Linking a (midi) sequencer to a (music) conductor

[ManuelRodrigues]

Hi There,

Has anybody had some experience with linking a midi sequencer to a music conductor? I want to collaborate with a classic music ensemble but don't want to enforce something like a click track. I want the conductor to have as much freedom as he/she normally has but have my sequence stay in sync with the music.

How would you guys try and realise something like that?

Cheers,

Manuel

[Richie Witch]

Is this for a live performance or are you recording a track together?

[ManuelRodrigues]

live performance

[Richie Witch]

Hmmmm... that's tough. I was afraid you were going to say that.

However, here's something you could try. If your sequencer has a tap tempo button, you could "play" the sequencer by keeping time with the conductor's baton. I would think there would be some amount of tempo "drift" in using this technique, but with some experimentation in cooperation with the conductor, you might be able to overcome or compensate for that.

Using this same technique, you could also have the conductor integrate you into the ensemble, send you key directions at important moments as he/she would for any other instrument in the group.

If there are a lot of time signature or abrupt tempo changes to represent emotive themes, this is still going to be really challenging.

What type of sounds/instruments are you contributing to the ensemble? And what era of classical music are they drawing from? I don't know--maybe I'll think of something else.

[borg]

I've worked with various contemporary music composers/ensembles, and without exeption they play with either clicktrack (conductor or musicians) or the conductor gets a visual metronome (mostly some maxmsp patch with custom built led box).
Too big a risk for glitches if you try to follow the conductor imo...