Generations 3.1 is a musical composition for improvisers, chamber orchestra, two-channel audio playback, and video. It is part of the generations series, a collection of works in which newer pieces are made by combining and/or reinterpreting older ones. generations 3.1 uses material from generations 0 (stereo audio), generations 1.1 (audiovisual fixed media), generations 1.2 (chamber orchestra and audio playback), and generations 2.1 (video and improvisers). Formally, generations 3.1 expands the duration of its predecessors by deconstructing their shared timeline, reordering and elongating sections, as well as introducing new interludes. The experimental video of generations 3.1 was created by Timothy David Orme, while the text instructions for the improvisers were greatly influenced by my work with Wombat, an improvisation trio consisting of Justin K. Comer on saxophone, Will Yager on double bass, and myself on electric guitar and electronics.
The four layers of the piece (improvisers, chamber orchestra, audio playback, and video) have distinct roles. The audio and the orchestra almost always sound together and complement each other, and they either support or create sections to contrast the improvisers. The improvisers act as soloists, playing alone or over the other musical layers, and respond to the video, observing its mood, energy, and timing. The video works as the main thread through the piece, providing a path interrupted by interludes. Its visual content is set to music by the other three layers. However, all these roles are somewhat flexible during the piece.
My main goal with the generations series was to explore the process of writing works derived from older ones, reusing my own music to produce new compositions. Moreover, by collaborating with other artists, the same material can be reinterpreted through different disciplines and perspectives. The name “generations” connects the creative process that happens throughout the series to the idea of humans passing on both genetic and cultural material to their descendants. In generations 3.1, the name specifically references the different ways in which music was generated for the piece: editing electronic sounds, by means of traditional notation, and through improvisation.