Quantified performer
for extended bowed string instrument (heartbeat and galvanic sensor) and live
electronics

Juan L. Montoro

Introduction

Nowadays, we have the possibility to measure our activity, obtaining data describing our daily life.
The idea of “quantified self” was thought as a way to improve our behaviour and benefit our
health, but it also carries a lot of issues dealing with “data business”. Big companies can sell the
personal data they obtain from gadgets as the smartwatches (or other wearable computing) of
their customers to other companies interested in it (as health insurance companies…).

The idea of companies doing business with our really personal data is quite frightening. Things as
pulse rate, blood pressure, skin conductance, or oxygen level can say so much about us that we
do not have any grade of intimacy any more.

What about applying this methods in a performance situation? What about not intimacy for
the performer in front of the public? Performers are always trying to hide their anxiety/feelings
on the stage to represent pieces or acting as they are someone else, so what would happen if the
piece is really about what the performer is feeling and his physiological situation on stage?
Measuring some of his body-data live, and using it to process the sound of his instrument:
listening to what he is playing through what he is feeling, creating a total transparent situation
between performer’s feelings and audience, that could put the performer in a difficult personal
position. Anxiety, nervous, and the incrementation of the level of the difficulty during the piece will
trigger different responses in any performer or situation.

General information

The piece is thought to be played by any bowed string instrument (4 or more strings).

Only one hand can be used (the one for bowing), as the other one will be monitored with the
sensors used for the electronics: heartbeat rate, and galvanic skin response.

Only continuos sound are allowed. No rhythmic patterns. No big gaps between sounds.

This situation reduce the sound possibilities of the instrument to:

- Sound of the soundboard (cares, continuos)

- Open Strings: ord. , ST, SP, double pressure

- Strings after the bridge

- Double stops

Always play “tenuto”

Dynamics should be used as timbre changes, as the intensity will be the same because of the
high compression in the electronics

Practice mute is recommended

Sensors

Both of the sensors should be placed in the opposite hand of the bowing hand.

Galvanic skin sensor Heartbeat rate

Both sensors will be

connected to a
programmed patch via
Arduino

Electronics
The string instrument will be amplified via contact mic.

The heartbeat sensor will trigger the moments the sound of the instrument is amplified
(corresponding the heartbeat with the sound).

The galvanic skin sensor will control the time the sound is amplified (the gate)

A delay around 10sec will be placed, preferably with a tape loop (analog), with the tape going
around the performer place. In cases analog tape loop is not available, it should be recreated
digitally (although it misses the visual aspect).

The sound will be projected through stereo speakers, from behind the performer.

Scordatura:

It is recommendable to tune the instrument in a harmony dealing with relations of 7ºM or 7ºm and
4ºA.

For example, a good scordatura for viola would be:

Notation and performative aspect

A screen/projection will be placed for the audience to see all the data collected from the
performer: heartbeat, graphic of the galvanic skin sensor, and a camera (thermal) pointing at his
face-expoessions

The performer will see another screen in which he will see the physical state of his body: low,
low-medium, medium, medium-high, or high activity.

The performer will internally repeat this text fragment for the whole performance:

PRESSURE

Although autonomous

the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

(She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

(She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

[Dick Raaijmakers - “Method”]

The performer will follow different instructions (levels) for a framework of improvisation in each of
the repetitions of the text. The levels of frameworks to be followed are:

LOW (L) LOW-MED MED (M) MED-HIGH HIGH (H)

(LM) (MH)

Changes Every Every Every sentence/ Every sentence/ Every word

pitches/ paragraph paragraph line line
timbres

Techniques - Continuos - Caress - After bridge - After bridge - OS SP

caress soundboard
strings
strings
- OS ord.

soundboard
- After bridge - Open Strings - Open Strings - OS scratch/
strings SP SP
DP

- OS ord
- Double stops

- Bow - Bow tailpiece

Tailpiece - Bow
soundboard

The structure for the performance:

a) All sensors, and the tape loop should be ready before audience comes into the room.

b) The performer, while audience is coming into the room, will be following instruction for “LOW”,
trying to calm down as much as possible, keeping his heartbeat and galvanic skin data low.

c) Whenever the audience is almost totally in silence, the performer will start repeating internally
the text and following the instructions indicated for each repetition (in relation with the
framework provided before)

Notes:

“Ensure that you play all the possible techniques/pitches of the different levels of the framework
indicated in every repetition of the text”

Not repeat same pitch more than twice in a row

In M, MH, and H: Not repeat same technique (after bridge, ST, ord…) more than three times in a
row

 - Start playing one of the after-bridge strings for the whole text, after
doing it, go on with the text:

- 1. PRESSURE

Although autonomous

LM the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

LM (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

LM She presses in the name of her user.

She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

LM when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

LM (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

- 2. PRESSURE

Although autonomous

M the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

M (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

LM She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

M when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

M (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

- Stop playing, and put on your fingers the Galvanik Skin Sensor,
after that, go on playing following the text
 3. PRESSURE

Although autonomous

MH the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

MH (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

M She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

MH when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

MH (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

PRESSURE

Although autonomous

H the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

MH (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

MH She presses in the name of her user.

She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

H when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

MH (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

- Stop playing, and try to hyperventilate or think about memories that

could raise your data of the galvanic sensor, to intensify the volume
of the electronics and the feedback.

- After arriving to a more tense physiological state, go on playing

with the text
 PRESSURE

Although autonomous

MH the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

H (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

MH She presses in the name of her user.

She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

MH when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

MH (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

PRESSURE

Although autonomous

M the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

MH (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

MH She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

M when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

M (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

 PRESSURE

Although autonomous

LM the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

M (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

M She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

LM when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

LM (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

PRESSURE

Although autonomous

LM the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,

but exclusively under pressure of her user.

LM (She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.

LM She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

LM when the user moves — the TC does so too,

when the user changes — the TC does so too.

A TC represents the user to the world.

LM (She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

To finish the piece, maintain one string after the bridge for a whole repetition
of the text
 PROGRAMME NOTES

For cello, tape machines loop, heartbeat sensor and galvanic skin sensor.

The only electronic process involved is the amplification of the cello and the tape machines,
which parameters are controlled by the physiological state of the performer.

Tape machines will create a loop overlaying the different states the performer is going through.

Although autonomous
the Technical Construction never touches the world by herself,
but exclusively under pressure of her user.

(She is literally moved by her user to press.)

A TC transmits the pressure of her user to the world.

She presses in the name of her user.
She delivers his pressure to the world.

When the user presses — the TC does so too,

when the user moves — the TC does so too,
when the user changes — the TC does so too.
A TC represents the user to the world.

(She is the intermedium between the user and the world.)

[Dick Raaijmakers - “Method”]