brainzaps

for flexible ensemble

& video & tape

Kelley
Sheehan
(2020)

ic
us
w r it
M
te n
fo r e
Lo

v
y
ed b
&
c om on
mi s s i
program notes:

What are brainzaps? You might also hear them referred to as “brain zaps,” “brain shocks,” “brain flips,” or “brain shivers.” Often described
as feeling like brief electric jolts to the head that sometimes radiate to other body parts. Others describe it as feeling like the brain is briefly
shivering. Generally not a painful sensation but certainly a jolt to the system.

Photosensitivity & Epileptic Seizures Warning:

Please note that if piece is performed with the video component then there will be strobing and flashing lights. A very small percentage of
individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light patterns or flashing lights. If you experience any of the following
symptoms while watching this video -- dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitches, low of awareness, disorientation, any invountary
movement, or convulsions -- IMMEDIATELY discontinue watching.
index
inside folder “BrainZaps_Main_Directory”
- Brainzaps_Score_Updated.pdf
- Brainzaps_Package_maxmsp
- Brainzaps Reaper Session

electronics
There are several ways to operate the electronics portion of this piece which are outlined below, choose whatever is best for your
situation:

1) Recommended: use the accompanying max msp patch. You do not need to have a subscription or own the software as it can be
downloaed and run for free (just in demo mode which only disables saving). See the instructions titled “Readme” inside the folder
“Brainzaps_Package” for details on how to operate the app. Upon opening patch, follow instructions inside. This is used for rehearsal,
performance, etc.

Download from https://cycling74.com/downloads

2) or use accompanying Reaper session, a free DAW. Inside the“Brainzaps Reaper Session” folder see the “Brainzaps Reaper Readme”
for instructions.

Download software from https://www.reaper.fm/download.php

3) another way that I haven’t thought of. If you need advice and/or troubleshooting help then don’t hesistate to reach me on my
website’s contact page or through my direct email.

During performance, balance tape with live instruments. It is recommended that instruments be amplifed and that signal be
blended with tape part, and sent out a stereo speaker setup in venue.
notes
general
- non transposing score
- performers play from the score ( no parts)
- this work is divided into groups of 3: top line assumes a range that reaches from A5 to B4. The second, the range from G#5 to C4.
And the third, as low as F2. Though it is okay to transpose a pitch by an octave, if necessary. If an unpitched instrument (such as
unpitched percussion) is playing one of these parts then they should find other ways to imitate the sound on their instrument.
- each part relates to the tape part.
- each performer should know the tape part extremely well so as to be able to find creative ideas and gestures for their part.
- notated rhythm may not be exact. Practice with the tape to help align your part to the tape
- due to quick BPM of piece a click track is usually used during performance of this piece, please listen to click track and tape over
headphones so that only the live instrument is captured.
- if including video component then you must include the photosensitivity & epileptic seizure warning found in the program notes of
this piece and put this somewhere that will be seen by audience (ex: program notes to concert or a verbal warning).

instrumentation
- performers are asked to be very involved and creative for this work. Listening to the tape and finding imitative sounds and gestures
on their own instruments.
- there should be at least 1 performer per part. If more performers, then try to divide them equally amoung parts.
- percussion should be very dry. Very little resonance and seek short percussive sounds.

notation

“TAPE” - this word indicates that this is a tape only moment.

7 - some pitch, percussive, imitate tape
Tacet in all instruments. Wait for click track to cue you in. 6 - create a nois-y sound (pitched), imitate tape

21 œ - number of quarter notes of section, wait for clicktrack 6 - create a nois-y sound (pitched or non), imitate tape

4.
to cue you in.

.4 #4. 4J
g - noise, imitate tape
.
4 J
j 1
- always follow the contour of the line. #’s are only
to help differentation notes. Keep sounds - highest pitch possible, dry and percussive
consistent. For exampe, the sound chosen for note-

4
head on line (first 8th) should always be “assigned”
to that note
- non-pitched, very percussive, dry, imitate tape
 duration: 4’

brainzaps
for flexible ensemble
Kelley
. Sheehan
(2020)

quick œ =130
4
° ∑ ∑ Œ J ‰ 4. 4. ∑
4
f.
I 4 3 4 2

∑ ∑ Œ J Œ 4. ∑
start
tape
II 4 8 f J 4 4

¢ ∑ ∑ j j ‰ ∑ ∑
7 7
5”of III
silence

f
4.
J 4. 4.
video/
electronics
j j ‰
7 7
j j j j j j j j j
click-track ∑ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Copyright © Kelley Sheehan 2020

 4. 4. . 4.
°
6
≈ 4. ≈ #4 4. #4.
∑ ‰ J J ‰ ∑
4. 4
. 4
3 .
4. 4.
2 3 7
≈ ≈ ‰ J ‰ ≈ #4 ‰
∑ ∑
4. 4.
4.
4 8 8 8
#4.
¢ 7 7
∑ j ‰ J J ‰ j ∑
J ‰ J
4. 4 4. ( 4) 4. 4.
≈ 4 #4
. 4. #4.
7 7
∑ J J( ) ‰
R

click-track (cont. until otherwise specified) .

