt am Main.
Red stripes - pure mood; Pink stripes - octave, struck only on one side; Blue-white stripes - octaves as interval left and right struck by the divider; Green stripes - Pythagorean wholetone 6/8; Yellow stripe - 6th root from 2, wholetone
Not to see the 106th root of 2, 106 tone steps / octave. The steps are smaller than the width of a strip and are therefore only represented in the program.
All intervals were determined using a mathematical pattern, the intervals are available in arrays.
106 pitches / octave lead to very small tone steps. They are at the limit of hearing.
In the composition, the individual mood systems are represented with their special characteristics.
Over the next few days I will upload 6 videos little by little. They show the diverse possibilities of the electronic stringed instrument.

Electronic string Instrument

Juni 14, 2019 - Electronic string instrument at "night of sience" in the University of Frankfurt. Successful first performance of my new electronic instrument.

Many discussions with interested people led. Many were impressed by the manifold possibilities of the instrument.

The next performance with the instrument will be at the SKOP Festival in Frankfurt.
Video No. 1

Electronic string instrument

Mai 23, 2019 - The electronic string instrument is almost completed in the 1.0 version. The circuit is still being installed for the pickup and the last final pickup. The electronics of the pickup's were produced in collaboration with Thomas Perizonius. The basis for this is the feasibility study by Diplom Ingenieur of elektronic, Ulf Schaedla. After many attempts with different pickup versions, a final pickup with 3000 windings was produced. Thomas Perizonius wrapped the pickups and made the electronic circuits. The final pickup now has 3000 windings and transmits far into the upper frequencies the sound. The associated circuit provides the requirement for this.
The 5 engine are controlled with a Teensy 3.6. The library PJRC provides for the PWM control is excellent in terms of the acceleration and slowdown of the motors. It allows very fine settings.
The drivers of the motors can be adjusted exactly to these adjustments in the current levels. The circuit for the motor control I have simplified: now all 5 motors are controlled by 1 Teensy 3.6 and powered by the same drivers. This significantly facilitates the pending programming.
The instrument will be shown publicly for the first time on June 14, 2019 as part of the "Night of Science 2019" by the University of Frankfurt. The basic possibilities of the instrument are shown.


Video No. 2

Electronic string instrument, test phase, Video

April 27, 2019 - The mechanical parts of the instrument are almost done. Only the pickup's are missing. This is more and more challenging. We are proceeding from a study by Ulf Schaedla, which we, Gero Koenig and I, commissioned in 2011. Despite this study, it is difficult to determine the boundary conditions for the production. Since we want to push into a high cutoff frequency, there are special requirements for the design of the magnets and their winding. Roughly speaking, the higher the cutoff frequency, the weaker the lowpass and also the higher frequencies. This requires electrical wiring to balance the frequency band.

Meanwhile, we have made about 10 different pickup's and come closer to an optimal pickup for a string with the frequency of 85 Hz closer. There are still 4 more variants produced and then the pickup is connected.

In the image on the left, the string is not yet installed on the instrument. This has happened in the meantime and from the beginning of May the first tests will begin, which will then be used in the programming of a first compositional idea.
Video No. 3

Self-playing electronic string instrument

November 2018, Atacama Desert in Argentina - Sounds played into extreme landscapes.
The game is very difficult in these landscapes. Every little effort makes extraordinary effort. The low oxygen content of the air, the low temperature, the strong wind, the high UV radiation, leads to reduced concentration, headache, dizziness and shortness of breath. Coca leaves in the mouth and coca tea help significantly against the altitude sickness. The lava field Piedra Pómez e.g. is extremely dry, no moisture in the air, no animals, no vegetation. Each breath immediately led to a vertigo attack. The stay in the lava field should be limited to 30 minutes and drink during the stay and afterwards a lot of water.
Everywhere I played, I could only play the sound very briefly. The circumstances may give you 5 to 10 seconds of sound. But just because of the adverse circumstances, the play was in this grandiose landscapes into a special experience.


