User:Amy Suo Wu/assignment 1
Period song or Compstruation
This year seems to be an exciting year of new experiences, namely the introduction to Linux, soldering and the very alien feeling of living without my monthly dosage of synthetic hormones to regulate my menstrual cycle. More recently however, I've voluntarily swam into the murky waters of computer programming. What I have noticed so far is that programming is about efficiency and the ability to predict and control your processes. When you write a script you are trying to systematically manage data in the most optimised method. In contrast, the organic system such as the human body can be irregular, unpredictable and in a constant state of flux. Paradoxically, these are the very reasons why we try to regulate these biological fluctuations in order to have more control over our lives i.e the contraceptive pill.
Therefore I have chosen to use my personal menstrual cycle as the data for the purpose this assignment. Adapting the existing format of Clapping Music by Steve Reich I have chosen to juxtapose the standard 28 day menstrual cycle of an average female on the first channel to that of my own highly irregular cycle on the second channel. By converting my bodily rhythms using a prescribed script I am forcing the computer to behave organically. In some sense I attempt to program exactly the opposite of what computers are designed to do - erraticness and vulnerability
#midge
cat << end
@head {
$tempo 200
$time_sig 4/4
}
@body {
@channel 1 {
\$patch 3
#instrument
\$length 12
\$octave 6
\$pan 120
#balance of left, right stereo
end
for ((i=0; i<12; i++))
do
echo c c c c c r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r
# average 28 day cycle, 5 day menstruation
done
cat << end
}
@channel 2 {
\$patch 8
\$length 12
\$octave 3
\$pan 60
end
echo c c c c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 a5 b5 c6 d6 e6 d6 c6 b5 a5 g5 f5 e5 d5 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 53 day cycle, 8 day menstruation
echo c c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 34 day cycle, 6 day menstruation
echo c c c c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 36 day cycle, 8 day menstruation
echo c c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 27 day cycle, 6 day menstruation
echo c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 33 day cycle, 5 day menstruation
echo c c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 32 day cycle, 5 day menstruation
echo c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 a5 a5 g5 f5 e5 d5 c5 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 40 day cycle, 2 day menstruation
echo c c c c d e f g a b c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 a4 g4 f4 e4 d4 c4 b3 a3 g3 f3 e3 d3
# 29 day cycle, 4 day menstruation
cat << end
}
}
end
listen