"Music for Sextet and ISPW" (1993, flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, trombone, piano) is for six instruments and the IRCAM Signal Processing Workstation (ISPW), a real-time signal processing computer running the program Man. The signal processing and programs were written by the composer and Miller Puckette. The piece makes use of pitch, amplitude, and spectral tracking of the various instruments to control sampling (with emphasis on granular sampling), cross synthesis, and other more standard signal processing such as harmonizing, frequency shifting, spatialization, etc. A score-following system which tracks the MIDI output of the piano advances the electronic part and keeps the electronics synchronized with the instruments.
The relationship between the electronics and the instrumental part ranges on a continuum between the poles of the "transcendental" (fused) and the "formal" (separate). In this continuum, the electronics give musical support to the instruments and/or function independently. Meanwhile, working with computers keeps me questioning the fine line that separates music and "special effects".

Cort Lippe (USA), born studied composition with Larry Austin. He spent three years at the Centre d'Etudes de Mathématique et Automatique Musicales (CEMAMu), directed by I. Xenakis and eight years at the IRCAM, where he developed real-time musical applications. Presently visiting professor of composition and director of the computer music studios at the University at Buffalo-SUNY.