Hartley space

.aa - week seven.

Today I went into the Hartley Concert room to record Ben Bamford playing the Grand Piano. We recorded using the Marantz ‘Solid State Recorder PMD670’, and used a pair of Rode NT5 (shown below).



To begin with we used a fairly standard spaced pair configuration, with the microphones spaced around 1.5 metres apart in front of the soundboard. It comes across as a fairly typical Grand sound, with a bit of extra hiss from the Marantz recorder that we used. This configuration I might use for a Grand if it were playing among an ensemble, however for a solo recording the stereo field of the recording is a bit too narrow. From here we decided to move the two little microphones into unusual positions around the room.

ex1.mp3


Because there are two Grand Pianos in the room, I decided we should move them so their soundboards were facing one another. Then we played one piano while recording the other piano’s soundboard with the dampener pedal held down. While this worked quite well in the room itself (the Hartley room is quite a reverberant space), the Marantz Recorders hiss tends to cover these resonant excerpts in the recording.

ex2.mp3


We then tried moving the mics up. The Hartley room has a very high ceiling so we placed the mics on top of the piano, so that they were around 3.5 metres high and two meters apart. We made two recordings with the microphones at this height, one with the microphones facing toward the piano, and another recording with one NT5 facing the piano and the other facing the roof. I much prefer ‘roomy’ imprint which the second recording contains.

ex4.mp3


The pianist Ben was a little bit confused as to why we moved the mics into such awkward positions and made a joke along the lines of- why don’t we just move the microphones out of the door??? What a great idea! So this recording has one mic pointing down the hall outside the Hartley room and the other mic pointing into Hartley (still from the outside).

ex5.mp3


.sources.

Grice, David 29.04.08, “Location Recording,” Lecture of Elder Concert Hall, Adelaide University.

---

synthesiser creation in SuperCollider

.cc - week six.

This week I have created a synthesiser using SuperCollider. I found some code on a forum which helped me make it into a poly synth, but I now have lost the link to this site >.>;

Anyway, here's the code:

synth_def(1).rtf

// Get List of Sources
MIDIClient.sources;

(
// Initialise
MIDIClient.init;

// Connect to Source (0 in this case)
MIDIIn.connectByUID(inport: 0, uid: MIDIClient.sources.at(0).uid);
)

(

var poly;

poly = Array.newClear(128); //array to hold the synth instances

SynthDef("SoundWallKeys", {

arg freq = 440,
rate = 0.4,
gate = 0.0;

// Variables -- declaring
var partials = 20, //number of partials
waveshape,
env,
out;

waveshape =
Mix.fill(
partials, { //each partial's function
SinOsc.ar(
freq: (freq + (freq * 800.0.rand)), //Y axis control pitch
phase: 0,
mul: 0.3 / partials //volume
)
});

//create an envelope
env = EnvGen.kr(Env.adsr(0.001, 0.005, 0.8, 0.5), gate, Latch.kr(gate, gate), doneAction:2);

// Output
out = Out.ar( bus: 0, channelsArray: waveshape * env); //add envelope to waveform

}).send(s);

(

MIDIIn.noteOn = { // note on info to send to synth

arg src, chan, num, vel;

a = Synth("SoundWallKeys"); // a = electroBass

poly.put(num, a); //put note into poly array

[num, vel].postln; //print MIDI-In note and vel

a.set(\freq, num.midicps); //change frequency of 'a'

a.set(\gate, vel/127); //

};

MIDIIn.noteOff = { // note on info to send to synth

arg src, chan, num, vel;
poly[num].set(\gate, 0.0)
};

)

)

synthexample.mp3 (848 kB)

.sources.

Haines, Christian 10.04.08, "Synthesiser Definitions (1)," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

compression

.aa - week six.

This week I have had a play with some drum loops in a compressor. What I like about putting drum loops through compression is it gives you a nice handle on the duration of the small samples. In two examples below you can hear how the snare, for example, has changed from a very short and 'punchy' sound, to a much longer event.

beat1.2.before.mp3 | beat1.2.mp3


Here's another compressed beat.

beat2.mp3


I also ran some spoken-word vocal recording's through compression, and as expected the compressor makes the audio sound like its come from the radio.

77before.mp3 | 77after.mp3

.sources.

Grice, David 08.04.08, “Outside the square (Part 3),” Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

The Art of Sounds (Pierre Henry)

.forum - week five.

"The Art of Sounds" is an interesting film which delves into the life and mind of French composer, musique concrète pioneer - Pierre Henry. What does it reveal? A chauvinistic, humorous old wizard (he reminds me of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) of the mixing desk. Above all the man is clearly obsessed with sound.

In the opening scene (my favourite) Henry walks around with a spaced pair of microphones, stalking sounds as it were. After telling a passing by jogger that his footsteps are "beautiful," Henry walks into a tunnel. From here the soundtrack gradually changes from the sounds of Henry's innocent field recordings into one of his pieces. However, on screen Henry continues to explore this tunnel for these sounds (his music). All in all, Henry comes across as a extremely serious but still light-hearted man.

"Musique concrète is the art of deciding, the art of choice. One sound is taken rather than another, and that is where composing begins."

- Pierre Henry, in Pierre Henry: The Art of Sounds.

.sources.

Whittington, Stephen 03.04.08, "Music Technology - Week 5," Forum of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

all the same, all different

.cc - week five.

This week I have used a whole range of new Unit Generators. Building on the Mouse X/Y controls, I have started using the keyboard as an input into SuperCollider.

sound_gen_II.rtf


/* example 5.
using mix.fill unit generator to create a multi-unit generator
Y axis = pitch
X axis = panning

try altering the variables for different results
*/

(

var rate = 0.4, //rate of sound wall generation
partials = 25, //number of harmonics
baseNote = 50; //base note (MIDI Note)

x = {
Mix.fill(
partials, { //each partial's function
SinOsc.ar(
freq: MouseY.kr(minval: baseNote, maxval: baseNote + 100).round(10.0) + 800.0.rand, //Y axis control pitch
phase: 0,
mul: EnvGen.kr(Env.adsr( //envelope
attackTime: 0.01,
decayTime: 0.02,
sustainLevel: 0.2,
releaseTime: 0.1,
peakLevel: 0.9/partials,
curve: -4.0,
bias: 0.0
),
LFNoise0.kr(freq: rate) //trigger
)
)
});
};

{Pan2.ar(in: x, //panning
pos: MouseX.kr(minval: -1.0, maxval: 1.0),
level: 1.0
)}.scope(2, 0, 2).play;

)




.sources.

Haines, Christian 03.04.08, "Sound Generation (2)," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

AutoTune

.aa - week five.

This week I had a play with...



Antares Auto-Tune is a plug-in used primarily to tune monophonic audio samples into particular scales. It is a particularly impressive tool (just ask the cast of Neighbours); it even caters for microtonal tunings. I tend to use it sparingly - I find the drawback of this plug-in its oversimplified interface which tends to give most music it touches a characteristically "Auto-Tune" sound.

It provides this neat feature of adding vibrato to the pitch, with a user defined attack time. In my opinion this only works effectively only on instrumental audio, however when used in vocal samples it adds the same colour that most plug-ins at to vocals - it inhumanises the sound (see: Panic! At the Disco). The sound of the human voice is something that a producer must treat very subtly with plug-ins, unless an inhuman effect is desired. If used subtly, Auto-Tuning system in isolation (without vibrato and the other features) works amazingly well on vocals. Further than that, the 'Graphic Mode' provides is a fairly clumsy interface for such an expensive plug-in. Nevertheless, writing in your own melodic lines really is not what you buy Auto-Tune for... instead click a few buttons and let it automatically tune out some minor errors.

nude.before.mp3 | nude.after.mp3

.sources.

Grice, David 01.04.08, “Outside the square (Part 2),” Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

nude you/ll go to hell

KlangWand

.cc - week four.

This week I thoroughly enjoyed getting into the synthesis side of SuperCollider, I wish I had had access to Unit Generators like "Dust" for longer. I can see SC is going to be source of much sample creation. For the two noises I created this week I basically pinched bits and pieces from the SC Help files and David Cottle's book "Computer Music." I took he and Christian's advice of re-writing the code, and identifying the different objects, variables and so on. Then I played with them and rewrote the code so that it would do essentially the same thing but using different codes I knew.


sound generation.rtf


(
({
var fundemental,
partials,
out;

fundemental = 100; //fundemental frequency
partials = 50; //amount of partials to be added
out = 0.0; //0.0 set as out variable

partials.do({ //run this function once for each partial
var zero = 0;
var klangWand;

klangWand = 1000.150.rand; //set sound wall random value: 150 - 1000

out = FSinOsc.ar(
freq: klangWand,
iphase: 0,
mul: max(0,
LFNoise1.kr(
freq: 6 + [4.0.rand2, 4.0.rand2],
mul: 0.02,
add: (SinOsc.kr(freq: 1/120,phase: 0.5pi, mul: 0.03, add: 0.01))
)
),
add: out
) * 0.9 //master amplitude control
});
out
}.play)
)



.sources.

Haines, Christian 27.03.08, "Sound Generation," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

And here's a story about (...being free)

.forum - week four.

This week Ben Probert demoed his Max/MSP application Granular Genesis. I have played with it before, however it was great to hear Ben go through the programs functionality in a more formal environment. A couple of this Granular Synthesis programs extra features – self-referential recording and the ‘reverser’ – are pretty intriguing extensions on Granular Synthesis model that I am used to. The presentation itself was entertaining, with Ben visible only through a web cam display.

