In this section the performative interface of Lila is discussed.
Lîla provides 3 separate delay lines each with 3 read heads (instances). The value of each delay can be controlled with either performative actions or through message passing. By default inputs 1 and 2 are sent to delay line 1; inputs 3 and 4 are sent to delay line 2, and inputs 5 and 6 are sent to delay line 3.
The concept of keyboard control of delays is that a key is pushed to Mark the base of a delay line, Then a Set key is pushed to set the duration of the delay, which will be the time difference between the *Mark*ing of the delay line and the *Set*ing of it. There are various performatively useful ways to *mark* and *set* the multitude of delay lines.
Six keys are used for each set of controls. One set (keys Q, W, E, A, S, D) is used master set to control all the instances of all the delay lines. One set (Keys R, T, Y, F, G, H) are used to control instances of delay line 1, and another set (keys U, I, O, J, K, L) is used to control the instances of delay line 2. The delay line 3 is only controlled by the master control (because of lack of space on the keyboard), but it is possible to set its values separately through scripting.
Most users will only need to use the master controls. The key ”a” is used to mark the base of all the delay lines. The key ’q’ will set the duration of read head 1 for all the delay lines. The key ’w’ will set the duration of read head 2 for all the delay lines, and the key ’e’ will set the duration of read head 3 for all the delay lines. The key ’s’ will set the value of the delay lines linearly, with the first read head duration being set according to the moment the key ’s’ was pushed, and the delay line duration for read head 2 and 3 will be twice and three times the duration of the first delay read head respectively. The key ’d’ will set the duration of all the delay lines corresponding to the base of each delay read head.
Using shift keys, you can set the base for each instance separately. Letter ’Q’ (shift q) sets the base of
first instances of all delay lines. ’W’ sets the base for the 2nd instances of all delay lines, and ’E’ sets
the base of the 3rd instances of all delay lines. Lila has a single memory for the delay base
locations. ’A’, swaps the base of all instances of all delay lines with previously set values Letter ’S’
(shift ’s’) arranges the delays geometrically where delay duration of read head 2 is twice the
duration of read head 1, and duration of read head 3 is 4 times the duration of read head 1.
As mentioned above one can set the base and duration of the instances of each delay line separately as well in case the performer chooses to have different delay values for different inputs. Below diagram shows the non-shifted key layout for delay control:
Below diagram shows the shift key layout for delay control:
