Folkloro II
Folkloro is a PURE-DATA abstraction that combines "Musique concrète" and "Aleatory music". It contains more than 300 audio samples from Argentinian folk music which are randomly played back under certain parameters.
Most of the processes described here happens inside your computer a few instants before hearing them through the speakers.
Each song has its own following rules:
“Coplas” distributes over time parts from “El payador perseguido” by Atahualpa Yupanqui performed by himself. One “copla” is mainly formed by 3 sentences, beginning, middle, and end. In the computer only appears the ones that are not sung (there are 75 of them) and its division in 3 parts equals 225 sentences. For a better description of the process imagine 3 lottery drums, the first containing all the “beginnings”, balls 1, 4, 7, 10... up to 223, the second has all the “middles” balls 2, 5, 8, 11... up to 224, and the third all the “ends” balls 3, 6, 9, 12... up to 225. The process begins with one ball from the “beginnings” drum followed by one from the “middle” drum and then from the “endings” drum and repeats this sequence 5 more times. This forms what we call “Copla 1” (actually being 6 coplas). In the “normal” and “solo coplas” mode the balls that came out re-enter the drum once 60 balls from each drum were taken. In the “coplas infinitas” mode each ball re-enters its drum immediately after it is outside.
“Niandues” randomly chooses 1 from 5 fragments (repeats the selected one for 3 more times before selecting another) from “La paloma enamorada” by Atahualpa Yupanqui performed by himself over a sixth one that repeats constantly (2 min aprox.).
“Satan a Maria” randomly concatenates fragments from the lyrics of “Canción del arriero de llamas” by Atahualpa Yupanqui performed by himself over a looping guitar sample from the same recording. At some points appears a percussion pattern formed with samples from recordings by Domingo Cura. After some time 2 delays are applied to the guitar loop, these at the same time are filtered with two filters, their central frequency is randomly modified (within certain parameters) over an undetermined time (also within a certain range).
“Mamapuca” randomly chooses 1 from 12 fragments (repeats 3 more times this selection before choosing another one) from “Tata Puca (improvisación)” a poem by Jaime Davalos performed by himself, along with Eduardo Martinez performing guitar. All this over 1 of the 12 fragments previously mentioned that loops constantly. (3 min aprox.)
“Antiplano II” contains fragments from the song “Gloria” by Ariel Ramírez from the record “Gloria” by Domingo Cura. It has 2 parts, the first one constantly loop one fragment, over this and after some time 5 processes are applied, we will name them: X1, X2, X3, X4 y X5.
X1: At some randomly chosen point (within certain parameters) and for a randomly chosen lap of time (also within certain parameters (0 to 10 sec.)) reproduces fragments of a previously given selection that we will name “Z”, this process repeats up to the end of the first part. (May be if we imagine a vinyl Lp in the turntable where the pick-up jumps erratically from time to time will describe better the process (not counting the silence in each jump)).
X2: same as X1 but independently (governed by other random).
X3: same as X1 but Z is played backwards (also governed by other random).
X4: same as X3 (also governed by other random).
X5: reproduces Z but slower (one fourth of the original speed).
The second part randomly concatenates 9 fragments (for aprox. 90 sec.) always ending with a specific fragment.
“Elegía” has 3 processes: voice, guitar and percussion. These have 2 parts. In the first one the voice is formed randomly concatenating fragments from “Elegía” by Jaime Davalos performed by himself divided into 27 fragments always ending in the 28th, the guitar is formed concatenating 4 chords performed by Eduardo Falu from the song “Romance del molinero” by Jaime Davalos and Eduardo Falu and the percussion uses the first 2 minutes from the song “Golpes de América” from the record “Gloria” by Domingo Cura performed by himself, these 2 minutes are reproduced starting from a randomly chosen point (within certain parameters) and for a randomly chosen lap of time (parameters 2 to 10 sec.). These last 2 processes are being repeated up to the end of the first part.
In the second part the voice starts again the previously mentioned process, the guitar is formed constantly looping 1 of the fragments from the first part and then it adds a random concatenation of 3 granular synthesis (of the same fragment) and the percussion is a rhythmic pattern formed with 2 beats on a bombo performed by Domingo Cura.
Given the large amount of indetermination introduced in the processes that compose this record consider almost impossible hearing again what this record produce (unless you record the output of your computer). Borges once wrote about some data in a book that when he open again, was gone.
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Revision May 2020:
Sixth revision of the original from 2012, there is an indication of this revision in the main window of Pd.
Also here is shown “latencia de disco”, this indicates a period of time in advance given to the hard-drive to go to the sound files that will be eventually needed. This amount of time can be modified. If you hear abrupt gaps while listening to this record increase this value. To do it first stop any playing song, then go to FILE, MESSAGE and type: lat x (x must be a number between 6 and 950 ), then press ENTER.
This value will be stored for this particular record, you can always change it again, it will always use the last one.
This value does not modify “audio settings” in Pd.
To open the abstraction and see the “programming part” click over the triangle at the bottom right. 