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Constraints and limitation has driven my creativity in this project. It has inspired me to approach every aspect of my composition differently.

Both of my tracks are using some form of limitation to drive my Innovation in songwriting and arrangement.

Bells:

The limitation is the pre-set patterns and timing. This has forced me to work in 13/8 and choose a Major key and specific note orders. But its equally left space for other innovative choices for example

the 7th isn't played in the pattern so its unclear if Ionian or Mixolydian. This pushed me to choose Mixolydian which I rarely use for writing and then use that as the lead for a middle section

Imposing limitation in the first section has pushed me to be equally unlimited in the opposite direction by contrast so I'm moving toward free writing the middle section without time signature, pattern and seeing where that leads the arrangements.

This ties in with my wanting to experiment and innovate with Free/stream of consciousness writing compared to structured composition.

Water:

The theme innovated my songwriting in particular with tone centre but also playing style and lyric choices. The underwater sections are deeper, slower, legato and move upwards with tempo t higher octave for out of the water but then partially coming back down to a new key to reflect the shifting/lack of groundedness with water.

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Solida, Scott. (2020) 'The 21 most important products and innovations in music technology history', MusicRadar. Available at: https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-21-most-important-products-and-innovations-in-music-technology-history (Accessed 23rd September, 2024)

Edwards, Luke. (2021) 'Most Influential Musicians Who Changed Music', This is Dig. Available at:

https://www.thisisdig.com/feature/most-influential-musicians-changed-music/ (Accessed 26th September, 2024)

Gough, O & Ward, D. (2024) A Sculpture That Sings. The Art of the Bell. CMP. Dorset.

Hart, Colin. (2017) Recording Underwater Sound Effects with Hydrophone, Pro Sound Effects [Youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPAMje-sA68&t=182s (Accessed 26th September, 2024)

Harrison, J & Lewis, C. (2009) The New Ringer's Book, The Central Council of Bell Ringers. CC. London

Maysun music (2021) Creative Process| Underwater re -amp with Hydrophones & LOM Geofon [Youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtWmsSET61A (Accessed 27th September 2024)

Johnson, S. (2018) How does Water effect Sound. Sciencing Available at: https://sciencing.com/water-affect-sound-8510076.html (Accessed on 12th October 2024)

Rubin, Rick. (2023) The Creative Act: A Way of Being. Edinburgh. Canongate Books.

Off, Zach ( Hydrophone research https://zachpoff.com/resources/choosing-a-hydrophone-for-field-recording/

Alvarez, O, (2021) How to Make the Underwater effect in any DAW. Elisha Record Studio [Youtube] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn87iXSEwIs Accessed on September 24, 2024

Underwater sound for film documentaries https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MNZ9WUd3tUw

Yoga for Musicians https://asivanayoga.com/blogs/yoga-blog/yoga-for-musicians

How does water effect sound https://sciencing.com/water-affect-sound-8510076.html

Higher pitch underwater sound bypasses ear https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/humans-hear-high-pitches-under-water#:~:text=When%20you%20are%20underwater%2C%20however,This%20is%20called%20bone%20conduction.

https://www.arvopart.ee/en/arvo-part/article/an-interview-with-arvo-part/

13/8 examples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9NJeteDIys

Dubois, Arthur. (2024) Musician, Water Drum Samples. https://www.instagram.com/arthdubois/ [Instagram]

Bernth Waterworks Youtube

Spotify example Burch Change Ringing with 6 Bells

https://open.spotify.com/track/7njek78B62Ip4wJsqBOgW1

Mathematics of Bell Ringing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44jXUo6KaVs

Gresham College Sarah Hart, Gresham College 2022 Professor of Geometry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oES_B2aP2rw The Sound of Mathematics. Sarah Hart 2021

Also Mathematics of Musical Composition

References

Allison Felker, Roshni Patel, Rohit Kotnis, Sara Kenyon, Marian Knight (2024). ‘Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care Com.piled Report’ on behalf of MBRRACE-UK. Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2020-22. Oxford: National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford 2024.

Clinical Knowledge Studies (2024)  ‘Depression, Antenatal, Postnatal.’ National Institute Clinical Heath.  Available at:  https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/depression-antenatal-postnatal/ Accessed on 23 Novemeber 2024

Bibliography

Editors, The (2024)’ Resources, Guides and Information on Perinatal Mental Health.’ Mind. Org. Uk. Available at https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/postnatal-depression-and-perinatal-mental-health/ Accessed 22 November 2024

Steel, L. (2014) ‘Mums are dying and it’s so preventable’ BBC News Yorkshire. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k846r7102o  (Accessed on 11 December, 2024)

Hope, A. (2023) ‘How to Write a Music Press Release with Example Temaplate’. Music Gatewat. AVailable at: https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/music-prom otion/how-to-write-a-music-press-release-with-example-templates Accesed on 1st December 2024)

Meltzer, R (2022) ‘How to Write a Press Release - A Step by Step Guide’. Grammarly. Available at: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/business-writing/press-release/ Accessed December 1st 2024)

Additional Links

https://www.mind.org.uk/
https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk

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Sound wave move several times faster through water than air, and travel longer distances. Sounds can also carry longer distances over water.

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My chosen areas of research and innovation are:

How sound is experienced in Water.

How rhythm and timing patterns can be used as compositional technique

Free vs Structured techniques in different areas of songwriting through to production

I'll draw on a number of systems and software including Ableton, Google Drive, Canva, Padlet as well as Planning Tools including SWOT > SMART target, Gannt Charts and develop a way of documenting my research for performance innovation.

I also plan to use my voice, piano and some percussion as well as test different recording techniques and equipment.

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Aquasonic by Between Music is a hugely innovative and unique creation. Performed entirely underwater with the musicians in huge glass water-filled tanks. They spent many years experimenting with instruments and adapting them accordingly to create this other worldly music.

I do want to build on the idea of how sound is experienced through water and create a track where the listeners has a sense of themselves being underwater.

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Between Music creates performance concerts in a hybrid of music, arts and science. See a selection of live videos and follow their behind the scenes.

