Rodrigo Constanzo: Sound + Process # 14

SOUND + PROCESS

Rodrigo Constanzo is a seasoned improviser + performer, which directly influences his approach to designing software interactions. Through careful consideration of the needs of the performer, he builds software that can be easily manipulated through gestures akin to playing acoustic instruments. Since 2011's The Party Van, Rodrigo has built many incredible bits of software, ranging from dynamic varispeed loopers to huge leaps in concat re-synthesis, but at the core of these tools is an aesthetic that can only be described as "lo-fi, broken, digital stuff." Beyond the performance videos and audio artifacts housed on his website (https://rodrigoconstanzo.com), Rodrigo has also written a considerable amount of essays trying to understand the mechanics of how improvisers improvise. His findings are fascinating, annotated with interactive examples and self-reference. Rod's academic + artistic endeavors often play out as a non-linear looping mechanism. (some choice ones: http://www.rodrigoconstanzo.com/thesis/, http://www.rodrigoconstanzo.com/2016/03/just-making-things-up/, and http://www.rodrigoconstanzo.com/2015/04/making-decisions-in-time/) Throughout the episode, Rodrigo shares insights into his performance practice, unpacks the importance of formal training when working within an experimental context, and plants flags in the common ground between comedy + music improvisation. As always, Sound + Process explores the artists of lines (https://llllllll.co). Come join the conversation.