If I were to do this exercise again I would plan out specific parameters. I automatically set left to right as time, but half way through making the notation I thought of making up and down the stereo field, and so some notes don’t fit accurately within the field. I would like to go back and label the parameters to make it easier to understand. My favourite part of this notation method was the blending of elements, I could quite easily express the link between the low synthesiser and the bass drum by weaving the notation. The circular symbol on the left is an attempt at notating percussion, I feel this would be a useful tool to use once I become familiar with the method.
Soundgrain is a software with which you can automate granular sound synthesis. Im sure that there are many ways to use this software, but the first thing I wanted to do was explore the human voice. I imported an audio file of me singing a constant falsetto note and started experimenting. The first thing I noticed was the fluidity of the sounds, the sound would glide smoothly between high and low frequencies. I think this is the strongest aspect of the software, typically as a producer or sound artist I find myself using a keyboard as the controller for my synthesis, which limits you to specific notes (with the minor deviation using a mod wheel). Whilst using this software I found myself relying solely on my ear to find the right frequencies to use and to find harmony between frequencies, this was a new and welcome method of sound creation.
Another benefit of the software is the ability to select very small parts of the audio file to loop indefinitely, this creates a constant drone with the timbre of a human voice. I see this as a very natural familiar sound being used in a way that doesn’t make sense in its original context, whilst retaining its organic properties, an impossible organic sound. With this technique you could create electroacoustic compositions that retain an intrinsic human organic quality.
The result of the experimentation:
Percussion is made from breaths, hitting my fist on my chest, a bass drum, a snare, a very short snippet of someone speaking, and an off set tremolo applied to a recording of wind.
The chords are played by a prophet V soft synth and 2 ebow guitar tracks. The low synth is an audio track of the sound grain synthesis with a side chained noise gate applied.
