One Bit Flow

Andreja Andric 2018

To perform on any device with a web browser, ideally on a smartphone

Any duration, but usually more than 15 minutes

Uses HTML5 Web Audio API. It is currently compatible with most modern desktop browsers, Chrome on Android phones and Chrome or Safari on iPhones.

The program rhythmically repeats arpeggiated C power chord with C tuned to 132Hz. When you feel that the time is right, change it to the power chord a fifth upward, using the buttons below or the swipe panel. Again, when the time is right, move again forward. Travel forward in a similar way by fifths ever further as long as it feels right. After that, change the chord distance itself for fifth upward. The new interval will now be a major second (we translate all intervals to those with smallest distance, for instance, a major ninth upwards becomes a major second also upwards, while a minor sixth upwards translates into a major third downwards). Change direction from time to time and move backwards instead of forwards. Traverse the chords reachable in this way by going forward or backward by the same interval, as before. After that, change the interval again for a fifth upward, which now makes a major third downward. Do the same as before. The composition ends when you have used with all or most of the intervals.

With every chord change the manner of arpeggio changes. The program goes through all the 4-permutations of 9 notes of a power chord distributed in three octaves. There are 3024 of them (9*8*7*6). There are 16 notes in each arpeggio phrase and four new permutations are selected on each chord change.

Start and stop the music with Play/Pause button below. Perform the piece using the the four buttons next to it or the swipe panel below. Interval buttons have an immediate effect, while Chord buttons change notes of the chord as they appear. Swipes in four direction are also available on the above swipe surface, with the same meaning as the respective four buttons. Each button triggers one of the following events.

  1. Move the chord one interval backward (Swipe left)
  2. Move the chord one interval forward (Swipe right)
  3. Change the interval a fifth backward (Swipe up)
  4. Change the interval a fifth forward (Swipe down)

Swipe Panel

Last updated January 11th 2018