=

4
° #4.
11
≈ ‰ ≈
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
4.
4.
2 3 2 3

∑ Œ ≈ 6 ∑
≈ ‰ J ∑
4.
4 8 4 8

¢ Œ ≈ 6 ≈ ‰ ≈ #4.
∑ ∑ ∑
4.
4.
Œ ≈ 6 ≈ ‰ #4.

2
 B.
4. 4. 4 4. 4.
4. 4.
° #4. #4.
16

∑ ∑ ≈
4. 4. 4 4. 4.
3 .
4. 4.
3 3 1 2
‰ ∑ ‰ ∑ ≈
4. 4. 4. 4. 4.
8 8 +16 8 8

¢ J ‰ #4. J ‰ #4. ≈
J ∑ J ∑
4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4.
4. 4.
#4. #4.

4. 4. 4. 4 4.
°
21
J ≈ R ‰ Œ ≈
∑ ∑
4. 4 4
2 2 . 3 1 5 3
‰ J ‰ ≈ R ‰ Œ
4+16 #œ ∑
4. 4.
8 4 & 8 8
mf f

¢ J ‰ J ‰ ≈
(follow dynamic contour
∑ ∑ ∑
of tape, always)

4. 4. 4. 4 4.
J ≈ R ‰ #œ

3
 C
. . 4. 4.
° 4 4
6
26
‰ ≈ ≈ ‰ ≈
∑ ∑ ∑
4.
4.
3 3 1 2
.j
4 ≈ ≈ 6
‰ ‰ ‰ ∑ #œ
4.
&

4.
8 8 +16 4
.j
4
mf f

¢
≈‰ ‰ ≈ ‰ ‰ ≈
∑ ∑ ∑
4.
.j 4. 4.
4 4.
j ≈ ≈ #œ

4. 4. 4. 4.
°
31
Œ ‰ ≈ ‰ J ≈ ‰ ∑ ∑
4. 4. 4.
2 3 2 3 5
Œ ‰ ≈ ‰ J 6.
8 ‰ J & 4 œ
4. 4. 4. 4.
4 8 32

¢
≈ ≈
mf f
Œ ‰ ‰ J ‰ ∑ ∑
4. ≈ 4. 4. ≈ 4. 6.
‰ J J œ

4
 D
°
36
‰ Œ Ó
∑ ∑ 5(2,3) ∑ 47
improvise - imitate sounds from tape
5(2,3) 5
‰ Œ ‰ Œ ‰ Œ
™ 4 47 Ó
&32 ∑ 32 ∑ 7 7

¢ ‰
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ 7
improvise - imitate sounds from tape

œ
‰
7 7 7
j

°
41
≈ Œ
7 7 ∑
improvise - imitate sounds from tape

‰™
3 2
7 ‰
≈ ≈
ff
Œ ‰ ‰
7 7 7
∑ Ó ∑
f
7 f
4 4
≈
¢
ff
Ó
7
?
∑
7
œ (follow dynamic contour of tape)
ppp ppp

6.
ff
≈ 7 ‰ ‰™ ‰ ‰ ≈ ≈
7 7 œ 7 7 7 7 J

5
E
° #g g #g #g
‰™
random
.
46
Œ
sound

& ≈ ≈ ∑ Œ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ Œ ‰

#6 #6
3 3 f
fp fp fp

6
fp

& ≈ ≈ Œ ∑ Œ ‰ ‰ ∑ ‰ Œ

6 6
3
fp f

7
fp

¢
Œ ‰ ≈ ‰ ‰ Œ ‰ Œ
∑ ∑
3 f
fp fp
Œ

° 6
51
Œ
∑ 3 ∑ J 2 ∑
(f )

∑ 8 ∑ & ≈ #œ 4

6
mf f

¢ 1 ‰ Œ
∑ J
Œ
∑
( f)

