Visual Music Project, African Float

2005      Visual Music Project, African Float

The ‘Visual Music Project-African Float is one of Janney’s experiments in “physical music.” While the concept of visual music is not new, technology is now available to create a “poly-visual” instrument- the ability for more than one insrument to create images simultaneously in real time. In this way, the musicians interact both harmonically and visually as they play.

“African Float was a composed for –

Visual Synthesizer: Christoper Janney

EWI (electronic wind instrument) Stan Strickland

Electic Bass with pitch-to-midi-converter- Wes Wirth

Electronic Drums- Joe Galeota

Using traditional African symbols (“Adinkra Symbols”) as the visual information mixed with environmental sounds- crickets, birds, cows- the piece is a unique exploration in presenting visual information together with musical concepts about African impressions.