Stable Outbursts

So this is the result of a hard day's work yesterday (and the weeks before) of chance processed sounds. Florian then decided to layer various sounds to see how they would sound like together (since there is a chance that water colours might overlap in the interface). Surprisingly even when the musical key was different, the overall sound is very dreamy and curious. Have to say I was quite worried about the sound and music especially since it was a slow process, however now that it's done I am very happy with the outcome. Have a listen:
(The title of the sound piece was randomly generated online)

Stable Outbursts by Josefflorian on Mixcloud

Sound

Concluding the chance processed sounds using the stories as a starting point.. this time using real instruments! Just one more to go and everything should be done.

Ordered Book Documentation & New Audio processes

I have just sent the book for printing on Blurb.com so it comes back in time for the final show. Unfortunately my final posts will not be able to make it in the book, however these are just the finishing touches. The major development has finished by now. I wanted the book to be available for viewers who were interested to see the thinking process behind the project.

Here are some details from the latest audio that will be linked with the water colours compiled by my audio person, Florian:

Story 1



Andrew Robert

It was decided that for this recording, key terms that make up the essence of the story are cut and put in the recording timeline up till a maximum of 1minute.

The cut terms are put in the timeline next to each other with a gap of silence in between. The amount of silence in each case varied according to a random number generator found online.


Times cut


Moira

00:07 - 2003
00:34 - America
00:47 - Fat individual
01:07 - Possessive
01:59 - Sister
02:13 - Garage
02:18 - Jumped off of it
02:26 - Drastically
02:28 - Point
02:35 - Panic Attack
03:01 - Dying from
03:13 - Gay
03:19 - Ethics


Josef

00:28 - boyfriend
00:19 - Obsessed
00:34 - America
00:39 - Photos
01:07 - Possessive
01:15 - Noticed
01:19 - Confident
01:59 - Sister
02:13 - Garage
02:26 - Drastically
02:37 - Hyperventilating
02:46 - First
03:13 - Gay
03:16 - Incompatable
03:30 - Depression
03:36 - Sprung back
03:50 - Void


Dude

00:15 - Live Journal
00:19 - Obsessed
00:27 - Official
00:34 - America
00:42 - Head up
01:07 - Possessive
01:25 - Invisible and Unloved
01:41 - Aaaaa
02:18 - Jumped off of it
02:36 - Panic Attack
02:38 - Back alley
02:45 - Come around
03:16 - Incompatable
03:30 - Depression




00:07 - 2003
00:15 - Live Journal
00:19 - Obsessed
00:27 - Official
00:28 - boyfriend
00:34 - America
00:39 - Photos
00:42 - Head up
00:47 - Fat individual
01:07 - Possessive
01:15 - Noticed
01:19 - Confident
01:25 - Invisible and Unloved
01:41 - Aaaaa
01:59 - Sister
02:13 - Garage
02:18 - Jumped off of it
02:26 - Drastically
02:28 - Point
02:35 - Panic Attack
02:37 - Hyperventilating
02:38 - Back alley
02:45 - Come around
02:46 - First
03:01 - Dying from
03:13 - Gay
03:16 - Incompatable
03:19 - Ethics
03:30 - Depression
03:36 - Sprung back
03:50 - Void

Total: 31


After we chose all the terms we opened them in Ableton and put them after each other. The effect was similar to a summery of his story, so to randomize it further, we decided to use a random number generator, so as the terms would not have a particular order, creating different possible meanings.

Story 2



00:38 - Vapur (Ship horns, sonar)

00:46 - Nibza mill-bahar (underwater bubbles, wind light)

02:16 - Daru kollha fuq naha wahda (underwater sloshing, metal strike)

02:18 - Cafcifa (splash soft)

02:21 - Qbadt it-tfal

03:15 - Biza (panting male)

Up till 31.5


Opened Ableton, and found library sounds that in my opinion correspond to what the woman was saying in the above times.

I loaded these sounds individually in Izotope Iris. On each spectogram I wrote the time of  but chose the size of the effects based on a random number generator online, and on the last two numbers of where the words were placed in the recording.

The sound 'Ship horns' was used throughout the 1 minute, but the effects were done according to preference. Pitch was modified throughout to bring out the effect created.

Water colour & sound

Test with water colour and modified recording using chance process & some control.

Sound tests

This month a friend of mine will be creating sounds that are taken from the story recordings and using a different chance process each time. After the chance process is complete, he can intervene and have some sort of control over the sound, although this should be minimal. The following is the first story and the final two links are the recording before his intervention, the the recording after his intervention (basically just added some reverb).


"1) Panyaoita.  Listening to track and choose 3 randon numbers from time. First test

3 numbers were chosen. Since no internet was there, 3 people chose three random times - 5, 16, 19

Panyaoita - 5 - Obviously, 16 - go to my bedroom, 19 - cried

Opened Ableton, loaded recording, created 3 separate tracks, and chose the latter words for each. Instead of looping the words / phrases, I warped each track to its maximum allowance. For each word / track I used a different warp method counting downwards in the list from the numbers we generated previously. Only 6 warp methods are available, so for 15 and 19, I restarted counting from the top of the list. For the first audio track 'Complex mode' was used, for the 2nd 'repitch mode', and for the 3rd 'Beats mode'.

The tracks were then put in the Ableton timeline, each starting midway from the previous one.

A Master Wav was then created, and reimported as one file into the timeline, where they were rewarped till the file reached a length of 1 minute. This created a further warped effect. The warp setting used now was Complex Pro, based on personal choice because of the ambient style it created.

Opened Ableton, Went to effects, and chose 5th, 16th and 19th effect, ie Chorus, Gate, Looper."



Recording without effects
Recording with effects

The missing link...

So there was one element which wasn't particularly making sense in my project (well... perhaps more than one) but this was was annoying me because it just had nothing to do with the idea of chance, and just picking bits and pieces and putting them together to form some kind of meaning (or not).

This was the music. I felt that just finding ready made pieces of music and 'throwing' them in my interface would be too easy. Too easy in the sense that music facilitates the manifestation of emotions and meaning generation; therefore asking someone to give a piece of music would just take over the whole project.

So instead I have come up with another mini project which involves sound. My idea came from this 'Secondhand Sureshots' video that I had come across around a year ago.

"This documentary film by the dublab.com creative collective is an experiment in sound recycling. Secondhand Sureshots features four amazing, LA-based beat makers: Daedelus, J-Rocc, Nobody and Ras G in a secret mission to create new musical magic from the dusty remains of thrift store vinyl. dublab.com/secondhand"


So I thought what if I did something similar, but based on Chance?

The idea is this:

Two of my friends who are both vinyl collectors, and also have a vast library of samples will be creating one looping piece for the interface.

They will be choosing a number of vinyls (not decided yet) by Chance! (the method has still not yet been decided).

They are allowed to add other layers, pads and effects however the body of the musical pieces has to be composed from samples from vinyls picked by chance, to complement the rest of the project.

The 'music' piece, (and I say 'music' because they might just be ambient sounds and effects) will be presented in separate layers where the user can turn them off and on at the same time or choose which layers to have on and which to leave off. The menu for the interface has not been decided upon as of yet, but it will have to complement the recordings menu.

I will be recording this mini sound project and presenting it as well. I'm just curious to see how this will all turn up. This is the great thing about chance; it makes you feel excited for what's about to happen; for what is unexpected.