Steina Vasulka plays upon her violin, and while doing so exercises control over video images.
‘History: after developing and successfully demonstrating an interface for my acoustic violin and a variable-speed videotape apparatus, I bought a MIDI-violin in 1991. The tape recorder was replaced by a videodisk player, and Bill Heckel advanced and refined the original software written by Russel Gritzo. ‘Violin Power’ is an on-going project with a permanently expanding repertory. I’ve produced a number of videodisks so far and alter the programme for every performance. ’
‘Media Concept: the Zeta violin is a five-string electric violin with one MIDI output. At present, the allocation software is defined in such a way that pauses in playing on the a- and e- strings are linked up to frame locations on the videodisk. The d- and g-strings control velocity and direction, while the c-string is a master controller governing access to entire segments on the disk. In another programme, the c-string controls the way in which the high-pitched strings are allocated a function. I’m in the process of trying out methods of making my performance more musical.’
Steina Vasulka