Smith, A.-Cotton Gindustrial-V/P/electronics

Cotton Gindustrial is Alex Smith's ode to the invention that changed the world: the cotton gin! This wild and contrasting piece not only requires some demanding performance techniques like speaking and singing, but also requires the performer to trigger a series of audio samples throughout the piece.


Some source materials that served as inspiration for this piece are an educational video from the 1950's on Eli Whitney and the cotton gin, an African American prison song entitled "I Be So Glad...", and a North English folk song entitled "Leaving of Liverpool."


Cotton Gindustrial comes with a full, bound score and includes a CD-ROM containing the customized software player, and a reference recording of the full piece. Source audio files are also accessible for those wishing not to use the software player.

Number of players: 1
Difficulty: Advanced

Instrumentation: Vibraphone, snare drum, hi-hat, ice bell, pedal bass drum, crash cymbal, cowbell (or trash metal), tam tam (with chain attaced)

Electronic equipment: Laptop (Mac or PC), audio interface with at least 1 inpu and 2 outputs, MAX software (download), headset or lavalier microphone, MIDI controller w/sustain pedal, expression pedal, 2 speakers