Christian Clozier
Institut International de Musique
The Gmebaphone
Electroacoustique de Bourges (IMEB)
Place André Malraux Concept and the
18000 Bourges, France
Cybernéphone
Instrument
Like a dream placed in an atmosphere that is of communication and exchange and the diffusion
proper to it, a conception, when it has become and interpretation thereof. Communication and ex-
a composition, needs to live, move and have its change involves the composition taking on its real
being in its own colored medium. value within a framework of liberty and of recipro-
—Baudelaire cal responsibility between the composer and the
audience. Diffusion and interpretation involves
The Gmebaphone is an instrumentarium consist-
transmitting the work to the audience, enhanced
ing of ampli ers, sound-treatment systems, loud-
by an instrument such as the Gmebaphone, that al-
speakers, a console, and a processing system
lows the performer a personal interpretation while
designed and built for live diffusion and perfor-
taking into account the expectations of the audi-
mance. The speci cations for the instrument were
ence. Thanks to the Gmebaphone, a work may be
dictated by musical criteria. The musical interpre-
diffused and interpreted in a transparent way that
tation of a work is based on analysis of the work
can thoroughly engage the audience.
and on analysis of its physical signals. Thus, the in-
This is only one reason why diffusion research is
strument is able to provide a pertinent acoustic
fundamental to electroacoustic music. Equally im-
rendering of a work’s sonic complexities (in terms
portant are other factors: the signi cant dialectical
of timbre, time, and space) directly under the per-
link between diffusion and composition—between
former’s control, thereby allowing transparent and
instrumentation and that which is experimental;
expressive interpretations.
the need for a pertinent sonic rendering of the tim-
The Gmebaphone is a processor/simulator of
bral, temporal, and spatial complexities of poly-
sonic electroacoustic space, as well as a polyphonic
phonic electroacoustic music; and the need for a
acoustic synthesizer of musical spaces. It is an in-
musical interpretation that will allow the work to
strument comprised of the hierarchical combina-
be expressed for itself as well as for the audience.
tion of a control system with memory, tablatures,
These were the principles that de ned the speci -
and combinatory modes of play that give rise to a
cations for the Gmebaphone diffusion instrument.
rich and workable system of interpretation and ex-
Following my original concept, a preparatory study
pression.
was undertaken in collaboration with Pierre
Boeswillwald, and the actual instrument was real-
Origins ized by Jean-Claude Leduc in the Musical Technol-
ogies and Research Workshop (Atelier de
Because music is composed to be played and heard, Recherches Technologiques Appliquèes au Musi-
it is of fundamental importance that our research, cal, or ARTAM) at the Groupe de Musique Expéri-
applied to musical diffusion and determined by our mentale de Bourges (GMEB). The rst Gmebaphone
own experimental and interpretation techniques, was inaugurated during the 3rd International Festi-
be directed towards establishing our own speci c val of Experimental Music in Bourges in June 1973.
’’code’’—our own speci c voice—in such a way
that it may be communicated to the audience.
Moreover, electroacoustic music is a combination
History
Translated from the French by Justice Olsson.
The musical concept laid down in 1973 during the
Computer Music Journal, 25:4, pp. 81–90, Winter 2001 creation of the rst Gmebaphone (see Figures 1a
Ó 2001 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. and 1b) has undergone very considerable technical
Clozier 81
Figure 1. Gmebaphone 1 Figure 2. Gmebaphone 2
(1973). (1975).
and theoretical development (in 1975, 1979, 1982–
83, 1986–90, 1992–93, and 1997–98). The experi- played with analog manual control and simulta-
ence that was acquired has enabled us in the course neously with digital control by programming the
of the elaboration of successive models to develop 16 registers of the ’’C6’’ matrix. The introduction
and re ne various tools such as the interfaces and of a control device allowing computer-assisted dif-
the means of accessing them, as well as the strate- fusion (which mirrored the computer-assisted re-
gies of performance and analytical techniques. search work in our studio) was studied and realized
Initially, research concentrated on optimizing the with the collaboration of Yves Petit.
