Reidemeister Move

The Hayward Tuning Vine www.robinhayward/vine was initially invented as a way of visualising the harmonic space implicit within the microtonal tuba. Now it can also be played as an instrument in its own right, by emitting tuned sinetones when one touches a joint between the colored struts. This is made possible by rfid (radio frequency identification) technology currently being developed by Sukandar Kartadinata. The interactive version will be an ideal tool for the duo Reidemeister Move, which focuses on exploring the interconnections of tuning  between the double bass and microtonal tuba. Not only does the Tuning Vine enable these connections to be visualised, but when the technology is perfected it will also provide a polyphonic backdrop to help the players hear higher partials accurately whilst performing.

In the proposed research project, the Tuning Vine would be used as the basis for continuing the musical exploration begun in the projects Arcanum 17 and Borromean Rings, two pieces for the duo which have been recorded and performed internationally.

Following on from Borromean Rings, it could function as a three-dimensional musical score for structured improvisation. This would connect the analysis of complex tuning relationships in the rehearsal process to the discovery of hitherto unexplored sonorities in performance. The use of the Tuning Vine would automatically involve the use of electronics, and may lead to the further research of spatialised electronics initially explored in Arcanum 17.