Here are the videos:
Antofalla, 3664 meters altitude Camera: Julie Beziat, Berlin - Video
Laguna Grande, 3850 meters altitude Camera: Margarita Gimenez, Belen - Video
Laguna Diamante, 5650 meters altitude Camera: Margarita Gimenez, Belen - Video
Campo de Piedra Pómez, 3500 meters altitude Camera: Ingrid Stika, Frankfurt am Main - Video
Video No. 4

Piedra de Pómez, Argentina, Atacama Desert - Sounds

22th und 23th of September 2018, Frankfurt, SKOP-Festival - In Frankfurt, I presented two more pieces with new programming and at the end of the festival played Birgit Ulher, Trumpet; Claudia Robles-Angel, Electronic Music; Thomas Gerwin, Drum and I with the Flutes an improvisation, which began after a short consultation.
In the image on the left, the string is not yet installed on the instrument. This has happened in the meantime and from the beginning of May the first tests will begin, which will then be used in the programming of a first compositional idea.In the image on the left, the string is not yet installed on the instrument. This has happened in the meantime and from the beginning of May the first tests will begin, which will then be used in the programming of a first compositional idea.Video No. 5

Solo-play with two flutes in Frankfurt am Main

6th-9th of September 2018, Berlin - "15. Internationales Klangkunstfest Berlin".
Play with the Electronically Steered And Selfplayed Bass Flute and a special acoustic flute and from 6 to 9 September exhibition of the electronic bass flute.
Three programmings for the following plays:
The Electronic Bass Flute plays himself and is steered through my play;
The Electronic Bass Flute plays itself and is steered through her own and
The Electronic Bass Flute plays itself and is steered through her own and through my play.
Solo with two flutes at the same time

All decisions within the programming take place in a period of about 10 to 200 milliseconds and influence during this period the actions of the Electronic Bassfloete. The flute plays in "real time" and my play anyway.
More informations: http://www.thomasgerwin.de/aktuell.html#Klangkunstfest


Video No. 6

Solo-play with two flutes and exhibition in Berlin

18 July 2018 - Status of work on the electronic string instrument
For the further construction of the electronic string instrument this was completed:
1. Power supply of the engines with 48V, 4,5A for fast movings;
2. Set up a differentiated power supply for the different sensors;
3. Basic circuit soldered on boards;
4. Connect all the motors electronically and programmatically with two Teensy 3.6 and an Arduino Micro. One Teensy and the Arduino Micro for the motor control, another Teensy for the audio processing.

The next steps: Installation of two motors on a slider for the plectrum and installation of a motor on the second slider for the spacer of the string. Setup of the second Teensy with the Teensy-Audio-Shield and first tests. Construction of a stand with aluminum profiles for the entire instrument including a plate for the electronics.

Schaltung elektronisches Saiteninstrument - Video

8th/9th of June, 2018 - "Night of Sience“ in Goethe university of Frankfurt
I having there the electronic bass flute introduced. For it I have programmed some songs which the flute played independently. The flute is tuned in Kellner II tempered mood.

To play articulated tones clearly of each other a flap in the headjoint was appropriated. An engine opens and closes fast the flap around the airflow to close or to give the air. For it another microcontroller with suitable electricity supply was inserted in the case. The controller is steered about the main controller, look at the image.

Elektronische Bassfloete mit Klappe - NIght of Sience

May 26 and 27, 2018 - Extended electr. bass flute on the "MAKE Rhein-Main al Tatcraft"
On the fair „MAKE Rhein-Main 2018“ I had many interesting talks with people from the most different areas: Musician, engineers, information scientists and from many other areas. The talks were marked by a wholesome curiosity to the different aspects of the electronic flute. The questions often turned on the reason for the construction of this flute. The spiritual background became questions, as well as the technical problems of the constructive and program-technical circumstances. The possibility of the control of the airflow by the programming was astonishing for people. Because to play the possibility loudly and quietly and to go to the next octave. Two nice days for me and I also thinks for the prospective customers. Thanks to the organizers of the „Make the Rhine Main in 2018“ and my colleagues of the "HackerspaceFFM".
The Electronic Bass Flute plays itself and is steered through her own play. I play in addition with an acoustic flute, see picture;

Stand auf der MAKE 2018

27th of April, 2018 - Concert By MEX In Dortmund
Solo play with two flutes. With both flutes it is possible to venture till the smallest intervals.