#œ6
j
∑ ∑

6
 ~21”
55
TAPE

click-track OFF click-track œ œ œ

7
° #g #g
21œ
56

& ‰ Ó ∑ ‰ Ó

ææ
3 (f )

4 æ
& #œ œ ‰ Ó
TA P E
6 ‰ ‰ 6 Ó
ppp p

¢ Ó ∑
(f
#œ
)

6 ‰ Ó ‰ 6 Ó

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ click-track
∑
OFF

=
F
4.
. . .
° ‰™
. .
≈4 Œ ≈4≈ Ó 4 6 Ó
6œ
60

6
Œ Ó ∑
5 3 5 3
4.
8 Œ™ ≈ ≈ 4≈ ≈Ó ‰ Ó ‰ Ó
7 7 &
#œ #œ ∑
8 8
f

¢ ∑ ? ‰™ #œ- œ ‰ Œ ≈ #œ ≈ Ó ‰ #œ Ó ∑
. >.
>- >-
4.
.
‰™
. .
≈ 4 ≈ ≈ ≈ 4≈ 4 6
7 7 6
J J J
click-track œ œ œ (cont. until otherwise specified)

8
 4. 1™ 1 Œ 4. . 1™
° #4. ‰ #4 6 3
66

3 6.
‰ ‰ Œ Œ
∑ ∑ ∑
4. 1™ 1 Œ 4. 1 1™ ææ
2 5 3 2
#4.
ff
Œ Œ ≈
&8 ‰ ‰ ‰ &8 #œ
4.
4 8 4 4
.
ppp

¢
?
#œ- ‰ ‰ ∑ ‰ ‰ Œ ‰ #4 Œ ‰™ 6. ∑ ∑ ∑
> J
ff
4. 4.
‰™
.
#4. #4
#œ
6. ‰ Œ ‰ Œ 6
ff

J J J
œ) œ œ
=
click-track ( click-track OFF

°
>
6
73
j Œ Ó ‰ Œ
7( ff6 )
Ó Ó
6
∑ ∑ Ó Ó ∑
ææ
5 3 3 4 f 3
ff
#œ j
Œ Ó
&8
p
8 mp
4 p
Ó
8 6 4 #œ 4
ff mf f

¢ r ‰™ Ó
6
?
∑ ∑ Ó Ó ∑ ∑
œ
( ff ) mp
#œ
#œ

J J J J
click- œ click-track OFF œ œ œ œ œ œ OFF œ œ œ œ œ
track
9
 ~1’
TAPE 81

click-track OFF click-track œ œ œ

10
 G
1
>.
>œ. >œ. >6
° œ. ‰ œ. ≈ 6 ≈ ≈ ≈ >œ. ‰ 6 ‰ >œ. ‰ ‰ œ œ
quick q = 127
> > > >œ. >.
6 ‰ 6. ‰ œJ ‰
82

& ‰ ∑ J ‰ Œ
. .
f

1>.
3
3 3 2 1
4 >4. >6 >4. >4. >6
≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ >4. œ ‰ 4 ‰ Œ 4 >8. ‰ 4J ‰
>. >.
& >. œ œ ‰
œ. œ ∑ J ‰ Œ
. . . œ.
4+1 6
(f ) .
>6 6 >6
3

6. 6. 6. Œ J ‰ Œ
¢
Œ ‰ ≈ ≈‰ Œ Ó Œ ‰ ‰
4. 4. 4. 4
∑
.
1 >.
œ >œ. 6J ‰ Œ
>.
. . 4. ≈ 6 ≈ ≈
>. . f
>. . -j >
fi . .
3

4 . . 4. œ œ œ œ
fi fi
-j -j
> >
3
> >. >
œ
œ ≈ œ
œ . . œ ‰3 ≈ ‰Œ Œ
œ

œ œ
4
œ œ œ œ
4 6 4
3
4 3

click-track (cont. until otherwise specified)

#4. #4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. ≈ #4
. 4. #4. 4. 4.
°
87
≈ >œ. >œ.
J ‰ Œ ‰ ‰ ∑ 6. 2 R J 5 J J R4
#4. #4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. #4. 4. #4. 4. 4.
2 1 5 7 3

8 4 4
>. >. ≈
J ‰ Œ ≈4 ‰ ‰
6.
4+16 8 ∑ 8 R J
16
J J R
4
#4. #4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. ≈ #4
. 4. #4. 4. 4.
¢ J ‰ Œ ≈ Œ
>4
‰ ‰ ∑ j
R J J J R
#4. #4. 4 4. 4 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. >4. >4. #4. 4. #4. 4. 4.
≈
6.
J R J J J J
(Tape:not exact rhythm) (click doubles this rhythm)

