ONDAS

for harp and live electronic processing

Juan Luis Montoro Santos,

in collaboration with Caterina Bevegni

Notation and performance techniques

Rubbing a string with a sheet of paper

The paper is rubbed back and forth horizontally on a low string

(for example, the first E)

(page 2, bar 1)

The width of the curves lines represent the

velocity that the paper has tu rub the string:
The wider line (the first line in the picture)
represent a slow and long movement.
Meanwhile, the thinner line represent a fast
and shot movement with the paper.
(pg. 2, b. 13)

Scrapping the low strings with a coin

One of the low strings of the harp (it could be E again) is scraped vertically, downwards with a coin. The
scrape can be done in one fast movement or slowly over a long period of time, and beginning from the low
part or the high part of the string it depends on the next notation:
(pg. 3, b. 19)

(pg. 3, b. 19)

Slow movement,
beginning from the low
part of the string,
downwards until the end
(it goes over just a small
part of the length of the
string, so the movement
has to be slower).

(pg. 4, b. 22)

Beginning from the

middle part of the string,
downwards until the end
of the string (faster than
the one before)

(pg. 5, b. 28)

Beginning from the high

part of the string,
downwards until the end
of the string (it has to be
fast but covering the bars
that the line is indicating)

String buzz
A string buzz is produced by plucking a string with so
much force that it clashes against the next string
creating a buzzing sound.
When the two strings clash together a short buzzing
sound is heard.
(pg.3 , b.37)

In the notation is specified which strings should be

plucked

Percussive sounds on the soundboard

The sound board can be knocked, struck, tapped or slapped with the knuckles, palm of the hand the fingers or the
fingertips.

Slapping the soundboard

over the low part

(pg.3 , b. 46)

Beating the soundboard with the

nails.
To produce a softer sound, it can be
done in the part behind de
soundboard (the part of the
resonant box nearest to the player)
(pg.4 , b. 73)

Touching the string with the nails while it is still vibrating

Just after playing the note, touch the string with the nails while it is
still resonating to create a buzz

(pg.4 , b. 79)

Just after playing the note, touch

the string with the nails while it is
still resonating to create a buzz
(pg.4 , b. 79)

Note and changing harmonics

Playing always the same note (the one notated) with

one hand, the other hand is used to go from this
fundamental note to the highest harmonics, changing
the pitch of the sound a little bit in every repetition of

(pg.4 , b.80)

Muting strings with one hand

The palm of one hand presses
the strings horizontally. The
fingers of the other hand then
play the strings.
(pg.5 , b.85)

Xylophonic sounds

Xylophonics are muted sounds with a clearly distinguished pitch.

To produce xylophonic sounds one hand mutes the strings by pressing
them with the fingers close to the soundboard. The other hand plays
the strings normally.
(pg.5 , b.92)

Plucked sounds with nails

The harpist turns the hand slightly away from the normal playing
position and plucks the strings with his/her fingernails.
Playing with the fingernails gives a sharp and slightly penetrating
sound.
(pg.5 , b.97)

Hit strings
The harpist hits the strings with the palm of the hand, held horizontally.
The harpist let the strings ring after the hit until the continuos line finish.
The range of pitches hit must be similar to the position of the symbol on
the stave.
(pg.5 , b.104)

Glissandos
the effect is produced by sliding the fingers quickly over the strings to create a fast scale

(pg.8 , b.162)

(pg.8 , b.172)

The nail of the

finger is used to
slide over the
strings.

(pg.9 , b.187)

Damping a little bit

the strings with one
hand, the other one
play a glissando but
with tremolo between
the different strings.
It could be with
fingers or nail (nail
would be notated)

(pg.9 , b.188)

Usual glissando, but

avoiding a continuos
scale, fragmenting the
movement to the high
pitches in different steps

It means to play close to the tuning

pins. The strings are played
between the bridge pin and the
tuning pin.

Hitting softly the soundboard

Sound board hit with the fingertips,

moving quiet fast from the top of the
sound-board to the low part. But with
really soft hitting, almost as rubbing.

(pg.8 , b.164)

Rubbing

The whole hand is rubbed

back and forth vertically
on the string. The range is
the one notated with a
box

Rubbing the wood of te

resonant box with the palm
and fingertips

(pg.8 , b.168)

(pg.10 , b.198)

Using a slider

The sliding object (a glass) is held horizontally on

the strings and moved up or down. The strings can
be played with the other hand.

(pg.10 , b.189)

Pedals

A pedal buzz is produced by holding the

pedal halfway between two pedal
positions. Therefore, as it is played, the
string vibrates against the metal of the
tuning disc.

Notation used to
indicate a change of
position of a pedal.

(pg.7 , b.139)
(pg.7 , b.157)

Electronics (patch and notation)

The live electronic processes used in the sounds that the harp is generating are programmed by a
patch using Max for Live, and Ableton Live. This patch has been adapted to control it with a Midi foot
controller, using just three different buttons/pedals with toggles function.

Pedals controller notation

Boot the patch

(pg.2 , b.1)

Pedal/button Next: after assign this function to a pedal, push

it twice every time that this symbol appear at the score
(pg.2 , b.9)

Freeze functions
There are two different freeze functions: F1 and F2. They have to be assigned to different pedals,
and in the notation is indicated when to put them ON or OFF.

(pg.2 , b.8)

(pg.2 , b.13)

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