Synthesizing Tradition: Physical Modeling and Composition with the Colombian Gaita

Abstract

This article focuses on the physical modelling of the Colombian gaita using waveguide synthesis techniques. Based on an acoustic analysis of the instrument, including its timbral characteristics and resonant behaviour, the gaitacol~ object was developed in the MAX/MSP environment to simulate its sound in real time and enable expressive interaction. The resulting synthesis was integrated into the composition Entre tanto y tanto, un caminar continuo (2024), a live-electronic work that explores the convergence of traditional sound and contemporary music technologies. The article explains and analyzes the composition in its five sections ­– Raíz, Ecos, Metamorfosis, Danza digital, and El abrazo – addressing the different ways in which the acoustic gaita interacts with digital signal processing and sound synthesis. These sections articulate contrasting modes of dialogue, including timbral reinforcement, spectral transformation, rhythmic interaction, and hybrid textures that blur the boundaries between acoustic and digital sound. This work contributes to the field of computer music by applying physical modelling techniques to a non-Western instrument, and to the field of mixed composition by proposing compositional strategies for integrating traditional instruments into contemporary creative contexts.