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SMART Targets for this Module to align with Learning Objectives

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Having completed a SWOT analysis, Self-reflection on the last module and reviewed the Learning Objectives for this module I've set my SMART targets to support these

Performance to focus on timing and rhythm

Technique to focus on use of DAW in particular recording and vocals

Innovation in my own songwriting

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Both tracks needed me to move away from my usual recorded piano sound and innovate how too create the sounds I wanted.

I tested and downloaded some spitfire samples including:

BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano for a quality midi piano sample to replace my audio tracks.

Pool project an ambient collection of voices recorded in a pool room for layering in my Water project

Fireside and Felt piano - for a felted/muffled piano verse vintage sound from same instrument as potential one instrument with two sounds for my Water track.

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The Waterline

Innovation: Creating a sense that the listener is under water and exploring how water effects sound.

Key: Shifting - led by water not having a centre from Dm to Gm/Ebmj to Am back to Dm

Time Signature - 4/4

Chords Dm Am Bbmaj - BbMaj Dm Am - Gm Dm Eb Eb Dm Gm - Am G#Dim G F#Dim Dm - Bbmaj Am Dm.

Production - EQ hard filter from 1k upwards on vocals and piano/ Piano additional layer with sub 300 boosted - moving off during chorus.

--

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112 Dm 4-4 The Waterline - Demo - FORMATIVE

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112 Dm 4-4 The Waterline - Demo - FORMATIVE

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1. Innovation in Music L03, L05

SWOT Analysis & Aims

Initial Ideas

Self-Reflection

2. Innovation Development L02, L03, L05

SMART Goals

Developing Ideas 1

Creative Consciousness

Risk Assessment

Self-Reflection

3. Musical Innovation L05

Strategic Plan GANNT

Water in Music Research

Sound in Water Research

Production Water Research

Track Analysis Water Case Studies

Self-Reflection

4. Creative Covers L02, L05

Project Proposal

Developing Ideas 2

Bell Ringing Research

Bells in Music Research

Self-Reflection

5. Communicating Development Effectively L05

Primary Research Water Experiments

Track Analysis Bells Case Studies

Church Bells Research

6. Development Week Formatives L02, L03, L05

Formative Track 1 Water

Formative Track 1 Reflection

Formative Track 2 Bells

Formative Track 2 Reflection

7. Innovation in Songwriting & Arrangement L02, L05

Limitation driving Innovation

Innovation in Production

Testing Innovation

Justification for Water

8. Innovation in Live Performance L03, L05

Free Play/Improvisation

Piano Performance in DAW

Speed Songwriting

Recording in Water

9. Innovation Press Release L02, L05

Justification for Bells

Bells are Chords

Press Release

10. Critical Analysis L02, L05

Critical Analysis of Water

Critical Analysis of Bells

Self Development Analysis

11. Testing the Water & Submission L02, L03, L05

SUMMATIVE Water Track

SUMMATIVE Bells Track

Programme Notes

Justification for Innovations

Water Track Reflection

Bells Track Reflection

Module Reflection

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Planning Tools & Research

1. SWOT Analysis L02, L03

2. SMART Targets L02, L03, L05

3. GANNT Chart Start

4. Project Proposal (L02, L05)

5. Skills Audit - Revised

6. Risk Assessment

7. Documenting Primary Research - Water (L05)

8. Testing Innovation Table (L05)

9. Track Analysis - Bells Case Studies (L05)

10. Track Analysis - Water Case Studies (L05)

11. GANNT Chart End

12. Press Release

Self Reflection (Gibbs)

1. Weekly Self-Reflections (L02, L03)

2. Module Self-Reflection (L02, L03)

3. Final Tracks Reflections (L02, L03, L05)

Track Development & Evidencing

Free Writing Lyrics (L02) Final Lyrics

Bell Patterns Midi (L05)

Formative - Water (L02, L03)

Formative - Bell Patterns (L02, L03)

Free Playing - Bells Piece (L03)

Challenges in Production - Water Piece (L02, L05)

Production - Bells Piece (L02, L05)

Recording Water Foley (L02, L05)

Piano Development - Water Piece (L02, L03)

Mixing - Water Piece (L02, L05)

LOOM Innovation in Bells (L02, L05)

LOOM Innovation with Water (L02, L05)

SUMMATIVE - BELLE (L02, L03, L05)

SUMMATIVE - SURFACE (L02, L03, L05)

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Innovation: the introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something (Oxford Adult Learners Dictionary)

Innovation is building on something that already exists, usually in order to improve it, develop it or try out new ideas as opposed to Invention which is the creation of something completely new.

Invention: something that has never been made before (Cambridge Dictionary)

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Absolutely love the sound of this Ibanez being played whilst filled with water. It was a farewell to the guitar which didn't survive the water damage (obviously!)

Damage to instruments is one of the main challenges to water based recording but yields some other wordly sounds.

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I filled my guitar with water and it sounds UNREAL

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I've been researching recording lyrics, percussion and music with water with varying degrees of success (aka failure)

I don't feel my track lends itself to a traditional drumkit so I am experimenting with using water sound effects, percussion with water and human sounds eg breath/heartbeats to fulfil the role of percussion.

I tried the following 'experiments' as primary research.

LINK TO DOCUMENTED RESULTS

Percussion and Water Experiments. Recorded through air or via submerged phone.

Cymbals, Singing Bowl, Drums, Shakers, Gong.

Water "warps" the sound wave

Increasing water increases pitch

Singing/Music experiments. Recorded with submerged phone.

This didn't yield great results as hugely disrupted by amplified noise pollution eg tap drips, waterproof bag movement.

Put air in the bag to reduce movement sounds

Record in outside water not bathroom for more natural sounds.

The higher notes are actually clearer in water with more audible disparity between lower and higher pitches.

Listening to music whilst listener submerged

Clarity on higher notes

Lower notes less clarity of words

Percussion kicks/thuds feel nearer

generally more muffled sounds

Listening to music in air whilst speaker submerged

Very hard to hear music from under water coming to the air.

I plan to use 3 that worked quite well - the Kick recorded from underwater, the hihat with water on top and the moving singing bowl as 3 water foley effects for my 'percussion' and mix these with ambient/underwater samples from Splice.

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Documenting Primary Research lolct 30, 2024-VEED

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Some more inspiration and other worldly sounds mixing water and sound waves, this time percussion.

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Arthur Dubois on Instagram: "ELEMENTAL BEAT 💧🔥

MY SAMPLE PACKS LINK IN MY BIO 🥁🛢️

#drumlife #arthdubois #ilovedrums #drumhack
#drumvideo #drumsvibe #drumstagram
#drumuniversity"

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9,025 likes, 123 comments - arthdubois on October 20, 2024: "ELEMENTAL BEAT 💧🔥

MY SAMPLE PACKS LINK IN MY BIO 🥁🛢️

#drumlife #arthdubois #ilovedrums #drumhack
#drumvideo #drumsvibe #drumstagram
#drumuniversity". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arthur Dubois (@arthdubois)

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1. Debussy Cloches a Travers les Feulies

2. Arvo Part Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten

3. Change Ringing Composition

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I continued my research & analysis into existing inventions and innovations using water. I can see there are some inventions I can draw upon that could inspire my own musical water innovation, especially around the idea of how we perceive/hear music underwater.

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Innovation using Water has prompted me to complete as Risk Assessment early in the Project given the risk of equipment and mixing water with electricals.

In addition I'm aware from experience of delays, personal exhaustion, what if the innovation doesn't work and other risks identified in Gibbs reflection and contingency plans.

Documented in the attached Risk Management Document.

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13-8 75 A Plain Change Ringing Rounds MIDI

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A midi example I've created based on a common "Change Ringing" pattern called Plain Hunting with 6 bells. (Harrison, Lewis 2009)

Each bell rings once as a down stroke then once on an upstroke with one rest per pattern (13/8) then each bell swaps places with the nearest Bell it can swap with until all possibilities are tried and they've returned to the first pattern making 13 patterns in total.

The time and pattern number both being 13 makes this a challenge to write.

I'm experimenting with

using voices for each of the bells

using a different orchestral instrument - eg brass section for each bell

using each pattern as a separate "mini piece" eg one large piece with 6 small movements

Given the challenges of this constraint lending itself to a composition I'm allowing myself to

mix up and change tempo eg half and double time

play any harmony I want that isn't tied to the bell pattern

change key eg Bells 1-6 acn be started/ended in any key

Other ideas

Bells are beautifully resonate with overtones so I'd like my piece to explore the overtones for each bell/note/number eg as the harmony

Leaning toward keeping this as either an instrumental or limited legato lyrics as the bell melody is already busy and distinct

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13-4 75 A Plain Change Ringing Rounds MIDI

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13-4 75 A Plain Change Ringing Rounds MIDI

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10 minutes free writing with my song idea as the prompt. 

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My idea is to recreate the feeling of being underwater whilst listening to my track. I want to explore using water as a sound effect, recording underwater and/or using EQ filter to manipulate some of the sounds.

Having spent 10 minutes free writing as a lyrical technique the theme emerging is water and submersion as a metaphor to explore my personal experience of the feelings of dis-connectedness and overcoming depression.

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Just adding watery effects of water related words doesn’t recreate the experience of hearing music underwater.

Hydrophone recording (Hart 2017)

Performing outside of water but with recording device under water

Performing vocal sounds or percussion underwater and recording either in or out of water.

I needed some broader research on other methods of creating/experiencing an underwater sound other than directly recording with a hydrophone so looked at EQ (Elisha, 2021) and Foley.

EQ Steps:

1. Make a low pass on master channel

2. Automate EQ reduce

3. Scoop the mids and brickwall the 2k+

Downsample:

Technique used is downsample with bitcrusher. This can create a muffled effect but equally can cause artefacts as it involves simultaneously reducing the sample rate.

Would have to apply Nyquist Theorum = the highest frequency is no more than half the sample rate eg 44.1 = 22hz

reference

Reverb options:

Consider the use of reverb/space as underwater sounds so close its almost internal - there is literally "no room"

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I want to let curiosity guide some of my innovation choices for this module as I am better able to stay focussed on things that really interest me and this module provides a good opportunity to explore some of those things. I would also like my innovation choices to support areas in my music I need to develop which continues to be Timing and DAW.

1. I'm really curious about how sound moves or changes in water. As a swimmer I’ve noticed when I hum in a lake, or sing in the shower or listen to music whilst submerged in a bath, that the sound and experience changes.

2. I'm also curious as to how bone conduction for sound works as swimmers use bone conducting ear phones if they want to train in the pool with music.

3. On a personal level my brother lost 80% of his hearing during childhood yet still managed to learn guitar and sing. With age I've become aware that my voice and pronunciation change when I speak or sing with him. I’ve realised this is me unconsciously adapting to sounds I know he hears or can translate the context of better. So how do deaf people experience music, what frequencies, how is it conducted, how much context is required?

I'd like my research and music to centre around one of these ideas of how we experience sound through air, water or solids or how different listeners perceive the sounds we as musicians create.

Secondly I'm really interested in how we "tap" into music and creativity verses how we "construct" it.

1. As a child no-one taught me piano yet I could sit down and replicate songs I "thought" I'd heard but was making up.

2. When I meditate or practice yoga I find I'm much more aware of tuning into music and have similar experiences with free writing. These observations are supported in the Creative Act (Rubin (2023) and also Yoga for Musicians (Utermoehl, 2024)

I could look at creating some elements of a track without "conscious" effort.

Lastly I started learning the Drums in August to support my performance and technique by developing tighter timing and understand how to better use percussion in songwriting but I'm enjoying it so much I'd like to build some of this into this module maybe considering:

1. Writing from rhythm first rather than my usual lyrics/harmony

2. innovating percussion into some of the above ideas

3. Experimenting with time signatures, patterns, constructing music.

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I've started this module by revisiting my SWOT analysis and using my strengths to guide my performance choices and my Threats and Opportunities to begin to shape my SMART Goals and choices around learning areas.

AIMS:

As my overarching goal is songwriting and composition I will create two original tracks. This plays to my strengths in lyrics, song structure and builds on my Sound developed last module.

I aim to produce them in Ableton and submit as two .Wav files and aim to use at least two innovative methods or approaches in these tracks which I'll research and decide upon over the following 2 weeks.

I plan to work on my own for this assignment but with an accountability/support group for feedback and ideas consisting of Debs, Gav and Dane via our study group Whatsapp group

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I enjoyed Your Sound module and want to take the same curiosity & beginners mindset into this Innovation module whilst also being mindful not to delay decision making until too late into the assignment.

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Track 2 Ideas - rhythm, timing, patterns L05

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Track 2 Ideas - rhythm, timing, patterns L05

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I wanted to use a sound we often hear but one that hasn't often been incorporated in music. I was also trying to find a rhythmic or pattern based sequence as I usually write from freestyle/improvisation so rules based writing is innovative for me.

And I thought of Church Bells.

England is unique in its type of church bells being tuned and ringing in pre determined patterns called Change Ringing.

They are such a familiar sound yet I cant think of much music inspired by them. So I'm going to research this as an innovation.

Some initial thoughts

Using the patterns as a basis for composition

Using the theme of bells or their significance for lyrical or theme ideas

recordings or instruments using the bell or frequencies or voicing

noting if there are rhythmic pattern as well as melodic

I'm still also exploring drumming and speaking rhythms alongside this ideas

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How Bells Make Notes https://www.hibberts.co.uk/the-musical-pitch-of-bells/

Taylors Bell Foundary YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@johntaylorsbellfoundry

Analysing Bell Sounds https://www.keltektrust.org.uk/sob21.html

Rory Youtube How to Develop Rhythm What Rhythm actually is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JISh_c8oUsw

Rhythm Neuroscience https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5468413/

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230526-how-rhythm-shapes-our-lives

Saheban, H & Kordrostami, Z. (2021)

Hydrophones, fundamental features, design considerations, and various structures: A review,

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Volume 329,

Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924424721002533 Accessed on 6th October, 2024

Database of acoustic underwater sounds.

https://acoustics.ac.uk/open-access-underwater-acoustics-data/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3N_PRIgX0 Foley Art, Magic of Making Sound.

Sonification - turning others into sound eg light, movement, grasses - to sound. listening to carbon and nitrogen levels

https://www.matthewburtner.com/about-1

Personal Further reading adhd and rhythm/time https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043674/

How to write a press release https://www.prezly.com/academy/how-to-write-a-press-release

https://fitsmallbusiness.com/video-press-release/ Video news release

Future - pitch and partials of church bells

Prime and Hum plus 3rd 5th and nominal

http://www.barrowbells.org.uk/StJamesFAQs-leaflet.pdf

https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/music-promotion/how-to-write-a-music-press-release-with-example-templates

https://dittomusic.com/en/blog/how-to-write-a-music-press-release-template-and-guide/

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Bells are musical instruments, and are assigned a note on a musical scale which identifies them, and which is used to judge whether a bell is 'in tune' with others in a peal or chime. When asked what (single) note a church bell is sounding, most people pick a note about an octave below the bell's nominal partial.

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It is difficult - and potentially risky - to play an instrument underwater without damaging it or modifying the original design. However singing and percussion can work to a limited degree.

So HOW can I create the experience that the listener is listening to the music as though they are underwater? I cant record much of my music beneath water using piano, condenser microphone.

I need to recreate the sound using Foley, EQ filters, samples and experimenting with reverb/room sounds

This water theme has innovated my songwriting theme too, when I started the composition from this perspective the sound of being underwater/slightly disassociated reminded me of my past experience of depression.

Beginning with the idea of a composition created as though experienced underwater is shaping how I write this track form choice of keys. playing style, lyrics and not just my recording and production choices.

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Create a piece inspired by the patterns of church bells. I've tended to free improvise my music based on chord progression and lyrics so starting with a set of rules/patterns and limitations is innovative for me.

It is also innovative as, although I have found composers who have either tried to replicate the sound of bells using other instruments (Britten) or used Church bells within their music or been inspired by the bell (Arvo Part) I've not found a piece composed using or inspired by the bell changing patterns.

in his essay Ecstatic Arithmetic (Gough, 2024) describes A bells as a sculpture that sings.

He explores the Art of Change Ringing and asks Is a peal of bells considered music? A soundscape?

The art of change ringing is unique to Church of England and whilst a handful of churches abroad have this type of bell the majority of the 5000 churches are in England.

The patterns and art of bell ringing has passed down from generation to generation and until the pandemic in 2020 Sunday and celebratory peals had not been silenced except during wars.

Bell patterns were a form of communication, specific messages communicated quickly and clearly across large areas.

A number of patterns exist including Plain Hunting, Bob, Grandsire each following set rules on which Bells up or down stroke is played in which order. Plain hunting is the simplest method where each bell exchanges place with the one next to it until all patterns have been played and the starting sequence returned to.

BUT

Can I create a piece of Music using Bell Ringing Patterns?

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IN DRAFT

Beginning case study on Arvo Part Tintinnabulation and holy minimalism.

https://youtu.be/ND6VMcwl5kw Estonian composer tintinnabulation Arvo Part

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_minimalism PART

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GIBBs Self reflection - Innovation Reflections

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I have many ideas but in conclusion need to balance out what I could do with what I can do.

I've made one decision already to innovate using sound/water and committed to using some lyrics from this weeks Free Writing.

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GIBBS Reflective Cycle 4 - Distraction/Procrastination

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I know I've been procrastinating but couldn't work out why. When I reflected using this cycle it was apparent I'm avoiding the thing I like least because its both performance and hearing myself.

So I plan to record something sketched out in song writing every week knowing it is allowed to be rubbish just to get passed the block and more used to it.

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Ghosting (temporary name)

Innovation: Bell ringing Patterns, Odd time Signatures

Key: F Mixolydian

Timing: 13/8

Chord Progression: Gm F Gm F Dm Bb Dm. EbM D Gm

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I have found this useful this module and kept up to date as a result. It helped me identify where and when I was stuck and prioritise and make decisions based on that.

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Having found the Brick EQ too harsh and a feeling that it made my voice sound too pitchy which didn't match how I was perceiving sound underwater I did some further research and found the suggestion on Ableton forum to try using the built in Vocoder as well as EQ and my water effects.

I'll add this as an innovation to experiment with in Ableton.

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This has been both fun and challenging and there may be a reason this hasn't been done before!

Once I'd decided to use Underwater experience as an innovation it effected every aspect of this track.

I listened to music whilst underwater and documented what I experienced

I researched artists that had played instruments in or with water

I researched scientifically how water impacts sound waves

But it also effected how I wrote the track:

I played the underwater sections lower in register, with less variance and less movement

Juxtaposed to the upwards movement of "coming up for air"

Then the above water being higher pitches

I moved the key around to match the shifting of water/lack of groundedness

The feeling of being submerged is quite dissociative and separate - so the theme and lyrics are centred around my past experiences of depression and the disconnected and suppressed feelings that came with that.

This is just a sketch track at the moment, with more time, production techniques and ongoing primary research I hope to more successfully create the impression of experiencing sound underwater.

I need more time to research how to effectively recreate submerged sounds without killing the vocals with harsh "brickwall" EQ and more time to experiment with bringing in my water recordings.

Other than experimenting with EQ for below/above water this demo has had no production applied yet.

Next steps:

Use "Wider plugin" to help make the difference between submerged/above the water

Re record vocals and remove harsh EQ

Develop the water sounds which I want to use as the percussion line including using the recordings I took of kick drum recorded underwater and hihats recorded in water.

Rewrite/develop the bridge

Experiment with other samples that may sound more/less submerged

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Whilst reviewing the mixing techniques for Rhiannon's track Umbrella, Manny Marroquin (2021) the mixing engineer said he tried to create a "swimming effect" with the vocals so I wanted to test his method to see if it would add to the water effect in mine.

He used the Waves Dubler and created a hard left, right pan with a 1/8 note delay.

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Drums, bass, vocals, synth mixing techniques for Rihanna

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For more info: http://www.waves.com/?utm_source=ytd&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=L5MWmif7teM Multi Platinum mixing engineer Manny Marroquin reveals the mixing techniques he used for Rihanna's smash hit "Umbrella".

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Video of Free Play composition for middle section of Bells

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Video free play/improvisation of Bells Middle section.

Improvisation itself for me isn't innovative but in the context of this track being composed through limitation using patterns and odd time signature to then move into free flow and finding its way back into the structure, is innovative

I've never written using both techniques within one track before and I like the stability and mood this brings to the stricture of the 13/8 patterns.

Ideas I'm considering:

“How can I make Bell patterns into into a song or composition"

“How can I follow the rules and make allowances for human error of bell ringers”  (timing)

"Is the 13th beat always silent."

"What if each note/Bell had a character"

“What would the Bells do if they were free to choose instead of following the rules."

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Testing Innovations Table

to identify if Innovative, Inventive and identify any other areas to be more innovative.

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13/8 is hard for me but I'm finding the challenge really enjoyable and like the "wonky waltz" feel it has.

The water formative and reflection on listening it is hard to discern and whilst deliberately out of synch to add to the watery feeling, it could do with being a little more in time.

Recording water percussion has been much harder to achieve quality than hoped.

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Having researched music and water and combining them I’ve found very few artists have explored this area. Aquasonic and Bernth are two artists who have used water in, on or around their instrument to perform and modified or destroyed their instruments to do this.

However neither of them have approached it from the angle

of the “listener” experiencing it as though they themselves were submerged or trying to create an immersive experience of the sensory disconnect that water brings.

This is innovative for me also as given I cant play the piano or sing underwater I've had to use new innovative production and recording techniques and also approach composing the track differently to add to the experience of submersion.

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Sound carries more quickly through water than air, (Johnson, 2018) up to four times faster and sound waves continue for much farther - but how does this effect how the listener perceive it?

Sound underwater bypasses the ear drum and is detected by mastoid bone behind the ear. Researchers show (noises planet) that we can actually hear higher pitches potentially up to 10* higher than on land.

Does it change tempo?

Does the movement bend or change the sound waves?

which frequencies are most easily detected?

Does the depth matter - if so how might that effect the music?

What might need changing to be able to play or record underwater?

Does water change how the bass/music feels

Percussion - how does it differ

Is the timbre ADS/envelope change?

What instruments sound more under watery?

Can I amend playing style, chord choices, melody, harmony to create a perception of water verse air?

Additional foley and effects

Splice underwater sounds

Open access underwater acoustics data

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I'm much earlier on with this track as whilst interesting it has been exceptionally challenging for completely different reasons.

I am now clearer on where I want to take this composition having initially struggled with:

Timing 13/8 and getting a feel for how that would sound/play

Incessant melodic patterns not leaving any space in the track for much else making it hard for me to imagine how to compose using it.

My sample plugin library failing when I tried to install BBC Piano meaning I have neither piano or orchestra at this moment (hence the quite dull midi sample sound)

I've settled on a rhythm I like the feel/off centre swing of, using 4 Triplets plus 1

I'm breaking away from the bell patterns in the chorus/middle sections

Bells are generally hung in Major keys which isn't a natural choice for me, so I chose F as it was both Major with a hint of melancholy

Bells are hung in rounds of 6,8 or 10 with 6 being most common. However in a pattern of 6 bells the 7th scale note isn't played - so I chose to flatten the 7th making this F Mixolydian as it added a bittersweet feeling whilst staying true to the bell patterns

Next steps:

I want the track to feel like its dismantling as the patterns mix up and then gradually reconstruct it

Id like to spread some of the patterns over multiple bars to make space for other voicings

I'll experiment with the percussion sounds, they are a little harsh but just samples within Ableton at the moment

I'm still not set on voicings/instruments - part of me wants to try this as a more classical composition and the other wants to take it into a song. I'll reflect on it for a few days and see what ideas come next.

I like the idea of each pattern led by one of the 6 bells being it's own "mini movement"

If I'm writing lyrics, I'll do those.

Explore harmonic series and resonance. The sounds I used are basic samples but the bells have a lot of resonance and overtones that I want to try and innovate with - eg exaggerating the Dominant 7

Explore the "pause" and silence between patterns

Research and experiment with ‘filling’ out the sound as the note/voice sounds too small/not resonant enough to represent Bells

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Continuing with my SMART goals - DAW and Innovation in Songwriting and developing my speed around start to finish songwriting.

My self-set challenge was to write and record a "pop" song within an hour

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I have been paired with Dan, a Production student from Sheffield as Peer Mentors.

I find learning the production side a slower process and have a more "hands on/doing" learning style than watching/listening.

We met this week and chatted about top down mixing and using "extremes" when starting new production techniques, effects and plugins eg compression, reverb, chorus, to start to learn to "Hear" what was happening to the sound and then slowly reducing it down.

Sharing and explaining my process has highlighted how I need to review my approach to plugins/VST and storing samples, plugin and libraries as this is slowing me down.

In return, I'm helping him with his lyrics and songwriting and event organisation.

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Timing.

Drum lessons. Improved rhythm fight reading for piano. Feel more able to stay with a tempo: groove when composing. Local music. Awareness of other musicians and shared timing

DAW

Still challenging but improving

Self set challenge to record more / even if rubbish as that’s the practice.

Requested peer mentor

Innovation in songwriting

2 tracks for writing with limitation which had pushed me to more modulation, key choice, time signatures, structural approach to track. These two trxx as is ste also driving development through innovation in Timing and DAW skills

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As well as my two tracks I’ve been attending Jamie and Owen’s songwriting classes. This week with Jamie we looked at Genre and I realised I’ve rarely written deliberately to a Genre.

So this week I researched main stream pop and set myself challenge to write to that genre.

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I've spent an immense amount of time reading, researching, listening and trying to use this to drive my track innovations.

Other than my references and to some degree decisions I'm making in my tracks I'm not sure how best to document or demonstrate what I've really learned.

I can tell that

My timing is improving

Drums are progressing

Writing is quicker

Using Ableton is less of a struggle

I also know a large amount about

Bell ringing

Factorial maths in patterns

Sound underwater

Frequencies and their effect on tracks

New plugins for ableton

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Call Change Ringing Example using 6 Bells 

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Track 2 is a sample of change ringing with 6 Bells.

This doesn't sound like a composition so If I innovate using Free play/Intuition/Creative consciousness where would the piece go?

Questions for my piece

What if the Bells were characters

Would it be movements/verses or notes or song

Does each Bell have a personality

Does that depend on the Bell Ringer?

Is the Bell the singer?

What if one of the Bells rebelled and broke the rules

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After my initial experiments exploring how water effected percussive and vocal sounds I selected 3 sounds I wanted to record and include within my Water track.

The challenge was successfully recording them to a standard and format that I could use within my DAW.

I had already ruled out recording with a microphone as mine is a condensers and requires power source (risk assessment)

I had reviewed the options of a hydrophone but these are rarely available and/or expensive

I experimented with an old phone in a waterproof bag and recording on that. Earlier research had already shown the bag and dripping bath taps added noise pollution so I went for:

Phone

In waterproof bag

Bag filled with air so no part touched the mic

Large plastic bowl of water as metal added echoes and the plastic one was portable enough to move around for different recordings

The mic facing down into the water

Used voice note recording

In terms of recording, I tried:

Video

Voice memo

Voice Notes

Voice Record Pro

Voice record Pro was the only one that allowed me to select the format to Mp3 rather than M4a and also select my bit and sample rates to match my DAW project. It also enabled me to modify the gain and select recording to omnidirectional.

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GIBBS Reflective Cycle - 3 - Innovation challenges

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On reflection Innovating using water recording is hard! I'm reflecting and researching other techniques or production tools I could use to help create the impression of underwater v above water.

Having started my GANNT chart too Its evident that there's a lot to do in a short spell of time so I may need to compromise along the way to make sure track 2 gets some focus time.

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The research on press releases suggested "finding an angle" with my piece and not just saying - here is (yet another) new music track.

I've thought about each track and how they came about and think the Water piece has a better angle as it talks about the challenges of Depression and disassociation and gives the audience the chance to experience these feelings too.

Im writing it as though its been released for mental health awareness and selecting imagery (Google) that both shows the music theme and feelings of disassociation and struggle to recover.

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SUMMMATIVE Performance Creative - Press Release - CTH

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to do

there are 720 different permeations of the order of 6 bells played once in a row (Sarah Hart, Gresham College)

A bell composition using a group of 6 bells is called a minor.

5000 rows is called a Peal. (10000 seconds equals 2.8 hours)

assuming 2 seconds to play each row, to go through all permeations would take about 24 minutes.

Obviously not practical for this piece.

So I took one change pattern that had a set of rules to limit the changes and used that as the basis of my music

Playing it on repeat felt unstable so I decided to use the free expression verse structure to create a change and make it more like a piece of music than a set of notes changing based on external rules.

For the free played section I wanted to keep the restarints of the Time signature 13/8 and explore the idea of the 7th bell as the only note not played in the piece so far.

with the 7th being either neutral or flattened determing the key.

Harmonic series - flattened 7th

Mixolydian not a key Ive written in before so was innovative for me

Change Ringing Rules

Mathematically each bell can go anywhere in the row but as they are huge swinging sculptures and between each swing there's nothing you can do to change or stop it so this dictates the order of change ringing.

Each Bell circles round on a wheel - full circle ringing - speedier at bottom, slower at the bottom. equals a moment of more control which allows the Ringer to change the order

has to be adjacent bell - ie swaps with its neighbour.

Extents (row)

The Rules

Bells numbered 1 - N (highest pitch is 1 treble and lowest is N Tenor bell)

Bells sound in a sequence of rows

Movement between rows is a change

once each bell has gone full circle (2 sounds) there is a 1 beat pause n*2+1

so if i have 6 bells start and end on in order round 654321

illegal move 123456 - 654321 :)

swap just one neughbour for plain change or multiple bells swap with their nieghbour for cross peal.

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Bells are cast in Bronze as it is both strong and elastic enough to not break and also resonate nicely.

My piece from piano midi was not giving me a full resonant sound.

Notes play out a harmonic series

But Bells are actually a Chord. Understanding this changed how I constructed this track

RESEARCH

Cyclinder gives constant perimerter therefore constant frequency therefore constant pitch (eg tubular bells)

Bell Shape gives circular cross section and pitch - almost as though playing a chord on its own.

as it gets wider toward the bottom (varying circumference) is inversely proportional to the circumference at any point.

Smaller to larger gives a range of frequency and shape produces frequencies that sound harmonious together

wider at bottom helps spread the sound (mouth)

Standard tuning arrived at Arthur Simpson - 5 partial frequency

Strike note frequency f plus nominal tierce quint prime and hum

STRIKE NOTE f

Nominal 2f (0ctave above)

Tierce 6/5 f (minor 3rd)

Quint 3/2 f (perfect 5th above)

Prime f (ie the note we hear)

Hum 1/2 f (1 octave below)

if we hear the other notes in the series our brain reconstructs the Prime as a virtual pitch. A phantom note. An auditory illusion.

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I've spent this week trying to overcome some of the waterscape challenges in particular with my vocals.

Having now re-recorded them the EQ brickwall filter is still too harsh

If pulled below 2k the lyrics become unintelligible and "pitchy"

If too high above 2k they don't sound watery

Vocoder using noise setting works for percussion but the vocals once again become unintelligible

The chorus works quite well on a low setting and small ratio but too high and it sounds silly rather thn watery.

Using the WIDER plugin to move from "below" to "above" is quite effective for sense of movement. Works better with a small rather than extreme movement

I'm now experimenting with Phaser and Flanger at a rate or 2-3 no more than 60% - too much sounds unintelligible. I've also kept one of the 3 "below" tracks free from this to create some stability.

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Using a Vocoder - Noise PLus Noise.

These effects work quite well with some of my percussion and water effects tracks but not with melody/lyrics

Ive taken the Kick I recorded with my phone underwater and put that through the vocoder (high band, low gate)

Also the submerged drone from splice (Lower band, medium gate)

Both are quite effective underwater percussive sounds

The underwater snare is too pitchy, may try pulling the pitch and gain down to see if I can keep the snare feel but more fitting to the track.

chorus and cross fade to wider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSD5aBDOrwY

eq https://youtu.be/Qn87iXSEwIs

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How to Synthesise REALISTIC Water Sounds | Ableton Live

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Good progress this week in particular on recording and producing in Ableton.

Bells I've stalled with. Need to clean up the "mud" and rerecord te middle 8th but the water track was higher priority as I was further behind.

Balancing personal, work and study has been a challenge this week.

Need to choose what I say Yes and No too

Balancing out this module verse Business module has also been a challenge.

Would help if I had chosen 3 topics with some overlap instead of 3 completely different innovations aka learnings

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This is where I am today - MIXING.

Written to represent the disassociation felt during depression. The numbed feelings for me where like being submerged

Wanted to use Water submersion as a theme for this

Theme effected composition for example

3 key changes Dm - Gm - Am to add to movement waters lack of stable centre

Slow legato lyrics to reflect the feeling of dragging/struggle when depressed

Moves from below to above water and back - depression recovery isn't linear

The theme effected production choices, for example:

Percussion using water effects rather than standard drums

the Kick represented by heartbeat - internal body sounds are far more prominent when submerged

Heartbeat increases noise and pace with anxiety accompanied depression

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Todays Developement

For its seeming simplicity a lot of thought, time and the practice has gone into this minimalist track.

Using patterns, strict rules, odd time signatures and a more minimalist approach is innovative for me.

Whist Bells as a shared soundscape have inspired many composers (CITE PART AD DEBUSSY) I've not found any pieces strictly composed using the method that bell ringers use called Change Ringing

The key was dictated by Bells being hung in a major key and the use of 6 bells being called a Minor with some of the bells playing a minor chord. with 6 bells no 7th note is played in Bell change pattern. I wanted to play about with the free style being on that unknown 7th note or 13th silent beat. I chose Mixolydian as its a flattened 7th which played into the mix of minor in a major key.

The "verses" are constructed using a Bell Changing pattern called Plain Hunting. Starting on the Treble Bell and stepping down through the 6 bells to the tenor.

Each Bell (or note) can only swap place with the neighbour of the previous order

This structured verse using the limits of these rules was then juxtaposed with free style originally improvised "chorus"

This adds stability and change to what would otherwise simply be 6 notes swapping places

The challenges

Writing in 13/8 when timing has not been a strength - in particular improving in an odd time signature as that took away a good deal of the freedom

Making music out of patterns - deciding which rules ot keep and which to break

Making midi notes have bell like qualities - overcome by taking each Midi as the Bell STRIKE note and recreating the other harmonics in the series (1 octave below above, the 5th and minor 3rd)

The additional harmonics caused a further issue with muddying frequencies especially as all played on one "instrument" and over building up of certain frequencies - I'm working on using a Dynamic EQ to improve these.

I used a drum pattern I constructed in Midi as a "template" instead of a metronome (1+a, 2+a, 3+a, 4+a,5) originally through the whole track. I planned to take it out but like how it adds something to the chorus - however the sounds are are very dry sounding and needs "upgrading"

Re-record middle 8th as composition is now different when I play on piano

Development - I can play this on the piano now even though I assumed I would compose it for the DAW

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101 13-8 FMixolydian - BELLS - PRODUCTION

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101 13-8 FMixolydian - BELLS - PRODUCTION

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As I write so much with piano I wanted to improve my piano performance and ability to record into DAW and have a good sounding piano output.

My audio into Ableton via USB had been tinny and with limited velocity. The previous midi sample packs I had sounded poor quality.

I recorded this via my piano into Midi track on Ableton

Using the Spitfire BBC Symphony Piano Core

Tweaks to hammer/reverb/pedal

EQ and small chance on the velocity but otherwise as played

This marks progress for me when I compare the sound to previous midi samples and audio recordings.

Also my timing in playing has progressed

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A LOOM looking at the arrangement inspired by the fact church bells are in fact a Chord, not just a single note.