3 different plays whose basis 3 different programmings of the electronic flute are realised.

A play together not always originates in is evident who reacts now or who puts the accents: The acoustic player or the electronic flute?
The Electronic Bass Flute plays himself and is steered through my play and

Solo-play with two flutes by MEX in Dortmund

Since December 2017 - Construction on a electronically steeered stringinstrument
First stage is temporarily finished. The guide rail for the carriage with the spacer and the guide rail for the plectrum are mounted on the aluminum bar. The carriages are powered by Nema 23 motors by Trinamic, Driver by Stepperonline, DM542T, and Teensy 3.6. The video shows the movement of the two carriages. Both carriages are controlled independently. This is important for the free choice of positioning the carriage with the plectrum.
The powerful library for controlling stepper motors of the teensy company makes programming a lot easier. The video shows the movement of the car at a fairly fast pace.
Further tests will determine the optimal number of microsteps. Currently there are 3200 steps / revolution.
Next steps: Attach the string spacer spacers to the carriage and attach the plectrum motors to the other carriage. Then attach the string over the motors.

The holders for the motors, the gear and the pulley were specially designed and realized in 3D printing. The toothed belt attachment on the carriage was milled in aluminum. Video of the rides.
The Electronic Bass Flute plays itself and is steered through her own and through my play.

Motors with holder, gear and pulley - Video

2018 - "floete aktuell"
Editorial contribution in the publication of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Floete, over the electronically steered bass flutes.

He is rather extensive and gives an insight into the course of the development. In particular in the compositional idea which led to the constructions.

He summarises very well the complexity of the development.

Many thanks to the editorial staff from "floete aktuell" for this report. See PDF.
Also the Electronic Bass Flute shall be seen from the 6th to the 9th of September in the exhibition.

Play with electronically steered bassflute

2017 - Electronic Music Unplugged on the 30th of November in Munich. Concert with Karl F. Gerber and Christoph Reiserer. After the performance of "Combination II with visual support" play together of the violin machine of Karl F. Gerber and the self-playing and steering electronic microtonal bass flute. Further a duet with the guitar machine of Christoph Reiserer and the acoustic microtonal flute, further a duet with Christoph Reiserer, soprano saxophone and acoustic microtonal flute and for the end a "Tutti" with all acoustic and electronic instruments.

Picture violin machine: Jakob Tauber
Picture guitar machine, Tutti and Combination II: fobographers
By one variety of possibilities in the programmings the Electronic Bass Flute plays certain-uncertain. The possibilities are tuned on each other, however, not predictable. It should work "how creatively". All decisions within the programmings take place over a period of from approx. 10 to 200 milliseconds and affect within this period the actions of the electronic bass flute. The flute plays in "real time". In the perception theory the present is a period of approx. 250 milliseconds. Before this period the future and after this period is the past. The activities of the electronic flute lie in the present and my play anyway.

Munich - combination II with visual support

2017 - Festival SKOP, on the 10th and 11th of November in Frankfurt, Solo with the small electronically steered bass flute and play together with the violin machine of Karl F. Gerber. Solo I played the bass flute. The machines steered to themselves the play together with the violin machine of Karl F. Gerber mutually. No intervention took place from the outside.
More informations: http://www.wiessenthaner.de and http://www.thomasgerwin.de/aktuell.html#Klangkunstfest

play together: flutemachine and violinmachine

2017 - MAKE In Darmstadt - Even playing and steering electronic micro-tonal bass flute presents itself. A fan generates the tones. By different aerial volume/time, it is possible to penetrate into the fifth and octave and into different overtone areas. The flute can play completely independently or it is steered through other players. The next performances: November in Munich, Freiburg and Frankfurt am Main.
In the flute small changes were appropriated in the construction, the integration of a fan, in the electronic control and new electronics case.
Video 1: Itself playing and steering bass flute
Video 2: By a player steerd itself playing bass flute.
Images: Details of this bass flute 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
Video: Demo