11
° ≈ #4 ≈ 4 ‰ >œ. ≈ #4. ≈ 4.
. . . .
‰™
>œ.
4 4
93
‰ Ó & R ∑ ‰ ‰ J ‰ Œ Œ

≈ #4 ≈ 4 . >4. ≈ #4. ≈ 4.
4 3 3 2 3 3 3
>4. . .
‰™
. .
4 ‰ Ó 4 ∑ 4‰ ‰ J 44 ‰ Œ Œ

≈ #4 ≈ 4 . #4. ≈ 4.
4 8 4 16
. . . 3
.
¢ 4 4 4
‰ Ó Œ Œ ≈ ‰ Œ Œ
∑
≈ #4 ≈ 4 . >œ. ≈ #4. ≈ 4.
. . .
4 ‰ ‰ J 4 ‰
3

1>.
≈ #4 Œ ≈ #4 ‰
. .
° 4
98
≈ ≈
6
≈ Œ Œ Ó
∑ ∑

1>.
3 (2,1) 3 5 (2,2,1) 2 5 4
#4. j #4.
8≈ 7 ‰ 16 j ‰ ≈ 4Œ ≈ ≈ 8 4≈ ‰ Œ Ó
16 ∑ #œ ∑

≈ #4 7j ‰ ≈ #4 ‰
. R . .
¢ ∑
? ‰ #œ
j
4
Œ ‰
4 ∑
Œ Ó

4. ≈ #4 ‰
.
4
(click doubles this rhythm)
œ œ
6
‰
4 4
∑ J

12
 H 1>.
° #œ >œ. >œ. >6
‰ 6. ‰
104

& ∑ ≈ ≈≈ ≈
ppp p f

1>.
7 4 3

>63
(follow dynamic

4 >4.
. >4.
contour of tape)

Œ
6
‰ Ó ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ‰ ≈ ≈≈ ≈
& œ. œ
16
.
>6
f ( )

.
¢
Œ
6
‰ Ó Œ 6. ‰ ≈ ≈‰
(f ) 4 4
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
. >. .
1
. . 4 ≈ 6 ≈ ≈
-j >
. fi . . >
>.
3
#œ œ ≈
n6
‰ œ

4
œ œ
3

≈ œJ J J
œ œ
=
click-track OFF click-track

. > 1>. #4. ≈ 4. ≈ 4. ≈ 4.

° >œ.
random
>œ. >œ.
6 ‰ 6. >œ.
110 sound

‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ œœ œ ≈ ‰ ≈
& . ∑
f

6 >4. 1
3 ( )

>.
#4. ≈ 4. ≈ 4. ≈ 4.
3 4
4 ‰ 4 ‰ Œ 4
>. >-
& >. œ œ >. œ ‰ Ó Ó Œ ‰ 4 4 ∑ ≈ ‰ ≈
. . . œ.
4

≈ #4 ≈ 4 ≈ 4 ≈ 4
( f )

>- . . . .
¢ 6. 6. Œ ‰ Œ ≈
4
Œ Ó Œ Ó Ó
4. 4. 4™
-j >
fi . . œfi >
-j
.
-j >
fi . . . . >- 6 >Ϫ 1>. # 4 4 4 4
œ
œ . . œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ ‰ 4 ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈
œ œ œ œ 4™
4 3 4 . . . .

13
 ° œ
115

& Œ

#4.
ppp p 5 3 ppp 3
>j
‰™ 6 6 Œ
3
>j
Ó ‰ Œ Œ Œ
∑ 8 87 Œ 4
#4. >j 3
¢ ‰ Œ 6 Œ Œ j Œ
>7
Ó Ó ∑ ∑
œ œ j Œ
>7
j j j
Œ œ œ œ
=
click-track OFF ON

° >6 ‰ Œ 6
120

∑ ∑ ≈ ∑ Œ Œ ‰ >
∑ ∑ ∑

Somerville, MA. june, 26th, 2020

>6 ‰ Œ
3 3 (2,1) 4 9 1 3 7 2 ff

6
≈ ∑ Œ Œ ‰ >
& #œ #œ 4+16 4 ∑ ∑
4 mf 16 f
4 mf f
4 4
ff

¢ >6 ‰ Œ
6
∑ ∑ ≈ Œ Œ ‰ >
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
ff
>6 ‰ ‰ >6
#œ #œ
j R
click-
track
œ œ œ œ click-track OFF œ œœ œ click-track OFF œ œ œ
14