Heart Shaped Rock
Heart Shaped Rock is a site-responsive work by Beth Gill made in collaboration with performers Jordan Lloyd, Maya Lee-Parritz, and Jessie Young originally commissioned by Little Island Festival. Sound score by Jon Moniaci and costumes by Baille Younkman.
The score for Heart Shaped Rock was algorithmically generated in Javascript using the ToneJS library and Web Audio API. Basic ToneJS/Web Audio API oscillators were used to create an FM synthesis instrument that runs in a web browser. This instrument is called the “Droplet Synth” — each tone triggers a slightly detuned tone at after the attack creating a wobble or “shimmer” in the tone as rain droplets in a puddle might create a shimmer on the surface of the water.
The score is to be played back on three separate stereo speaker systems spaced apart from each other. During the original dance performances, mobile bluetooth speakers were used with playback from cellphones.
The code (available on Github) defines a series of pitch sets that each speaker cycles through. Pitch set definitions allow for detuning of pitches as well as pitches that slide up and down as the droplet synth tones sound. Several parameters change over the duration of the playback (about 33 minutes) allowing each speaker to layer sets of tones with different densities and properties over time, with random variations. No two “runs” of the algorithm produce the same output.
Originally conceived to be played back in the browser from cellphones, the current implementation is too processor intensive for handsets to render in realtime. For the original run of the show, the algorithm was run on a laptop in the Chrome web browser and recorded beforehand. Each speaker’s audio was then encoded in FLAC files and loaded on the corresponding phone for playback.
To experience the score, load this website on three playback devices (cellphones, laptops, smart TV, etc) ideally connected to separate bluetooth speakers or stereo systems. Each device should playback just one of the tracks. Press play at the same time on all three systems. This is the score output intended for the Forsyth Plaza version of the show.