Étude No.1, for Curve

Étude No.1, for Curve, being the first ever composition for my new custom-built instrument, Curve, imbued a unique set of qualities to the compositional process. Accordingly, I am calling this piece an étude. To study and explore the control, performative possibilities, and affordances that this new interface offered me, I needed to study the options that Curve provided. However, I did not simply want to compose a study using the interface, but a substantial musical piece in its own right. To that end, the piece is broken up into four different sections, each highlighting a specific and unique performative technique that I developed for the instrument. Each section is denoted by a different method of physical interaction with the instrument, as well as a unique lighting mode designed to correspond and emphasize each performative technique. I used Max as my primary data-mapping environment and Max for Live as my primary sound design engine within Ableton Live. I hope you enjoy it!