2. MAKE in Darmstadt, auditorium informatics

2017 - Second Electronically Self-steered Micro-Tonal Bassflute - The choice of the algorithms is an essential part of the composition process. During with the big bass flute the movement very slowly - per rotation of the spindle a distance of 0.5 cm is reached and with it a pitch change of approx. 1 hertz. The rotation time for 1 rotation lies with approx. 2 seconds. With the small bass flute the distance amounts to 5.5 cm for 1 rotation and a rotation is carried out after approx. 2Hunderstel seconds. The microphone attached to the flute takes the played notes and steers the movement of the pipe in his length through this.
The sound distances move from micro tonal intervals to almost to a semitone interval. The play of the tones is realised about one and exclusion data. Always in "hear in the pipe" with the play. The movement of the pipe happens fast. Aim was from the outset to construct two flutes with different signs for the play. A composition in the tones "how right away stand", a development almost is not to be heard and a composition in that the tones in very quick, expressive manner can be played.
Essential help my colleagues from "hackerspace-ffm".
This flute is soon recorded in Freiburg, Frankfurt and Munich. Video

Self-steering electronically micro-tonal bassflute
Video: Demo and Images: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

2017 - Klangfest Untergreith, Austria. Play in "film and music" from Phill Niblock with the small micro-tonal bass transverse flute. The intervals to be played move in a frame of 20 to 40 cents. An essential play instruction: no expression of the tones. Please, you look and hear the video.

Klangfest Untergreith - Play in "film and music from Phill Niblock" - Video

2017 - Klangfest Untergreith, Austria. For the first time the composition combination II" with the second electronically steered micro-tonal small bass transverse flute was played. In contrast to the first flute this flute is able to realise very fast a pitch change. Different algorithms allow a pitch change which can grasp the possible ton space to very small intervals. Besides, data are generated by the really played tone which determine the next pitch and an engine control in real time realise for the movement necessary in addition. Real time means for me a period of approximately 250 milliseconds. This time span is called in the perception theory also this what people feel as a present. In this time span all sound transformations also take place. The movement before the microphones serves for the triggers of the engine control, for the control of the sound transformations and not least for the sound in space. Video

Klangfest Untergreith - combination II - Video

2017 - Fair MAKE FRANKFURT 2017 my stand. Image 1, 2, 3. What pleased me particularly was the visit of a renowned flute maker from Vienna. He appeared enthusiastic about the possibility of moving the electronically controlled bass flutes on every length exactly and she making what playable on a hertz exactly. I played with the flutes in fixed intervals approx. 3-5 minutes. Although the game was unusual for most visitors, the fair visitors listened interestedly and tensely. The conversations with the audience were very pleasant for me.

Fair MAKE FRANKFURT 2017 - my stand

2017 - Second electronically steered bass transverse flute - Composition construction ideas for the small bass flute and Ideas of the play is to determine the length of the flute pipe by algorithms and to steer it about an engine. The choice of the algorithms is an essential part of the composition process. During with the big bass flute the movement very slowly - per rotation of the spindle a distance of 0.5 cm is reached and with it a pitch change of approx. 1 hertz. The rotation time for 1 rotation lies with approx. 2 seconds. With the small bass flute the distance amounts to 5.5 cm for 1 rotation and a rotation is carried out after approx. 2Hunderstel seconds. The microphone attached to the flute takes the played notes and steers the movement of the pipe in his length through this.
The sound distances move from micro tonal intervals to almost to a semitone interval. The play of the tones is realised about one and exclusion data. Always in "hear in the pipe" with the play. The movement of the pipe happens fast. Aim was from the outset to construct two flutes with different signs for the play. A composition in the tones "how right away stand", a development almost is not to be heard and a composition in that the tones in very quick, expressive manner can be played.
The construction, draught of the single construction parts for the 3D-pressure, programming etc. are own idea and realisation. Essential help my colleagues from "hackerspace-ffm".
This flute was finished on the 22nd of Feb., 2017 and is soon recorded in Freiburg and Austria. Video

Electronically steered small bass flute - Video

2017 - The next step with the electronically steered mikrotonalen bass transverse flute. The next step with this one electronically controlled micro tonal bass flute. The programming of the engine is unchanged, MAX/MSP-Patch, however, was extended by two voices. At the performance on December 14th, 2016, the performance was 3-voices, it is 5-voices now. One high voice and a very deep voice are come in addition. The extremely slow change of the pitch lets the impression arise as if the game remained on the always same pitch. Besides, the play encloses the area of 118 hertz to 170 hertz.
Here a Video.

Electronically steered big bass flute - Video

2016 - The first performance with the electronically steered bass flute - on the 14th of December first-time play with the SKOP festival "images and music II. A composition for this bass flute, 5 loudspeakers and real time frequency modulations. Here a video with impressions.

SKOP-Festival "images and music II" - Impressions, Video

2016 - First electronically steered micro tonal bassflute - After I have programmed with "hitmachine" a dynamic musical system, I thought, it would have to be possible to steer a flute through algorithms. For a few days I have produced this flute now in the prototype, see pictures. The step motor programming about Arduino and a motorshield is able to determine precisely 1-cent interval. For a play unrealistically, in particular with a bass transverse flute this bore. Here a value of about 25 cents is recognizable for the human perception.
For this flute a program has written in which a pseudo-random extends the flute pipe in a certain-uncertain manner and shortens again. Besides, the program is an important part of the composition. The preparations for the programming and the programmation were marked by compositional considerations. Of course also the whole construction, the choice of the mechanical parts and the creation of the mechanics, because they led, in the end, to the possibility of an interval regulation of 26. 6 cents.
With the play is very irritating if I do not know, whether the flute extended or shortened. I must completely get involved in the resonance of the flute, play laxly tensely and the pitch changes allow to "happen", then only the pitch changes are realizable. As far as the first impressions, soon detailed descriptions of this flute and the compositional ideas.
Essential help my colleagues from "hackerspace ffm".

Electronically steered big bass transverse flute - image

2016 - hitmachine for Acoustic Frontiers in Canada. A total of 6 pieces of music from hitmachine were generated. The pre-settings were so chosen that six formally very different pieces have originated. By a huge number of pre-settings it is possible to generate not only variations, but also different forms and/or form blocks. In addition a video about core functions in hitmachine and music 1 and music 2 for Acoustic Frontiers.

Hitmachine - screenhot, Video

2016 - hitmachine in Berlin in SPECTRUM. For this presentation from hitmachine the pre-settings were so chosen that a piece of music originated in a realisation form. The animation was as in Hamburg with "sounds good!" which changes programming slightly.


2016 - hitmachine became to the Klangsymposium "klingt gut !" in Hamburg with new screen programming and with enlarged audio part presents. Hitmachine can generate only independently clearly of each other to be distinguished form blocks and is thereby able to form big form connections. Now, besides, it is possible to this machine to form musical breaks. The video documents the presentation. Because picture and tone have a common characteristic only in an abstract sense - they are generated by the same data streams - the presentation of picture and tone apart occurs. First part is to be heard of the audio part, then the picture part was to be seen quietly. In a 45-minutes talk the programming was introduced in the details.

Hitmachine - Hamburg, Klangsymposium, Video

2016 - hitmachine was presented of the festival "EXPERIMENTAL INTERMEDIA" in New York in a version with micro tonal bassflutes. Four glissando flutes - piccolo, big flute, small bass flute, big bass flute - were played circle-like in an always returning order. Besides, data streams in MAX permitted very small pitch transformations which played in in real time, one pitch over and one pitch under the played pitch. A play with pitches very near together in the pitch. Hitmachine was performed in 3 separate parts: audio-part, visual part with the animation and play with the glissando flutes with a performance duration of approx. 1:20 hours. Here a video - 3:30 minutes - with short impressions. Video.

Hitmachine - Bass flutes, Experimental Intermedia, NY

2016 - Hitmachine is developed. The dynamic system is further differentiated. The system regulated and extended itself. This leads to more varied conditions for the sound creation.
hitmachine will be performed 2016 in several times: New York, Hamburg, Berlin and Frankfurt.
For the performance in New York it will be presented hitmachine in a version with micro tonal bassflutes.


2016 - Hitmachine was presented November, 2015 in Bogotá, Colombia and in December, 2015 in Frankfurt in an audiovisual version. Substantially for the performances was a strict change of tone and picture. At no time tone and picture had appeared at the same time.

Hitmachine - Image concert Dezember 2015

2015 - Play with micro tonal bassflutes in the composition of Gero Koenig "chord relief" for micro tonal bassflutes and Chordeograph.

Play "chord relief" mit Gero Koenig • Composer-Duo

2015 - New micro tonal bassflutes • Three new bodies for the small bass flute out of aluminium and coach voucher allow to make. The disadvantage of an "only micro tonal bassflutes" is the restricted sound extent from a little bit more than a big sixth. With these 3 flutes I try to limit this problem. Advantage of these flutes is: Play of extremely fine pitch differences. On the 12th of December, 2015 these flutes are played first in a composition by Gero Koenig.

Three micro tonal bass flutes, image

2015 - Peter Fjodoroff • My friend and colleague, the musician, actor and author Peter Fjodoroff, *09. 07. 1946 - †20. 08. 2015, has suddenly died. We played together since 1992 in the occupation preserved transverse flutes and tenor horn and in different bigger occupations. Our project "playing together" is based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The single tone is understood as a complicated thing which is carried out in the play. By an extreme play manner of the tones arise like by itself the exclusion of scales and from a known motive forming, because: Pitch places are also to be taken in very small distances; the variety of the pitches further goes out 12 tones of an octave; the prime is the big common denominator on which two tones meet and move in each case in different directions, a tone upwards a tone in the depth; contrasts kick very strongly in appearance then all qualities of the tone are enclosed: the height, the timbre, the articulation, the length and the volume.
Here the stations and an example of our cooperation, Quick-Time-Movie.
On the SKOP-website and on Facebook your further information finds.

P. Fjodoroff und P. Wiessenthaner, Zusammenspiel, Video

2015 - hitmachine constract lines • installation for filter sounds, animation and 7 loudspeakers
Here two tracks.
42 filters unite to a compact, 7-voices, percussion-like machine. new: 6 other filters generate soundlike things, they flank the main stream of the events. hitmachine runs independently and without repetition. Circle-like recurring processes with different time intervals, interlock over and over again anew, while the at the same time filters receive new parametres and form the musical circumstances anew. Lies to these expiries a 6-fold random generator which determines the pitch transformation values in snake-like manner, temporal expiries initiates and finishes. A not end-disposed expiry of extremely high variability. hitmachine generates a connection of tone and picture in an almost infinite variation. By data of the amplitudes and the pitches become lines which are programmed in PROCESSING about which screen moves. By these data the lines keep her tempo with them above the surface move, her line strength, her length, direction, form and her colours. The algorithms lead to a variety in movement, colour and expansion of the lines: an equivalence of the variety of the musical expiry. hitmachine: work in progress.
Programming PROCESSING, MAX: Keith O‘Hara,Peter Wiessenthaner
Performances of hitmachine: Festival in Cracow and Schiphorst, college of music Munich, Signalraum Munich, SKOP and PHONOPHON in Frankfurt, different Versions for Internet

