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Duration: 6'40"

Instrumentation: 2 percussion & 1 musician on no-input mixer

Year: 2018

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Talk Circus

Program notes

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In Talk Circus using percussive instruments, contact microphones, and a no-input mixer (NiPM) a new sound world, or “machine” emerges. Through this machine, intrinsic bonds between instrument and low/high-tech electronics are formed. In this piece, two percussionists use instruments affixed with contact mics that feed a mixer configured into a no-input pattern. A mixer set into such a pattern becomes an independent source for a variety of electronic sounds. With this set up, the NiPM  becomes an instrument in-and-of itself as well as a source to morph and "sample" the input of the percussive instruments. Furthermore, since the contact microphone of each percussionist connects to the NiPM thereby connecting to each other and forming a tight trio. This integrates each musician on stage into one unit; each musician forming a cog-in-the-wheel, and each person connecting to another in an entirely new and unique way. Premiered at Neif Norf Summer Music Festival on June 22nd. 

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Frequently Asked Questions​

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What are boad balls or boading balls?

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Boad balls are also sometimes called something along the lines of: "Chinese Stress Balls." They are silver, medium-heavy, smooth balls with chimes inside.

 

Here is an amazon link and ebay link for reference. 

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What is no input mixing?

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Here is a link to a tutorial by Sarah Belle Reid. This doesn't necessarily cover what I ask for in "talk circus" but it is similar.

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Audio

Soundcloud

Video

Score Follower

copyright @ 2026 Kelley Sheehan
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