I wear many hats
Today, I am a composer.
As you might know, I am taking an electronic music composition class. In order to graduate, I had to take a creative arts class at some point, and Brandeis doesn't offer things I'm used to taking (like photography). So, I had to bite the bullet and take painting or music or something. I chose "Electro-Acoustic Music Composition" or "Laptopping" for short.
During the course of the semester, we learned about many different kinds of electronic music, and a lot about the history. We participated in a recreation of an electronic music concert from the 60's that involved a whole lot of old tape decks, and our class walking around the art museum changing out tape loops.
We did a lot of composing and working in the digital studio, and somewhere along the way I gained some respect for composers and electronic music. I have spent more hours in the studio banging my head on the desk while I wonder why the computer isn't working than I really care to think about. It's been awhile since I sat at a computer and had NO IDEA what it was doing or why. Or why sound wouldn't play out of the studio speakers. Or why my saved file turned out to be empty.
As the semester draws to a close, we as students are innundated with final projects and exams. As our final project for my music composition class, each of us was to compose a piece for a concert that we held this evening. Ten of us debuted new pieces, and it was truly an experience to behold. Most of us played pre-recorded pieces, but one student played a live piece for electronic music and harmonica. One student took samples from a play he is involved with, and made a piece that is part surreal electronic music and part radio drama. Everyone had different techniques they had come up with, and every piece was individual and interesting...if not the kind of music you would sit down of an evening to relax with.
First, let me tell you a little bit about my piece. I took the data I am using for my thesis, simulated activity of lobster neurons, and wrote a program to turn it into what is called a midi file. If you're not sure what that means, it's not very important to the story: suffice it to say that I made big files of numbers into something you could listen to. Then I took them into a program that reminds me of PhotoShop for sound, and edited and played with the files. Finally, I put them together in the piece that I composed for the concert.
So it is related to my neuron data, but it is not "what a neuron sounds like." I have altered a lot of the sounds, and arranged them into a composition that I think is interesting, if not Mozart. All in all, I was glad to have taken this class. It allowed me a chance to see a side of Brandeis I would never have dreamed of, and to gain a new understanding for artists, musical or otherwise.
If you would like to hear the piece I composed, I have added it to this journal entry. If you've gotten this far, it's probably loaded by now! You will want to turn the volume on your computer up, because I recorded it rather quietly (don't forget to turn them back down when you're done!). When you are ready, hit the play (triangle pointing to the right) button on the small console below. Thanks for listening!
Neuronal Melody
As you might know, I am taking an electronic music composition class. In order to graduate, I had to take a creative arts class at some point, and Brandeis doesn't offer things I'm used to taking (like photography). So, I had to bite the bullet and take painting or music or something. I chose "Electro-Acoustic Music Composition" or "Laptopping" for short.
During the course of the semester, we learned about many different kinds of electronic music, and a lot about the history. We participated in a recreation of an electronic music concert from the 60's that involved a whole lot of old tape decks, and our class walking around the art museum changing out tape loops.
We did a lot of composing and working in the digital studio, and somewhere along the way I gained some respect for composers and electronic music. I have spent more hours in the studio banging my head on the desk while I wonder why the computer isn't working than I really care to think about. It's been awhile since I sat at a computer and had NO IDEA what it was doing or why. Or why sound wouldn't play out of the studio speakers. Or why my saved file turned out to be empty.
As the semester draws to a close, we as students are innundated with final projects and exams. As our final project for my music composition class, each of us was to compose a piece for a concert that we held this evening. Ten of us debuted new pieces, and it was truly an experience to behold. Most of us played pre-recorded pieces, but one student played a live piece for electronic music and harmonica. One student took samples from a play he is involved with, and made a piece that is part surreal electronic music and part radio drama. Everyone had different techniques they had come up with, and every piece was individual and interesting...if not the kind of music you would sit down of an evening to relax with.
First, let me tell you a little bit about my piece. I took the data I am using for my thesis, simulated activity of lobster neurons, and wrote a program to turn it into what is called a midi file. If you're not sure what that means, it's not very important to the story: suffice it to say that I made big files of numbers into something you could listen to. Then I took them into a program that reminds me of PhotoShop for sound, and edited and played with the files. Finally, I put them together in the piece that I composed for the concert.
So it is related to my neuron data, but it is not "what a neuron sounds like." I have altered a lot of the sounds, and arranged them into a composition that I think is interesting, if not Mozart. All in all, I was glad to have taken this class. It allowed me a chance to see a side of Brandeis I would never have dreamed of, and to gain a new understanding for artists, musical or otherwise.
If you would like to hear the piece I composed, I have added it to this journal entry. If you've gotten this far, it's probably loaded by now! You will want to turn the volume on your computer up, because I recorded it rather quietly (don't forget to turn them back down when you're done!). When you are ready, hit the play (triangle pointing to the right) button on the small console below. Thanks for listening!
Neuronal Melody
posted by Liz at 12:30 AM
1 Comments:
What you didn't warn us of is the fact that the volume increases dramatically part way through. Some LOUD lobsters there!
Love, Mom
Post a Comment
<< Home