reproduction quality of the acoustic signal, through A second optimization stage began in 1982,
the number of loudspeakers in each network, aimed at the digitization and treatment of sound
through the number of networks, through the qual- signals in recording as well as diffusion. Digital re-
ity of the signal path, and through the modes of ac- cordings had enhanced dynamic possibilities (by
cess. A second model was realized in time for June providing a larger dynamic range and lower noise
1975 (Figures 2a and 2b), possessing six inputs and oor) as well as precise attacks and diminuendi,
two networks. A third model was equipped with thanks to Pulse Code Modulation technology. As
eight inputs and 22 outputs in time for September for diffusion, in order to give greater scope to the
1979 (Figures 3a and 3b). The latter model could be synthesis of acoustic space, a ’’Digital Sound Signal
82 Computer Music Journal
Figure 3. Gmebaphone 3
(1979).
The 1992–93 instrument was digital, with
computer-assisted memory, sequencing, and syn-
chronization functions. A graphical board allowed
control of sound-treatments, modes of play, and
musical tablatures. For this same instrument,
which recognized MIDI input, new software was
written by François Giraudon in time for the 1996
Festival.
Finally, the Gmebaphone 6, realized for the 1997
Festival, was a completely new digital console,
equipped with digital switches and two control
screens (see Figures 6a and 6b). The software of-
fered new functions for real-time performance and
for dynamic and automated sequences. Along with
the expansion of hardware and software, the num-
ber of loudspeakers rose to 50, structured in ve in-
dependent networks, with eight inputs.
In addition to these recent developments, the
new version offers two new possibilities. First, the
entire program is available on CD-ROM, allowing
composers to prepare their diffusion and record it
in sequence. The diffusion can then be played as is,
adapted to the conditions in the concert hall and to
the audience, or it may be viewed as a temporary
con guration, a ’’guide sequence’’ that can be inter-
preted in terms of dynamic timbres and spaces, all
in real time, by a musician at the console. Second,
composers can send their diffusion programs on
CD-ROM to be used in concert in Bourges or else-
where, or they can carry out the diffusion them-
Pro le Processor’’ was developed at the GMEB, ca- selves via Internet.
pable of generating phase-, delay- and timbre- This is why version 6 has been renamed the Cy-
treatment algorithms. The rst version of the bernéphone. The new name is intended to evoke
processor was presented at the 13th International not only virtual communication and transmission
Festival at Bourges in June 1983. techniques, but also the elaboration of space, time,
Following this, the computer department of the artistic, and musical working models—all of which
GMEB developed an initial concept for a computer- the Cybernéphone is capable of directing. The man-
assisted digital audio performance console capable ner in which this instrument is equipped for
of memorizing all instrumental gestures and their diffusion-interpretation , musical and loudspeaker
variations in real-time and in concert. The proto- control, and the manipulation of the networks and
type, known as ’’Ulysses,’’ was presented at the treatments, establishes it as a cybernetic instru-
Synthèse 90 Festival in Bourges (Figures 4a and 4b). ment in the strict sense of the word, i.e., using con-
Gmebaphone 5, launched in 1992 and shown in trol technology and science. We considered calling
Figures 5a and 5b, was inaugurated at the Madrid it the ’’Cybernetiquaphone,’’ but this term was re-
Festival. It was further developed during 1993, also jected as being too long-winded. So we joined sev-
by the Clozier/Leduc team, and the software was eral words together (using procedures known as
written by Didier Bultiauw. apocope and aphaeresis, both very reminiscent of
Clozier 83
Figure 4. Gmebaphone 4
(1990/1991).
84 Computer Music Journal
Figure 5. Gmebaphone 5 Figure 6. Cybernéphone/
(1992). Gmebaphone 6 (1997/
1998).
electroacoustic manipulations) and the Gmeba-
phone became the Cybernéphone. This new ver-
sion was realized by Christian Clozier, François
Giraudon, and Jean-Claude Leduc. brator; the concert hall and the audience are the
resonator. However, because the latter are ex-
tremely variable, the following information can
General Principles and Description only apply to the rst two.