2015 - hitmachine constract lines - video

2015 - 25th of April, SKOP event "multimedia - acoustic - electronic". Performance within the project "sound and image" in a variation for two bass flutes and live electronics and 7 loudspeakers". In this work pictures of the performance situation - construction of the loudspeakers, play situation were shown etc. - within an animation in a few points. Besides, the sounds of the bass flutes steered the way of the photo presentation (pictures from the animation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Besides, a photo is never to be seen whole, but only a circular cutting. The amplitude of the bass flutes reduces this cutting up to zero or increases him around, besides, at the same time the colour values till the white to increase. MAX and PROCESSING form a unity of live-audio-picture-processing and control. Besides, the photos for the animation also explain the whole connection of the live-electronic construction, or the idea of this composition. Subject of the performance reflects to itself in the images. With 4 microphones are played the bass flutes. Every microphone heads for a loudspeaker - see pictures. The tones are multiplied about FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) in a simple combination by themselves and are transformed and played in again. A network of near together lie of tones originates in micro-tonal distances. Everything happens in the real time, no precast parts except the photographs. Video of the performance.

2015 - sound and Image - Screenshot

2014 - 9th of November, SKOP event "Combinations". Performance of a new version of "hit machine", for 7 loudspeakers and animation. A line network corresponds to the sound network of hitmachine that is released by the sounds and is changed constantly. See moreover further unte the implementation to the blow machine with animation. A video of this work is in preparation.

2014 - Screenshot, hitmachine with animation

2014 – 19. till the 30th of June Germany tour. Festival in Schiphorst, Munich, "Echtzeithalle" and "Signalraum" and then 3 days of performances in the "Tresorraum" in Tübingen. Us were on the move with a full-length program, Gero Koenig and me. 2 solo pieces of me, 2 solo pieces of Gero Koenig and 2 duets. There follow different videos.

2014 - Peter Wiessenthaner and Gero Koenig - image

hitmachine with animation. Installation. Video. 42 filter sounds, created with MAX, generate a fine-meshed network of perkussiven sounds. Agreed and chance-steered, circle-like expiries, prove a sound pattern changing over and over again, a play without recurring pattern and freely from known tact patterns. This tutorial covers the creation of equations: mathematical statements that evaluate an expression based on input values. The key to equations in Max is the expr object, which provides a wealth of mathematical functions and a “write your own” mechanism for developing complex statements.
The multiple which are programs in PROCESSING are moved by these sounds about the screen and her colour and size are assigned to them by the movement. Here a cutting from the installation.
Programming PROCESSING: Keith O'Hara, Peter Wiessenthaner
Programming MAX: Peter Wiessenthaner
Camera: Serge Le Goff

2014 - Screenshot, hitmachine with animation, video

Composition for 2 bass flutes, 4 loudspeakers and animation. Video. The bass flute playing was transferred more than 2 microphones into the space. By movement before the microphones the tones were expressed and quietly, according to distance to the microphones and a movement of the tones is perceived by the space.
At the same time the movement serves before the microphones and the volume of the tones for the generation and control of a colour composition which was programmed in PROCESSING. A process is got going by constantly changing colour combinations which continues to exist only by the play. With MAX the played tones were worked on and returned on two other loudspeakers. A microsound ale tone colour network originated.
Programming PROCESSING: Keith O'Hara, Peter Wiessenthaner
Programming MAX: Peter Wiessenthaner
Camera: Serge Le Goff

2014 - Tresorraum Tuebingen, Video. Image: Serge Le Goff

MAX send about OSC interface data to PROCESSING - Video.
Above the OSC interface the audio-data are sent by MAX to PROCESSING. 42 filters generate a complicated-many-voiced electronic music whose data steer a programming in PROCESSING. Without external intervention the music generates a constantly changing colour play.

