Figures 1 and 2 are provided in the techincal recipe of the Stellar Sonata. In this technical recipe, the composer explains what is needed for the set-up of her piece. The main requirements are an electroacoustic harp, a computer with Ableton Live, a soundboard, a soundcard, a Line 6 Bass POD XT device, a pedal board, a volume pedal and a mark tree. The Stellar Sonata uses several effects, six to be exact.

My set-up includes an amplified acoustic harp, an audio-interface, a pedal board and a mark tree. Besides the different harp, I have worked around the Line 6 device, since this is one of the discontinued equipment. With less material, and more of the effects coming from the Ableton Live, recreating this set-up has been more accessible for me, and thus will be for other harpists. 

Lizotte uses a volume pedal to activate some effects. Depending on your programming, the use of a volume pedal is optional.

I investigated some alternative options for the pedal board, which I discuss below. Both options suit the needs of the Sonata, as well as leaving space to add more effect triggers for further creative processes, such as improvisations and new pieces.

One option I found is the Behringer FCB1010 in figure 5 below. It's very similar in use and aesthetic as the Roland that Lizotte uses. You still need a MIDI interface to connect to a DAW, meaning the purchase of another component, and it is quite large too. The volume pedals are convenient but because there are two and right beside that the buttons for programming, it means that a player always has to reach quite far with the left foot in order to trigger an effect.

Another option I found is the Nektar Pacer. This is a slightly newer model, brought on the market in 2018, with the MIDI-interface already inside the pedalboard, making it possible to connect to your computer only using a USB-cable. It doesn't have any expression pedals, but it has the option to connect a volume pedal via a jack. Because of this, the volume pedal can be placed wherever is most convenient for the player, like for example between the feet just as in the set-up of Lizotte. I ended up purchasing the Nektar Pacer. 

Besides these materials in hardware, there's other material that Caroline uses, such as the soundcard. For this I won't go into detail because iot's not as important to how the piece sounds or how comfortable the set-up will be for the performer. I used the ZOOM-44 audio interface. I chose it because it is affordable, small so easy to carry around and still has four inputs, so it serves the needs of the Stellar Sonata. 

Reverb: 

The reverb (short for "reverberation") audio effect simulates the way sound behaves in a physical space by creating a sense of depth and ambiance. It is a crucial effect in audio production, as it can make a sound feel like it’s coming from a specific environment—whether it’s a small room, a concert hall, or a vast canyon.1

1. Natural Reverb:

   • When a sound is produced in a space, it travels outward and reflects off surfaces like walls, ceilings, and floors. These reflections reach the listener’s ears at slightly different times, creating a complex mix of direct sound and reflected sound. As the reflections continue to bounce around, they lose energy and decay over time.

2. Artificial Reverb:

   • In audio production, reverb is often created artificially using hardware or software. These tools simulate the acoustic characteristics of real or imagined spaces.

Reverb can make a track feel natural, spacious, or otherworldly, depending on how it is used. Subtle applications enhance realism, while dramatic settings are perfect for creative effects.

In the case of the Stellar Sonata, the Reverb is on during the whole sonata but is most prominent in the first movement, as it is the only audio effect there. 

Flanger: 

The flanger is an audio effect that creates a sweeping, whooshing, or jet-plane-like sound by mixing a signal with a delayed version of itself. The delay time is very short (typically between 1 and 10 milliseconds), and the delay is modulated over time, creating the characteristic comb-filtering effect. It was first derived in the 60s by recording a song on two tape recorders at the same time, then slowing down one of them by placing your finger on the tape flange.2 Below are listed the different steps of the sound modulation of the Flanger effect.

1. Signal Splitting: The original audio signal is split into two paths: One path remains unprocessed (dry signal), the other path is delayed and modulated (wet signal).

2. Delay Modulation: The delay time of the wet signal is modulated, often using a low-frequency oscillator (LFO). This causes the delay time to vary continuously, which changes the phase relationship between the original and delayed signals.

3. Comb Filtering: When the dry and wet signals are combined, they interfere with each other. This interference creates peaks and notches in the frequency spectrum, resulting in a distinctive comb filter sound.

4. Feedback (Optional): Some flangers include feedback, where part of the output signal is fed back into the input. This enhances the effect, making it more pronounced and resonant.

Flanging is a versatile effect that can range from subtle to dramatic, depending on how it's used.

Distortion:

Distortion is a form of audio signal processing in which the sound of an amplified or electric musical instrument is altered, usually by increasing their gain, creating a fuzzy, growling or gritty tone. The effects alter the instrument sound by clipping the signal (pushing it past its maximum, which shears off the peaks and troughs of the signal waves), adding sustain and harmonic and enharmonic overtones and leading to a compressed sound that is often described as "warm" and "dirty", depending on the type and intensity of distortion used.3

What's interesting about the appearance of the Distortion effect in the Stellar Sonata, which we see in the middle of the second movement, is that this effect only appears in the bass register. This effect represents Adriane's rage. 

Space Echo:

The Space Echo is a classic audio effect that combines tape delay with reverb, creating a warm, atmospheric sound. It is most famously associated with the Roland RE series of devices (e.g., the Roland RE-201), which used magnetic tape to produce delay and echo effects in the 1970s and 1980s. Below is explained the process the sound goes through for the Space Echo effect.4  

1. Tape Delay:

   • A magnetic tape loop records the incoming audio and plays it back after a short delay.
   • The tape travels across multiple playback heads, each positioned at different intervals, resulting in varying delay times.
   • Adjusting the tape speed and the spacing of the playback heads alters the delay timing and rhythm.

2. Feedback (Echo Repeats):

   • A portion of the delayed signal is fed back into the input, creating multiple repeats.
   • The intensity and decay of the repeats can be controlled by adjusting the feedback parameter.

3. Reverb:

   • The Space Echo units included a built-in spring reverb system, which adds a lush, reverberant quality to the sound.
   • The combination of tape delay and spring reverb creates a deep, spacious effect.

4. Analog Character:

   • Tape delay naturally introduces subtle pitch modulation and saturation due to imperfections in the tape mechanism, such as flutter, wow, and wear.
   • These characteristics give the Space Echo its warm and organic sound.

The Space Echo gives the sound the characteristic of a warm, vintage-style delays with a natural decay. The subtle pitch warbles and distortions add for a certain texture, and when combined with the spring reverb creates a dreamy and ethereal ambiance. The Space Echo remains a beloved effect, both in its original hardware form and as digital emulations, for its ability to create rich, immersive soundscapes. 

Delay: 

This effect repeats the input milliseconds after it is played for multiple times until it dies out. Where reverb uses all or almost all reflections of the sound, the delay uses only one reflection, to create a pure delay of one specific sound.5 

- Analog Delay: An analog delay is a delay effect but using or imitating the use of tapes. It's a warm and natural sound, slightly more unpredictable than a digital delay. A digital delay can sometimes be described as the 'perfect delay', therefore it just depends on the preference of sound that one is trying to create. 

In the Stellar Sonata, Lizotte uses an Analog delay to create a loop. The end of a glissando is presented by the performer as the material for the delay which repeats itself at a certain bpm with a very long decay time. On top of this, the performer will continue playing with this delay/loop as the beat.  

- Ping Pong Delay: A type of delay that 'pings' audio back and forth between the left and right channels, creating a wide stereo rhythmic effect.