In an effort to incorporate elements into my project that we have learned and expanded on in class, I utilised MIDI, tape recording, synthesis, and live tracking in order to construct the instrumentation of my composition for element 2 of the Creative Sound Projects module.
The use of MIDI for the project was to orchestrate a collection of live string sounds to contribute to the environment of the piece. I initially planned on finding an inexpensive violin or cello and altering the pitch in post to create different instruments to play the different parts I envisioned, but I could not find any in my price range. I instead used the LUNA shape instrument library to gather the sounds I wanted, specifically live chamber strings in order to play the improvised parts. Using an Arturia key step 25 roller and sequencer I was able to use velocity and pitch control in the live tracking. The name of the result is ‘Scene from the Cottage No. 1’.
I also wrote a simple duet meant for clarinet and guitar, played and recorded live by my friend Ela Unlusoy and myself. The piece is dynamic but structured, and in order to replicate the sound of a phonograph from the very late 19th century or early 20th century I used an old cassette player and recorder to record us live, an inaccurate historical representation of what would have been in a cottage such as the one in the painting during its time. The result was saturated and slight pitched up from the original tuning, something that I found both interesting and full of character.
I also recorded an acoustic guitar track with a shore sm 57 in order to add slight dissonance and a sense of live to the structured compositions throughout the piece. This was the most direct tracking I did, it both being live, and using eq that feels standard for general acoustic guitar. I get the feeling of the presence of myself playing in the pleasant cacophony of sounds in the composition. This in turn reflects the person that might have been living in the cottage during this time. Alongside the guitar, in order to add another layer of character in the track, I recorded my Yamaha p-125a keyboard with my Sony cassette player and recorder as well. The p-125a has a great sample library that is specific to this series of piano by Yamaha, and is not a digital library. However, in order to grab a certain warmth I was looking for I recording the improvised part with on to cassette as well, using the same eq and process I sued with the guitar and clarinet duet. I needed to cut a good amount of the low end and I added some extra high end, highlighting the hiss in the tape, because it reminded of the beach, adding more character to the field recordings I am using, discussed in the previous blog post.
Finally, I wanted to expand on my perspective of synthesis and using various controls on an analog synth, so I decided to track my Moog Sub25 for this composition as well. I was very grateful to have purchased this amazing instrument used last summer, however, despite me utilising it all of the time I had a very small understanding of the depth and possibility in this instrument. After the second and third lectures in Creative Projects Element 2, on synthesis, I felt a bit more familiar with synth controls, dynamics, and meaning. I used a low drone, filled with white noise and pitch modulation in order to create and artificial nature sound. The settings I designed are highlighted in an image below.
These are images highlighting my process.