2014 - hitmachine, video

Enlargement of the flute collection - Image
Piccolo flute with sliding-pipe. Big Floee with verchiedenen sliding-pipes and with passed away to punched pipes and gedackte pipes. Old flute with sliding-pipe, punched pipe and gedacktem sliding-pipe. Bass flute 2 with sliding-pipe, easy pipes and punched pipe. Bass flute 1 with an easy pipe (is still extended). From the 14th of February to the 16th of February, 2014 test with this flute collection in Cologne with Gero Koenig and his instrument, Chordeograph. From this cooperation arose the need to extend my flute collection. Now the whole spectrum of the Chordeograph tones is covered with it and by the sliding-pipes new formative possibilities arose for my play and the teamwork.

2014 - Flute collection image

2013 - hitmachine and composers's duo with Gero Koenig in Frankfurt and Cracow. Intensification of the work with MAX and PROCESSING.
PDF to our cooperation.COMPOSER'S DUO Gero Koenig and Peter Wiessenthaner.

2013 - Screenshot: colored circles move, concert in Frankfurt und Krakau, video

2013 – The teamwork with Gero Koenig develops.
During the last months different works originated for the Internet. Substantially for this audio visuell works it is: The play of the tones generates pictures. No visual representation disposed however of tones. Example: colored circles move. A change of animation and music, produces with MAX and PROCESSING. Also with these programes originated: five objects with drums-like impulses and five circularites by line formations.
Only with MAX the following works have originated: colored stripes, points and areas II, colored stripes, points and areas I, in these works the timbre and the amplitude of the sounds steers the colour, the lines, briefly the forming of the colour play. Two works originated as a pure animation, without music: busy streaks and color areas and stripes animated and coloured.
Video with Peter Wiessenthaner, preserved transverse flutes and Gero Koenig, Chodeograph 2, in Cologne.

2013 - Composer-Duo P. Wiessenthaner and G. Koenig

2012 – bamboo – Composition for specially constructed transverse flute, Monochord, 4-string bass instrument, rhythm box, video, PC and 6 loud speakers with subwoofer. Performance: 24th May 2012 at Acousmain, Frankfurt/Main – Germany. Photos of the stage 1, 2, 3 and 4. The played notes had been recorded by microphones, emitted by loudspeakers and simultaneously arranged and replayed by MAX. Each loudspeaker had been given a distinctive range of sound. Videos and single pictures navigated in several ways the loudness of the tones. Two videos were merged in respect to tempi, colourful- and lightness by loudness and determined volume, highlighting for a short period of time single pictures. The videos were created from several single photos, taken in a bamboo forest. These photos were abstracted to vertical movements by retaining the vision of space. The single photos have been animated into videos. These videos are subject to complex live-sequence during performance. The play of tones changes the videos towards abstract pictures, where only two-dimensional space and colourness is of importance.
The live-performance lasted ca. 50 minutes; the documentation – video – has approx. 15 min. of length.

2012 - bamboo

2011 – New instruments – As the play of the transverse flute is limited to a defined range of sound, I felt the need for an extension of the klanglich-tonlichen –tonal and sound possibilities in particular to playing chords. And then, end of 2010 the first result by creating a 7-string bass-instrument, equipped with special 220 cm long bass-strings. This instrument was played for the first time in November 26th 2010. It was extended by using MAX to work on each tone and thereafter to be implemented into the live-concert. The 7-string instrument proved to be too clumsy and thus was subsequently reduced to 4 strings showing the required result of ease of playability. The enhanced version of the instrument was first performed on 28th May 2011. See SKOP-Veranstaltung “Musikmarathon mit Roland Graeter” (SKOP-concert called “Music marathon with Roland Graeter). Soon a sequence of this concert will be available on this side. Here the predominate instruments I played during this concert. Image.

2011 - played with new bass string instrument - large image

Project Teamwork began with Peter Fodoroff in 1993. Duet play for preserved tenor horn and preserved transverse flutes and alto transverse flute. We played together up to the death of Peter Fjodoroff nearly 20 years in this occupation. The hole flutes originated in summer, 1992 and were played first with the first event by SKOP in 1993, in the foundation year of SKOP, an event organisation in an interdisciplinary frame events organised.

1992 - Flute collection, with holes, - large image