Mike Root live audio + visual performance at the Phil Space. Santa Fe, NM. June 14, 2024

This performance features generative music elements, asynchronous audio and video looping and real-time visual processing. The set has structure that allows for improvisation and new interpretation each time it is played. I developed a palette of activities (playing guitar, vocals, twisting knobs, pushing buttons, altering visual content) which allowed me to freely explore and jump between "brushes and colors" led by intuition.
The set comprises three sound compositions and three corresponding sets of layered visuals.
PIECE 1. 0:00 - 7:20
At the core of this piece are a pair of dualing rhythms: 2 bars of 8th notes on the downbeat and 3 bars of 8th notes on the upbeat. Each note has less and 50% chance of being played, so the rhythms constantly change and combine in new ways.
The two guitar parts are derived from an improvised set of notes, which are then generated by a buffer shuffler, creating unique melodic and rhythmic sounds throughout the piece.
The visuals for this piece were filmed along the Williamette River in Portland, OR in May of 2024, the composited to form abstract playful lines of color.
PIECE 2. 7:21 - 16:40
This piece is intended to create an ambient texture upon which keyboard and then electric guitar is improvised. The piece culminates in looping echoes of guitar.
PIECE 3. 16:41 - 26:24
A series of field recordings from different moments of my life are the basis of this piece. Improvised slide guitar, with pitches affected by a whammy pedal start out in conversation with the field recordings, and then take on a life of their own. The vocals are reacting to the guitar and field recordings, and the piece eventually works its way into a dissonant knot, which is then unwound by a melodic guitar line.
Effects include Unfiltered Audio's SILO and Glitch by illformed.
Pedals: Electro-Harmonix EHX-45000, DigiTech Whammy DT, RedPanda Tensor, Walrus Audio Slö, SeymourDuncan Vapor Trail.
Real-time video processing using TouchDesigner.
Generative music is ever-changing audio which is defined (generated) by a system. In this case, I am primarily feeding notes (guitar and/or voice) into recordings of different lengths (asynchronous looping), allowing the system to choose how that sound will be played back, and then using various effects and techniques to manipulate those sounds.
Filmed and edited by Monty Montgomeray / spacehelmetpictures.com
Thanks to Tim Jag, Michael Abetemarco, Jaime Hart & Phil Space gallery.

[@adamrock7189]

Sick soundscapes, brings me back to a relaxing blade runner vibe. Awesome Mike

[@calebmbrandon8203]

Really cool sounds, my friend!

[@mikeroot9702]

Thanks Caleb!