Matt Mazzone presented some dance tracks, like “Good Looking” and “Rain.” While it does not intrinsically interest me, in a musical sense, I respect his development as a composer and technologist. The construction of his samples and their arrangement is clearly well practiced.

Luke Digance took us through his “ILLUSTratingastORY” fringe event, for which he made a six channel sound installation with band Entactogen. I was impressed by his work here, reminded me of bands like Sigor Rós and Godspeed! You Black Emperor.

.sources.
Whittington, Stephen 27.03.08, "Music Technology - Week 4," Forum of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

the thing about being free

.aa - week four.

I recorded a Steinway piano playing a few chords, using a Stereo pair of Rode NT5s. I opened the piano as much as possible and positioned the 'lid' to face at the windows. On the other side of the curtains were drawn.

I used this setup to get capture as much natural, reverberative recording of the upper register. From there I took the recording to my home studio and went a little crazy with granulation, delay, equalization and more reverb! I sequenced different samples over one another and EQed them both low and high. The 'hacked up' effect that granulation added brings a nice bell-like sound in this excerpt.


dreamtime.mp3


.sources.
Grice, David 25.03.08, "Outside the Square (2)," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

... and now ? "eternity."

.cc - week three.



Tonight I created a network with SuperCollider, in conjunction with some fellow students. The code we created is quite simple and pointless, however provides a grounding for an area of the language which has exciting potentials. Here I am thinking about the work of the duo Klipp Av.


CC_3.zip


.sources.
Haines, Christian 20.03.08, "Networking," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

closed eyes

.forum - week three.

John Delany’s “Chromos” stole the show this week, the piece he created with a Max/MSP patch late last year. It is a fantastic work, so congratulations to John. Delany’s ambient music is fascinating – it has a subtle “retro” quality to it while still pleasing the modern conception of ambient music. Sir Arthur C Clarke died recently, so this ‘retro ambience’ is really quite topical.

Sanad presented a piece which I quite enjoyed, the overall form was quite hap hazardous, however the musical ideas were solid and plentiful. Dave Dowling presented “the Aqua Tower,” his own Max/MSP application which requires a degree in Computer Engineering, as well as a IQ of one hundred and fifty or more to understand. Finally, Edward Kelly presented a Bidule he created which essentially allows distortion to be added to an audio stream.

I presented the Cathode Ray Tube Suite. I was pretty nervous and hence struggled to express what I wanted to and hence got more nervous (and so on). I would like to present in forum as often as possible this year to improve in this area.

.sources.

Whittington, Stephen 20.03.08, "Music Technology - Week 3," Forum of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

alex mckay recording

Yesterday I recorded a jazz vocalist called Alex McKay, who was accompanied on the piano by Matthew Newton.

All The Things You Are



Everytime We Say Goodbye

---

.aa - week two.

This week we looked at a microphone configuration called the Decca Tree, which is used for surround sound recording. Here it is:


example1.mp3 | example2.mp3 | example3.mp3 |example4.mp3 | example5.mp3


(Follow links for audio examples)


When I got together with my fellow music technology associates for a trail of the technique, we used a few different methods. In this first example John Delany walks around the Decca Tree setup playing an acoustic guitar. In the second example we walked around the Decca Tree talking. We then experimented with moving the microphones out from the centre about three metres and spun them around 180 degrees, to face inward. From there, we span John around in a chair in the centre (example three) and then he walked around the perimeter of large Decca Tree (example four). In the final example, we all walked around the space as randomly as possible, again talking.

In each example we wanted to test the depth that could be perceived by the Decca Tree, so we systematically varied the distance the sound source was from the Decca Tree. An example of this is in example two, in which we walked around the Decca Tree progressing toward the center of the mic array.

.sources.

Grice, David 04.03.08, "Multi Micing (2)," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

SuperCollider (2)

.cc - week two.

This week I used a few new control structures like While, For and Case. Again, download the .rtf file for more legible formatting.


week2.rtf


// 1. evaluating a input

(

var freqIn = 5; // user input pitch

if (

440 >= freqIn,
{ freqIn+"Hz is below Concert A." },
{ freqIn+"Hz is above Concert A."}

);

)

// 2. more complicated

(

var freqIn = 490; // user input pitch
var concertA = 440; // concertA

a = freqIn - concertA;
b = concertA - freqIn;

if (

concertA >= freqIn,
{ (freqIn+"Hz is"+b+"Hz below 440 Hz (Concert A).").postln },
{ (freqIn+"Hz is"+a+"Hz above 440 Hz (Concert A).").postln }

);

)

// 3. harmonics of a fundamental

(

var inputFreq = 440; // user input frequency fundamental
j = 1; //count
while (
{ j <= 8 }, { (inputFreq * j).postln; j = j + 1; } ); )

