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Floodtide sensor

Yesterday we installed the new Floodtide sensor software that Samer Abdallah had developed. The brief was to use a smoothing algorithm to iron out some of the ‘noise’ that has made previous Floodtide performances a bit random! Here is a graph of the first 24 hours of the new setup.

High Water London Bridge this morning was at 0536. You can see a clear ‘shape’ of the strong ebb tide (+ve direction) and the weaker flood (-ve).

Here are the predicted tide times and heights for London Bridge from yesterday: (time, tide height in metres)

6/3/2014

0457 7.3m

1128 0.5

1720 6.8

2343 0.8

7/3/2014

0536 6.9

1149 0.8

1757 6.4

Within the last 2 hours (since High Water at 00536) the ebb has begun strongly.

You can see that the ‘weak’ ebb tide yesterday evening was predicted as the tide had only 6.0m to fall (1720 6.8 to 2343 0.8)

In short, I think the new setup is working and this is what the tide flow at TBW looks like!

The strong spikes in blue (the ‘y’ component – across the river) may be from Thames Clippers manouvering and causing a strong transverse flow.

Floodtide developments

Much is happening at Floodtide HQ with the development of the Floodtide Listening Post due for launch in April and a commission by Southwark Council to sonify the River Effra in May.

There are exciting developments on the LiveNotation front too which I hope will lead to groovier performances. More to follow..

Floodtide Open

Have just launched details of the first Floodtide Open on 24th Sept 2013. We are hoping this will be the first self organizing or ‘viral’ Floodtide so rather than booking musicians we will just see who turns up. Lets see if it works – it may even sound good..

https://www.facebook.com/events/624273994271196/

https://plus.google.com/events/chfk3od5k150q7lki5i18pg42us

http://www.floodtide.eu/

some namechecks and other stuff

Interview for Resonance FM prior to the Floodtide @ Accidental event Camden Roundhouse

And a nice namecheck by DJ Spooky

http://artsy.net/post/editorial-dj-spooky-on-land-art-data-aesthetics

Thanks to Nortek

Thanks to Nortek

Just wanted to say a really big THANK YOU to Gordon Jones and Ramsay Lind at Nortek UK for their continued support of Floodtide. As a result of this we will shortly be intalling a Vectrino (acoustic doppler velocimeter) at Trinity Buoy Wharf, Docklands (London) to generate loads of tidal music. Many thanks guys!!

Floodtide.eu

Floodtide.eu

Great new Floodtide website. Feel free to like the Facebook page too (and share and tell your friends etc. )

 

Synchronized

Am rather proud of myself having written my first server application (in PHP no less..). This will allow any number of performers to get synchronized liveNotation for
performances like Floodtide. I’m looking forward to trying it out for real at the Floodtide performance on 24th Feb at Network Music Festival in Birmingham.

Shrew preview

The Taming of the Shrew previewed at RSC Stratford Upon Avon last night. After a rather rough dress rehearsal I was amazed how many problems and rough edges simply healed up in time for the performance. I guess that is the result of working with an amazing cast, awesome musicians, a staggering creative team led by director Lucy Bailey and the support and machinery of the RSC which is a quite incredible company.

Despite concerns that it promotes sexism, brutality or mysoginy this play  presents a rich view of how relationships and love form. Some have claimed that the TTOTS is not suitable to be performed in this day and age. I say it depends on how you read it. In director Lucy Bailey’s hands this is a tale about the imperfections of real relationships, and a portrayal of how that can lead to extraordinary and wonderful love.

You don’t have to take my word for it. There is this discussion in the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/jan/17/taming-of-the-shrew-rsc?newsfeed=true

or better still come and see the show and make up your own mind.

Taming of the Shrew

Began rehearsals this week for new RSC production of Taming of the Shrew which I’m composing.

The week ended with the entire company visiting Stratford upon Avon to meet important members of the RSC, hear a talk about ‘Shrew’ by the professor of Shakespeare Ewan Fernie and take part in an enormous pillow fight. The photo shows people gathering – the calm before the storm.