trace

trace for 10-string guitar was written for Magnus Andersson.

Continuing work with braiding/plaiting patterns, the generation of the pitch material was developed by imagining the intersection of two sets of braids, one of strings and one of frets.  The intersection of the 2 sequences describes the navigation of the fret board for the piece. 

Intersections of greatest interest were those that exploited repetitions of pitches (on different strings), a feature of the 10-string guitar. 

Resonance, another feature of the instrument also became a key element for the timing of the piece.  Three distinct times are notated; a resonant time, in which durations are determined by the resonance of open strings; a physical/performance time in which figures are played as fast and evenly as possible by the performer; and a measured time designated for the repeated figures which emphasize an interval emergent from the braiding patterns.

The premiere of trace in scheduled for 2016