When I started composing this track I assumed each Bell was a note based in the major key and struggled to get the composition to sound as resounding and bell like as I was imagining.

Discovering each Bell has a strike note as well as 4 other notes really helped me innovate my arrangement.

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The Innovation of BELLS in Music Composition

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In this video, I delve into the innovative use of BELS in music composition, specifically focusing on FMX-Lidium and Churchwell patterns. I explain how the strike note and accompanying chord create a unique harmony, leading to an innovative piece. I also discuss the challenge of turning changing patterns into music, culminating in an improvisation section. Join me in exploring the creative process behind this musical innovation.

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Using Production Techniques for Underwater Soundtrack

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Using Production Techniques for Underwater Soundtrack

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Innovative Production Techniques I Used to Create an Underwater Sound 🌊

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I delve into the production techniques I used to simulate an underwater effect in my track. I faced challenges due to the inability to record underwater, but I found creative solutions using EQ, phaser, and flanger effects to achieve the desired sound. I share how I transitioned the track from underwater to above water, experimenting with stereo fields and percussion elements as well as flanger, chorus, vocoder and EQ

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Summative Submission for my bells composition - entitled Belle.

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101 13-8 FMixolydian - BELLE - SUMMATIVE.wav

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Key: F Mixolydian

Tempo - 101

Time Signature 13/8

No lyrics as the Bells patterns are doing the singing.

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Summative Submission for my Water composition - entitled Surface

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Time Signature 4/4

Tempo 112

Key(s) Dm to Gm to Am back to Dm

V1 Dsus4, Am/C, Bb.

Low, Slow, Hollow

Suspended Below

The Waterline

V2 Dm9, Am/C, Bb.

So Much, Sorrow

Hope that Tomorrow

Doesn't Come

Chorus Bb, C, Dm

Just pull me to the Surface

Pull me from the water,

Let me breathe

V3 Gm, Dm/F, Eb

Dark again, heavy here

I see clear, but I don't feel

Who I (really) am

Chorus Eb, F, Gm

Just pull me to the surface

Pull me from the water

Let me Breathe

Breathe, Let me Breathe.

Let me Breathe

Breathe, Let me Breathe.

Bridge: Am Am/G#, G, G/F#, F, Dm

What if I

Didn't fight

Surrendered

Down, down

Below, Low

Let go

I can't reach

I can't reach

The Waterline

Chorus Bb, C, Dm

Just pull me to the surface

Pull me from the water

Let me breathe

Breathe, Let me Breathe.

I can't reach

I can't reach

The Waterline

Surface was inspired after noticing music is experienced differently underwater. This submerged sound reminded me of feelings of dissociation when I struggled with depression so became the theme driving the innovations throughout this original track.

Composed, recorded &  performed by myself in my studio, using piano, vocals and underwater percussion blended with samples, then produced using multiple techniques including: flanger, phaser, vocoder and stereo plugins to create a fluid track that moves through 3 key changes  from below water to above and back down again whilst trying  to reach the  “Surface”.

Production Techniques & Plugins

Wider

flanger

Phaser

Vocoder

EQ

Glue Compressor

Verbsuite Reverb

Created using split tracks for under and above

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I got really excited when I first had this innovative idea.

I very quickly realised it wasn't so much "Writing a Song" as "Composing a piece of Music" and would - and did take a lot of time, research, practice and innovation.

I absolutely love the final piece combing Rules and Rule Breaking.

I achieved my SMART Goal to improve my timing

I can play and perform in 13/8 on drum and piano

I love the Mode used and when the composition hits the chorus

I love the questions led approach and intuitively letting the piece develop

Challenges were:

Getting the feel of Bells using midi piano

Improvising in an Odd Time Signature

Not knowing the structure til it emerged

Actually learning how to play it!

I've learned:

I love composing like this, note by note, idea by idea and playing within and without rules

I'm now even more intrigued by the role of maths and physics in music and want to explore more

Belle is a piano & percussion composition [Appendix E]  in the key of F Mixolydian using a 13/8 odd time signature written & produced by myself during October- November 2024.

Initially inspired by church bells which made me ask “Can I create a piece of music using change-ringing patterns”. Whilst researching this I discovered that Bell ringing is as much physics and maths as it is music  (Hart, 2021) but just following these change patterns wasn't enough for the composition, so I further innovated by juxtaposing this stricture with free-play based on letting intuition, curiosity and questions lead, including; “What if one bell rebelled?”

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This has been challenging in the best of ways.

I've experimented with recording foley, with water, with kaotica eyeballs and mobile phones.

I've experimented with plugin after plugin and in doing so I am far more aware of the effect these changes are having on my music

I've struggled to get this to sound like the idea in my head but got close enough in the time available.

What I've learned

Its helped me achieve one of my SMART Goals to be more innovative in my Song Writing

Proven to myself that not only do I have very creative (innovative) ideas but I'm more skilled at executing them now.

Production techniques and my ability to hear the changes

I would like to improve:

The Vocal effects in verses to sound more submerged

The Vocal performance in Chorus to be less pitchy

Improve the balance of water sounds/percussion.

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Attach reflection here

I've really enjoyed where this Module has taken my music and the journey of discovery.

I set out to approach innovation based on my curiosity and set aside any of my own pre-conceived ideas on what my sound was/is and what I could or couldn't do.

I found the ideas came easily but each innovation has proven to be really challenging and push me to grow yet again, in part with the lack of references to similar pieces and as a natural result of experimenting and pushing my own and musical boundaries.

I set 3 SMART goals which I wanted to achieve for this module and for my wider development and when I reflect on where I was 10-11 weeks ago verses today I can see clear development especially in my Timing in performance and Innovation in songwriting.

I've also found some new methods of working that have helped me procrastinate less and spread my workload more consistently including "body doubling" on a weekly basis, the #GSD club and a study buddy group for monthly check ins and feedback.

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When improvising I often feel I'm tapping into something "bigger" than me. So I love Rick Rubin talks on the Art of Creativity and Julia Cameron's The Artists Way.

I want to use this idea in my writing and performing in an innovative way.