title: Samay Chakra

description:
Samay Chakra is a computer-based weather interactive sound installation. It was programmed using the MAX programming language to perform music according to the basic rules of India's classical Hindustani music. The fundamental unit of this music is the raag. Musically, a raag is a system of scales and melodies that is to be
performed at specific times of day and during certain seasons. Using a weather station, Samay Chakra collects data from the surrounding environment and applies that information to the composition of the music.

The Time of Day
Over many centuries, Indian musicians have developed music that is in tune with a specific time of day. There are 8 watches of the day that are recognized, roughly three hours each. Theses watches are not rigorously observed, yet noon, midnight, sunrise and sunset are usually strictly adhered to. The computer program selects a series of raags appropriate for that time of day or season. Then, based on sensor information, it selects the most appropriate raag.

The Weather Station
The weather station supplies data about the environment that adjusts the tempo, intonation and embellishment of the music according to what would be appropriate for the raag. For instance, the light sensor is used to determine the presence of the sun. This is important at sunrise and sunset due to the fact that some raags associate a certain note with the the sun, therefore this note will not be played when the sun is not present. This also works with cloud cover.The heat sensor determines the tempo of the performance.The humidity sensor assists in choosing which raag is appropriate for performance. For example, certain raags are commonly played during the rainy season in India.
Therefore this sensor would choose an appropriate raag for a rainy day. Other elements affected by sensors: Intonation, duration, embellishment, probability, aesthetic and timbre.

List of Raags used in Samay Chakra: Bihag Kalingda Lalita Todi Marava Bhairavi Des

exhibitions:

2001 New Music and Art Festival, Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH

2001 Electronic Music at Lewis, Lewis University Romeoville, IL

2001 SEAMUS 2001, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA