E/A Major 2
The objective for my task was to transform and manipulate a recorded sound.
A well known composer I listened to is Gyorgy Ligeti and was particularly interested in Lux Aeterna. I loved the way he used one instrument, the voices, and changed them smoothly over time for timbre change rather than melody, harmony or rhythm. I decided to choose one recording, the wind chimes (I thought they sounded beautiful in tone and appreciated how the wind could articulate the velocity) and chose certain effects such as delay, chorus, ringshift, spectral gate and ensemble, being careful not to over do each one so there was a more subtle although definite change throughout parts of the recording. I decided not to go any heavier on dynamics or panning because when I closed my eyes to listen, it was nice to ‘see’ it change staying at one point in my mind.
An audio technique I applied was to not go overboard in effects to look for contrast and stay more subtle and delicate to reflect the audio – delicate wind chimes.
A music technique I learned was that subtle differences can still be just as interesting as one’s that are prominent.
This is practice as research because I have learned from Ligeti a new focus on sound manipulation and took his idea to see what I could develop through it using my own sample and ways of structuring and thinking about effects to use and how strongly.
To evaluate myself, I think this piece achieved what I wanted from the start, one recording manipulated quite subtly and I chose something that I thought sounded wonderful on it’s own to play with, getting a dreamy smooth transition throughout.
Gyorgy Ligeti (1988) Lux Aeterna, Germany: WERGO. WER 60162-50. CD, 9:21.
E/A Major 1
The objective of my major task was to create emotionally contrasting musique concrete.
A well known composer I was inspired by for this was Pierre Schaeffer with Etude Noire. I enjoyed the way there were samples of typical chords that you can imagine conveying certain moods, then industrial sounds underneath with repetition. There were parts of quite smooth atmospheric noises, then suddenly a more prominent gritty or mechanical noise would enter. In my piece, I have taken this on and used the children in the school yard and rain as the emotions, with the drills, bomb and thunder as the contrasting non emotional sounds. My piece conveys aspects of life such as childhood, working, war and horror, nature, memories and anything else one would perceive from my piece in their own way regarding these.
Audio techniques I applied were layering, bouncing/triggering sounds off of one another by introducing them immediately after another in contrast, pan, volume control/fading and reverb.
A musical technique I learned through doing this was to mix completely different sounds together that can still create a certain feel or story, which sparks off the brain into thinking what the purpose behind it is, or how it makes one feel through the contrasts.
This is an example of practice as research because I have gained ideas from composers from all of my tasks so far to be able to think about their ideas and form my own, such as what sounds Schaeffer used, the way he structured them and how it made me feel listening to it, so I could make this piece which reflects my ideas from him so far, but in my own way.
If I am to evaluate myself, I would give this piece a good mark as it can chill me to listen to with the contrasting sounds and moody atmosphere, which is made more effective with my use of panning, fading and sudden cutting in and out of sounds.
Pierre Schaeffer (1990) Etude Noire, France: INA-GRM. ina c 1006-09. CD, 3:58
ELEC/ACOU – Task 4
The objective for this task was to use regular sounds and transform them.
A well known composer I was inspired by is Jonty Harrison after listening to ‘Klang’. I liked the way he used a simple sound of bowls with lids to create such tonal and reverberant harmonics and how they became so different through manipulation. I chose a similar approach by using a regular phone ringing and applying effects which gradually fade the original sound away to something different. I wanted quite a haunting effect so didn’t completely distort the original so you could still relate to what it was. This sound is also quite irritating as you know someone would be trying to get hold of you and you feel it has to be answered, so by adding some loops with effects creates a nightmarish or dream feel, like when you are asleep and can’t wake up enough to get the phone. I have used panning for the dreamy effect too, so it feels like it is everywhere and not coming from just one point.
An audio technique I applied that I hand’t before was to stick to one sample of sound only and see what I could release from it. This sound was also quite useful and effective for this, especially as you know it will ring after a certain amount of wait time, which is where the loop and different times the manipulated rings come in to throw the listener off a bit which is quite discomforting, adding to the haunting effect of an everyday noise.
Musically, I learnt about the use of regular wait time/beats where I can throw the listener off and use panning more effectively to add more direction to the overall feel.
This is an example of practice as research because I thought about the way Harrison has manipulated is sounds and what effect they can have on a listener, so I took this on board and tried to think of a theme and what kind of sound I could imagine Harrison using to create an effective piece.
Jonty Harrison (2000) Klang, Canada: Empreintes DIGITALes. IMED 0052. CD, 9:00.
M4DM – Terminator
The objective of this task was to use my own or free sound effects and sound objects to creatively piece together to enhance the visual robots of Terminator2.
I tried to highlight every noticeable visual change with the robots as they were constantly moving, and also added some background effects to give a factory atmosphere. I also wanted to think outside the box and used a failing car start for the conveyer belt for example. I also looked at where each robot came from in the scene and panned accordingly for better spatial awareness, and added reverb for a wider atmosphere.
I have watched a small documentary of Frank Serafine talking about making his sound effects for movies and liked his approach of layering sounds together that have been recorded in different places to achieve a certain outcome, so I have chosen materials that are in similar categories but recorded in completely different places to layer up. For example, I did this with a computer power supply fan and a tattoo chair motor for general factory background noises.
An audio technique I used which I hadn’t applied before was if I had a sound that wasn’t long enough, like the camera shutter sound for the drilling, I cut a piece out of the middle of the audio region and looped it, then added the end on when it was needed. This worked successfully and I made sure the cut out wasn’t so small that it was noticeably repetitive or too large that the sound changed over time too much.
A musical technique I learned was to use panning more effectively in my work to create more of a spectrum rather than everything in the middle of the mix.
This was practice as research because I have studied the way sound effects are used in films and the most unusual of sounds can be used using layering and EQ to create an overall scene, and I have adopted Frank Serafine’s technique to achieve a successful outcome.
SoundIdeasCanada. (2009). Sound Ideas Sound Effects Discovery Channel. Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y2bCDB5hEw. Last accessed 25th March 2011.
MD4M Added W/Wind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1QQSwtrY2Q
The objective of this task was to now add woodwind to my Bat Theme.
Visually, I used high pitch tones such as the piccolo to highlight high drama, particularly gaining speed of the bike and the powerful bullets. I also used high toned instruments such as flute tremolo’ s with a staccato piccolo to build tension for Batman’s plan to overturn the lorry. Other instruments include the English horn, clarinet and bassoon which I used rhythmically with the strings to build tension throughout the piece.
As well as listening to Elfman’ s original Batman theme, I have listened to John Barry’s ‘Octopussy – The Chase Bomb Theme’ theme and liked the way he uses small rhythmic riffs with different instruments and I decided to use this idea for highlighting rhythmic parts in my piece.
An audio technique I learned was how to layer instruments, particularly thinking about pitch and rhythm. This taught me that I can still have lots of instruments in one piece but without worrying about it getting to clustered, by using extra instruments for highlighting sections, rather than all at the same time, throughout. I think the music sounds more effective.
This is an example of practice as research because I have learnt a lot from listening carefully to famous orchestral scores by Elfman and Barry to find out ideas and techniques I can mimic to help my piece sound more effective and professional; for example, using low range instruments like the staccato bassoon as a toned ‘bass drum’ effect, mid range instruments like the flute to enhance atmosphere and the piccolo to spike out high tension areas.
John Barry (1983) The Chase Bond Scene, USA and Canada: Rykodisc. RCD 10705. CD, 1:55.
MD4M Percussion
The objective of this task was to create percussion accompaniment to the dancers and brass instruments, then just my own ethnic percussion to the solo dancer to create a certain mood.
Visually, I accompanied the brass with a marching feel as the girls stomped, using timpani’s and a snare drum. I also added the triangle to widen the sound spectrum and kept to a typical band sound because I didn’t feel it needed to be over the top.
For the solo dancer, I slowed the tempo down to fit the dreamy sexy feel. I also looked at when she turns, and used ‘ethnic pluck’ for a low sound when she showed the man her ‘behind’. I also stopped the instruments when she stopped to the side. I thinned the texture as the camera showed the man on his own in the seats. I highlighted when she turned her head repeatedly with bell sounds for a twinkly innocent eye appeal, then when she blinked I used a shaker noise because it also sounded like a kiss, which is what he is probably thinking. I used slap/clap noises as the camera shows her hands moving, then a breath noise as she relaxes her arms down. I added some latin kit almost animal like sounds as her hands move over the front of her skirt. I used a native American flute going down in scale as her zip goes down. Again I thin the texture because I predicted the man to be more focused on that one thing. His eyebrow is raised before the jacket opening so as it does this, I use a faint ethnic pluck. As she begins opening her jacket repeatedly, I use the latin tone each time. I used African drums as the flowers come out to symbolise his heart beating and the ethnic pluck with the flute with an ascending pitch bend to show his feeling of elevation.
I listened to Thomas Newman’s original track several times to get a flavour of how to use the percussion and ethnic instruments but I wanted a heavier beat and texture and more focus on visual elements, which I did do. I have also found David Van Tieghem, who used sticks on anything in the street, any material, any surface to create rhythms and different sounds that you wouldn’t expect from ordinary objects, which I found as very useful to ignore what the instrument was and what it went with, so I treated them more like sound objects, as Schaeffer would say.
An audio sequencer technique I used was to first record my sounds in as close as I could to the movie, then go back over parts with the selector tool and grab individual notes to sync them more accurately with the picture.
A musical technique I learned was how to keep within a beat as well as syncing to a randomly cutting movie. I also learnt to not just loop things over or copy certain melodies or patterns, but to create individuality within the music, even if it did mean using one instrument playing a single note for the piece. This to me, sounds more professional and has taught me to pick out particular sounds to use them individually and be more patient.
This is practice as research because I have learnt a lot through creating a percussive piece rather than a more tonal one. It’s not just about creating melodies – but individual sounds over a whole range of different instruments from everywhere, as Thomas Newman has shown us working really well to create something different but equally as appropriate for the movie.
Van Tieghem, D. (2011). Ear To The Ground. Available: http://www.vantieghem.com/. Last accessed 12th Mar 2011.
E/AC Text sound poetry (t3)
The objective of this task is to make text-sound poetry using a recording of a voice and manipulating it for different effect.
A well known composer I have looked into is Anthony Gnazzo and particularly The Population explosion. I liked the idea of repetition to take away the meaning or the whole word and to focus on the different qualities about the sound. I took on board this idea and used the voice of a 3 year old girl singing in her own way;
“sinterklaas kapoentje, leg wat in mijn laarsje, dank u sinterklaasje”. Translated: “st nicolas rascal, put something in my little boot, thank you st nicolas”. I broke it up and layered it, then repeated the parts which were not exactly the same length so there was a more interesting rhythm going on rather than perfect sync. Later on in my piece, I played around with panning and layering some parts at different times, with a little reverb over the whole thing to give delicacy to her sweet voice.
An audio technique I used which I haven’t before is to repeat something more times than usually comfortable to the ear to take away it’s obvious origin.
This piece is an example of practice as research because from researching and thinking about The Population People, I have come to think outside of the box about the way I use sound and have tried to capture this approach myself.
A musical technique I learned was to not completely shun what I think might be a bad idea such as the extra repetition and try it out because it might just spark off new thinking and ideas.
I would give myself an average mark as I have done everything needed and learnt from my research, and my piece to me, sounds quite nice.
Anthony Gnazzo (1969) The Population Explosion, San Francisco: Other Minds. B001L9WSXQ, CD, 4.43.
MD4M – Batman with Piano, Brass and Strings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV3u5-Zz1Wg
The objective of this task was to add brass and strings to my original piano themed Batman composition.
Visually, I liked Elfman’s original brass stabs and added trumpets to highlight parts with accents and heights of drama. I wanted the strings to act as a bed of tones with warmer mid range brass to drive the music and also added some high pitched strings to come out of the bed for excitement.
A well known composer I have looked at for inspiration was Brad Fiedel who composed for Terminator. I have used my low piano as the low percussion and the stabbing trumpets as his high pitched piano, and left the strings and brass wavering and changing mood in the middle.
A sequencer technique I used was to play straight from the keyboard as I watched the images to get ideas down quickly rather than frustratingly slow with the step sequencing technique. I didn’t use record straight away because it puts me under pressure so I used the shortcut which keeps what I have played as soon as I’ve played it.
A music technique I learned was how to weave different instruments together and how bringing different ones out can have a different effect at certain points. For example, the way I brought out the strings from the mid part into a very high octave for one part, then used the brass to do this more rhythmically for a sharper pulse feel.
This is practice as research because by listening to composers like Elfman and Fiedel, I have come up with my own ideas on how to handle certain instruments for different effect and have put this into my own work. For example, I learnt when tracing Batman about choppy changes to match the image, where tempo wasn’t necessary, which I hadn’t played about with before. I have also researched orchestral panning to see where my chosen instrumentation fits. This also gave a fuller feel, I found.
Brad Fieldel (1994) The Terminator (Main Title), Germany, Austria and Switzerland: Cinerama. 0022082CIN. CD, 2.14.
MD4M Psycho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCixXPfF2GQ
The objective in creating this piece was to use strings to accompany a clip from psycho, emphasising the mood.
I wanted to highlight what the main female character was thinking when questioned by the policeman and how the policeman stirs guilt. I chose these as they were major features in this part of the film.
I have listened to Hermann’s theme and variations in parts of the film but felt I didn’t need to use his idea of having a main theme in this part of the film as it consists of flowing feelings and conversation rather than dramatic focuses. I have also listened to Nathan Barr who composed for True Blood and liked the way his strings flow, so I played them in and alternated certain notes for different moods, or completely changed the chord for drama.
One audio sequencer technique I used that I hadn’t before was to use strings in their actual real life octave ranges and used a certain reverb on the master for a realistic feel.
Through doing this task, I learnt how to progress my musical changes to suit visual needs, but also what the audience would be thinking.
This is an example of practice as research because I have decided on which string techniques I like from a couple of composers such as chord progression and themes, and have adapted them to suit my style for the film.
Nathan Barr (2009) True Blood (Original Score From The HBO Original Series), US: Varese Sarabande. 302 066 984 2, CD.
MD4M – WK 3 FILM MUSIC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoYtA6h5Shs
The objective of this task was to create a chase scene piece of music to Batman, starting from when he drives through the glass. I have made my piece 1 minute long, which fits with the events in that part of the movie.
Visually, I wanted to use a wide pitch spectrum to add drama and decided on using contrasting pitches with my piano. I also thought about use of Smalley’s Line, Circle and Square theory to capture the events.
When tracing Elfman’s Bat Theme, I noticed how effective the brass stabs were in adding rhythm and crispness amongst the warmer horns and low strings, so used a high pitched piano to replicate this.
A sequence technique that I applied for this task that I hadn’t done before was step sequencing, except I didn’t prefer to use it in the end. I learnt about the ways in which certain instruments are used in orchestra such as rhythmically, pitch-wise and texture building. For example, pitch-wise, high brass stabs add clarity to the bed of bass and middle.
This task was practice as research because I have considered a well known composers ways of creating music for film and tried to capture it myself. I wanted to particularly look at the way Elfman chose instruments for certain pitches and how he articulated them for each effect, for example the low bass strings were long and drawn out, where there would be an almost snare fill like trumpet section to signal change sharply.
Danny Elfman (1992) Batman Returns (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), US: Warner Bros Records. 9 26972-2. Score.