The Cybernéphone may be de ned as a huge acous-
tic synthesizer, an interpretation instrument that The Loudspeaker Networks
the composer plays in concert. It is an instrument
that serves to express a composition, to enhance its There are six networks made up of two types of
structure for the bene t of the audience, to bring it systems: the V systems and the reference systems.
to sonic realization . But, more than that, it may be (An overview is shown in Figure 7.) Each system
de ned as an instrument of pure listening pleasure. has its own speci c function. The V systems create
The Cybernéphone extends the manner in which a ’’natural’’ perspective, i.e., a perspective deter-
more conventional instruments function: the con- mined by the timbral nature of the sonic elements,
sole is the exciter; the loudspeaker system is the vi- in a real space that is de ned and elaborated. This
Clozier 85
Figure 7. The general lay- Figure 8. Cybernéphone,
out of the Cybernéphone. V1 and V2.
is not a case of imitation, reproduction, simulation and the fact that the treated timbral registers are
or illusion, but a diffusion of the sounds for the acoustically diffused by specialized loudspeakers
purposes of bringing together acoustic space con- with speci c sonic properties constitute an active
struction and evolution. system that reacts in real-time to the composer-
The V systems could be referred to as phonosyn- performer’s commands.
thesizers. They analyze and select the timbres and There are four V systems: V1 (the large system),
redistribute them in six sound color registers for V2 (the small system), V3 (the surrounding ’’regis-
each of the left and right channels (two bass regis- tered’’ system), and W4: the singular systems (’’W’’
ters, two middle registers, and two treble registers) because they are double). Each V system is made
which are sent to special loudspeakers. When the up of a network of twelve left and right loudspeak-
latter are set up, from the very lowest bass to the ers, and W4 possesses 24 (see Figures 8 and 9). Thus
very highest treble, they effect an acoustic resyn- there are 30 loudspeaker pairs that are specially ad-
thesis of the sounds. justed or ’’registered’’ in four networks.
The physical distance and phase relationships be- The reference systems (Figure 10) con gure and
tween the loudspeakers, the way each is placed recon gure spaces that are conventional, arbitrary,
with regard to the other networks, the digital treat- or paradoxical. These spaces illuminate and en-
ments (time, timbre, space, phase, and detuning), hance the V systems. The reference systems allow
86 Computer Music Journal
Figure 9. Cybernéphone, Figure 10. Cybernéphone
V3 and W4. reference systems.
the con guration of ’’sonic gures’’ along planes planar, diagonal, and asymmetic forms. They make
and from angles that highlight the multidimen- what we might call the ’’perception angle’’ plane,
sional properties of the listening space. which creates re ector spaces and enhances the
They are organized in two networks. The rst is sonic diffusion of the V systems.
made up of four stereo pairs of loudspeakers distrib- The second register con gures and recon gures
uted over four planes and which are wide-spectrum complex sonic musical representation spaces by de-
diffusers. They are associated with real-time treat- ning and constructing differentiated spaces that
ments (phase and time) and are known as Direct show the music from different angles and perspec-
References. The second is made up of three stereo tives. Its purpose is not to construct realistic
couples spread over three planes: distant, front, spaces, but to create multidimensional perspec-
back. They are wide spectrum diffusers associated tives, multiple listening angles, and multiple spa-
with time and space real-time treatments and are tial gures.
called reverberated references. Thus, the loudspeaker system consists of 4
The references offer two kinds of functions and planes in the hall and 24 diagonals (from the direct
expression modes. The rst register generates sim- references), 3 hall simulations and 12 space axes
ple traces, axes, and perspectives, as well as con- (from the reverberated references), 7 planes/simula-
structing and correcting depths of eld, and along tions and 84 diagonals/axes (using both the direct
Clozier 87
and reverberated references), and 5 planes and 40 tally controlled via the screens) spread over 16 mas-
diagonals (from V1, V2, V3, and W4. This amounts ter outputs and eight master inputs.
to a matrix of 12 planes and 124 diagonals. The importance of rehearsal prior to the concert
will be easily understood from the above. Rehearsal
allows recording and testing of the computer-
The Console
assisted musical diffusion of the work. It permits
The console is digitally controlled via MIDI and is the creation of space and time structures that will
connected to a computer, one of whose tasks is the be activated during the concert, while at the same
digital storage of the music on hard disk. It has two time allowing them to be adapted ’’on the y’’ to
21-cm screens for visualizing the command inter- speci c performance conditions.
faces. Its functions are sound level control; treat- Given that we are dealing with interpretation
ment control; control and management of the and not automatic playback, the suppleness of the
nonlinear dynamic sequencer; and visualization of modes of play and the seamless transition between
levels, treatments, and presets. them, are important if the performer is to be able
Control of levels and treatments is effected in to adapt and develop the gesture-sequence that was
two ways. The rst method is direct or manual recorded during rehearsal. This means that prece-
mode, which offers direct access to the faders via dence is given to emotion, exchange, and expres-
transparent computer control. It functions only in siveness. This dialectical combination of constraint
real time. The second method is the computer- and freedom, of the xed and the variable, of pre-
assisted diffusion mode, consisting of two working cise and complex algorithms with manual freedom,
methods. One method uses con guration tables, or of coded strategy and impulsive humor, ensures a
tablatures, of all or part of the settings (levels, very great latitude for instrumental play and inter-
groupings, treatments) which may be called up and pretation.
carried out, whether they are exclusive or supple-
mentary. These actions may be triggered either
manually or by the sequencer. The other method Some Special Characteristics
uses the sequencer memory of all xed or dynamic
settings. This can be, for example, a complete re- The purpose behind the Cybernéphone is to enable
cording of every movement made during rehearsal. performers to present music in the way that best
These commands are triggered either by touch- suits their own artistic sensitivities and analyses.
sensitive faders or by icons and menus on the By playing upon the diffusion gures made up of
screens. The faders are comprised of 16 touch- spatial, timbral, and time structures, performers are
sensitive switches. The graduation from switch to able to decode electroacoustic compositions in the
switch is interpolated and can be programmed. most expressive manner possible for the bene t of
They are calibrated from ppp to fff. Icons control the audience. It is not a question of putting the
selections of nuances and balances, lter-traces, music into motion, but of allowing the spaces con-
and mute, solo, and group sets, whether they are tained within the music to unfold and be revealed.
exclusive or added on. Pull-down menus control The space that is reconstructed in this way is not
digital treatments (phasing, delay, reverberation, real space, but imaginary space that makes the mu-
and detuning). These command-modes are set up in sic real—that concretizes it. For this to happen,
such a way that the performer always has control performers must be able to communicate their own
priority over sequenced or stored values. The con- enjoyment to the audience. This is why the Cyber-
trol feedback is constantly monitored on the néphone is divided into loudspeaker networks,
screens, allowing commands to be repeated, varied, each of which is capable of generating a speci c re-
or extended at all times. lationship with the audience—a relationship of lis-
The console has a total number of 76 channels of tening and psychological rapport. Each of the
diffusion (36 are touch-controlled and 40 are digi- networks, because of the way they are placed, can
88 Computer Music Journal
set up a particular mode of perception. Interpreting principle, but employed in a different manner and
means communicating the work, creating and play- for a different purpose: that of building space-time
ing upon psycho-perceptual musical modes. con gurations as a function of the timbral and
Thus, through the speci c properties of the six sonic nature (and therefore taking into account all
networks, six perceptual modes may be set up, six the parameters) of a work, after analysis and acous-
psychological situations for the listener, six orches- tic re-synthesis in real-time.
tration and sound drama situations for the per- The small system, V2, is a convex setup. It is as
former. It is by playing these psychological if space itself circumscribed the music. Its relation-
variations that the performer transforms not the ship to V1 (like the ripieno and the concertino of
work’s chronological duration but the listener’s the concerto grosso) is that of establishing varia-
perception of the various psychological time-scales tions in responses, in expanding and reducing, and
of the work. The networks also reveal the work’s creating ’’zooms’’ and macros.
