Tidal Resonance at 45'N 64'W
1st performance: Brunton Auditorium, Mount Allison University, Sackville, N.B., 1980
Long-period tidal vibrations are transposed to become sounding resonances in the form of electronic wave patterns. Data from tidal measurements in the Bay of Fundy is used to determine settings for variables such as voltage-controlled oscillators, filters, wave shape, ADSR, ring modulation, etc., on a Putney VCS3 synthesizer. The resulting sound patterns are recorded on tape. The modulating frequencies of the oscillations and their rhythmic articulations subjectively represent the ebb and flow of the Bay of Fundy tides. The first two presentations of the piece were in ‘tape music concerts’. I then realized that if the tape is played back at an oceanfront beach, then the piece would be transformed from being a concert tape piece to a sound installation.
©Gordon Monahan 1979