// 4. harmonics of a fundamental in an array

(

var freqIn = 440; // user input frequency fundamental

e = {

arg freq, room;

var freqContent = Array.new(room);

for (
0, room,
{
arg i;
freqContent = freqContent.add((i+1) * freq);
}

);

freqContent;
};

f = e.value(freqIn,7);

)

// 5. harmonics of a fundamental in an array that are odd numbers

(

var freqIn = 445; // user input frequency fundamental

e = {

arg freq, room;

var freqContent = Array.new(room);

for (
0, room,
{
arg i;
freqContent = freqContent.add((i+1) * freq);
}

);

freqContent.takeThese({ arg item, index; item.even; }); //remove even numbers
};

f = e.value(freqIn,7);

)

// 6. drum name to MIDI note

(

var x, y;
x = "Crash"; // user input drum name
y = case

{ x == "kick" } { x+"is the MIDI note 36."}
{ x == "snare" } { x+"is the MIDI note 38." }
{ x == "hihat" } { x+"is the MIDI note 44." }
{ x == "crash" } { x+"is the MIDI note 49." }
{ x == "ride" } { x+"is the MIDI note 51." }
{ x == "tom" } { x+"is the MIDI note 45." };

)

// 7. MIDI note number to corresponding drum

(

var x, y, z, q;
x = "45"; // user input drum name
z = "text"; //pitch class
y = case

{ x == "36" } { z = "C1" }//determine pitch class
{ x == "38" } { z = "D1" }
{ x == "44" } { z = "G#1" }
{ x == "49" } { z = "C#2" }
{ x == "51" } { z = "D#2" }
{ x == "45" } { z = "A1" };

z = case //map pitch class to corresponding name

{ z == "C1" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class C1, Kick Drum." }
{ z == "D1" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class D1, Snare Drum." }
{ z == "G#1" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class G#1, HiHat Cymbal." }
{ z == "C#2" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class C#2, Crash Cymbal." }
{ z == "D#2" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class D#2, Ride Cymbal." }
{ z == "A1" } { "The MIDI note"+x+"is the pitch class A1, Tom Drum." };

)

.sources.
Haines, Christian, 13.3.08 "Introduction to SuperCollider (2)," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

SuperCollider

.cc - week one.

This year I am learning SuperCollider a programming language used for digital audio processing. Learning the language is made difficult by a lack of bona fide support, however, it is possible. Download this file, it contains better formatting: week1.rtf.

// simple maths

(

var oswHa;
oswHa = { |a, b| a + b};
oswHa.value(a: 2, b: 3);

)

// more complicated

(

var swkB;
swkB = { |a, b, c, d, e, f| a + b * c / d - e ** f};
swkB.value(a: 1, b: 2, c: 3, d: 4, e: 5, f: 6);

)

// words + words

(

var isdHsd;
isdHsd = { |a, b| a + b};
isdHsd.value(a: "i", b: "am.");

)

//printing many times...

(

var asdioWdks;
asdioWdks = { |a| a.postln; a.postln; a.postln};
asdioWdks.value (a: "10000001");

)

//...using do

(

15.do{arg text; "ice age coming".postln};

)

//variables like...

(

var sjYds = 0;
while ( {sjYds < 10}, { sjYds = sjYds + 1; "negative one".postln });

)

//...or like

(

x = 0;
while ( {x < 10}, { x = x + 1; "positive one".postln });

)

.sources.
Haines, Christian, 6.3.08 "Introduction to SuperCollider," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

stereo image

.aa - week one.

In making a stereo image usually an engineer wants to create a realistic sound. The listener’s perspective and the ambience of the space are primary considerations in microphone positioning. Your microphone selection will depend more heavily on instrumentation; for solo, classical or acoustic instruments a matched pair will often capture a fuller image of the event.

Some guides exist for positioning the two microphones, including:

Coincident pair | Near-Coincident | Spaced pair


(Follow link for audio examples)


Specialist techniques like a Baffled-Omni pair and the Mid-Side configuration provide a particularly full and professional image. They are useful in solo recordings, in terms of making music they may sound cliché.

.sources.
Grice, David 04.03.08, "Stereo Micing," Lecture of EMU, Adelaide University.

---

audio logo

Nowadays companies want sound logos, and if they don't they should.

So I decided to make one for my friends company Kaszazz (formerly Crafty Kids).

I did a small amount of research, in which time I found this handy little YouTube video, which looks in depth at the Intel Inside logo:

Here's what I've come up with so far.

kaszazz_alogo.mp3 (76 kB)

i highly recommend....

downloading radiohead in rainbows

it's free... well if your as cheap as me

(dead air space?)

the cathode ray tube suite


This film object got premiered at last week's ear poke concert, the EMU's end of year sha-bang.