true form (in the instrumental sense)—its particu- The surrounding ’’registered’’ system, V3, re-
lar dimension. A monolithic diffusion setup (all too synthesizes acoustic space in the listener’s head
common) often gives the impression that electro- rather than that of the hall through the layout of
acoustic music is a single genre and that works all the ’’registered’’ loudspeakers around the listener.
resemble each other, when in fact it is the setup They create an illusory space. It is as if the listener
that neutralizes their distinctive natures. The mul- were inhabited by the sound from within, a sort of
tiple networks of the Cybernéphone are ’’registers’’ refracted perception.
or ’’sets’’—’’formation’’ types—that generate, in The singular systems, W4, enhance the percep-
passing from one to the other, an orchestration that tion of the height of the concert hall and the verti-
allows diverse, speci c works to reveal their own cality of space. Temporal values rather than
nature, according to the con gurations that are ap- timbral ones are pushed to the fore. W4 includes
plied. The Cybernéphone is not a xed machine, the multiphonic kernel, a concentrated block of six
but an evolving architecture, that according to the registers that appear to concentrate and then pro-
solos, groupings, and tuttis, allows the music to ject the volumes, the planes, the facets and the sa-
speak for itself. lient characteristics of the music’s spaces. Two
The networks may be brie y de ned as follows. kernels are suspended upstage, left and right. They
V1, the large system, is a concave setup. It is pre- generate a sort of time-stretch. W4 also includes
sented frontally, with oblique perspectives in the ’’sonic arc.’’ Its registers are deployed vertically,
graduated colors. It is the natural and principal bass to treble, from bottom to top, respectively.
space that occupies the entire concert hall. In this The sonic arc creates a planar or screen type space
play-space, it is the music’s own spaces that un- with a sensation of surface proximity. It generates
fold. an impression of folded space. Its use is dependent
The direct references underline or go beyond the upon the concert venue.
dimensions of the concert hall: distant, close, rear.
They create effects of depth as well as planes and
diagonals. They constitute a two-dimensional Diffusion and Interpretation
framework for V1, which is three-dimensional.
The reverberated references do not alter the di- The diffusion of an electroacoustic work requires
mensions of the hall, but create simulated acoustic every bit as much attention as that needed for the
situations, going in scale from spaces that are con- act of composition, because the diffusion, or what
tained in the hall to spaces that contain the hall. we might call the controlled idea during the act of
They break down the perception that there is a diffusion, is inseparable from the very process of
conventional environment. composition. Moreover, music is the only system
The remaining networks—V2, V3, and W4—are of symbolic communication and exchange that un-
in fact varied aspects or altered angles of the V1 folds along the irreversible line of time (and that
Clozier 89
generates musical creation and listening through the loudspeakers. When the Cybernéphone is prop-
interplay with the memory faculties). It is not mere erly played, the ear cannot pinpoint any single
information, nor is it the simple ow of a sequence sound-source. Instead, spaces and the relationships
of single sound units, but rather a complex ensem- between them are heard. The loudspeakers on stage
ble of parts related to each other not only in the make up an ensemble of abstract volumes in which
present but as fragments of preceding time and fu- the music is generated, that movement of colored
ture time. It is the performer’s task to ensure that time developing its own space.
all of this is indeed heard, if the listener is to expe- The Cybernéphone was developed and realized
rience pleasure and understanding. The Cyberné- thanks to funds from Europe-Fonds Feder, the
phone, acoustic generator of space-time, is intended French Ministry of Culture, and the city of
to help the performer and the listener accomplish Bourges.
precisely that communication and that understand- [Editor’s note: This article originally appeared, in
ing. Thus, in lighting the large number of loud- both French and English, in Composition/Diffu-
speakers on the stage and in the hall, it is not sion in Electroacoustic Music, Proceedings Volume
because we wish to ’’show the music,’’ or disguise III (1997) of the International Academy of Electro-
the absence of instrumentalists, but because we acoustic Music, Bourges, published in 1998 in
wish the music to be heard. And it is indeed the Bourges, France by Editions Mnémosyne. Re-
music that we wish the listener to hear, and not printed with permission.]
90 Computer Music Journal