Steven Smith
Welcome to my production portfolio:
Introduction: The name is Steven Smith I am studying my last year of the three year in my music production degree. (Level 6 HND) "Higher National Diploma"
Music Studio:
This is my setup, the space is a bit confined but it does what I need it to do nonetheless; I have a 2015 Macbook pro Retina 15 inch (Late 2013) along with Ableton Push, a Korg Nanokey usb midi keyboard and a Blue Snowball Aluminium coated usb powered microphone. On my wall there is a piano poster visually representing all of the musical scales, chords and circle of fifths ranging from C to C which guides me when putting music theory into practice.
Laptop:
Having a laptop that runs well in music production is essential I think, RAM (Random access memory) dictates how many audio tracks you can use at the same time and how big you can have your arrangements (Corfield, 2020) the minimum of RAM to have if you want better results is 8 gigabytes, (Corfield, 2020) A computer's processor is what power's the system up, it also dictates how many virtual instruments you can run, how many effects you can apply and how long it takes to export files. (Corfield, 2020) Storage in a laptop is what's going to gather all the data, the more storage space and files you have, storage comes in either SSD form (Solid State Drive) which is a flash based storage medium capable of very fast download rates (Villinger, 2019-2020) or HDD (Hard Disc Drive) which is a physical component on your laptop capable of reading physical data and storing lots of information on your computer, (Corfield, 2020) but it can be let down by its unreliability and affect it has on performance speed. (Villinger, 2019-2020) My laptop is a Macbook Pro Retina 15 inch, I bought this because of relativity and the spec sheet, it ticks all the boxes. It has 16GB of ram, an SSD card with 500GB of memory and an intel i5 processor; it could be better at processing; and more storage wouldn't hurt, though I work with a lot of audio tracks in Ableton so the focus on ram makes that side of operating the software very nice.
Ableton Push: This machine was first recommended to me by a couple of friends and has a lot of information to know about; the good thing is even if you're a complete beginner it can still be useful, at first I got to grips with the knobs at the top adjusting different controls in the effects and midi instruments, I also learned how completely integrated with Ableton it really is and how uncanny automating your sounds can be using this controller. There are 64 backlit keys on this device that change depending on what midi instrument you are using; for example if you choose a drum rack at the bottom left of the screen there will be an array of lit keys with each sound representing the drum sound in the rack, you can either finger drum your notes or above use the running bar to sequence midi notes in, (Lendino, 2015) you can also hit the repeat button so when you press a drum sound it will repeat in a loop until you release your finger, (Which would take going into a clip view and enabling launch mode on the computer) the syncopation can also be changed while you're recording to create variation in the rhythm. When a midi instrument represents a synthesiser, piano or anything chord related all of the keys will be lit and the key that changes the octave will be lit dark blue. (Lendino, 2015) Push allows you to choose which scale you'd like to play in (Lendino, 2015) and the pads will follow each key in its scale which means you can get chords recorded quite easily, there is also a button which lights up only the midi notes in the scale you're playing in which makes playing harmonies simultaneous.
Korg Nanokey: Even though I have my push midi controller, I like to have this too because even though Ableton Push has the capability of playing sound beyond my scope of understanding I still like to learn how these scales can be played manually, I feel if I have a understanding of the scales I am playing then I can understand how it works clearer when using push and sometimes I like to work manually to learn more about inputting 7th chords and even 9th chords, this little controller is 25 keys and not really a keyboard it has little pads that represent keys though I took the liberty of writing my own stickies telling me which key the button represents and putting them on the controller, this combined with the ultimate piano poster was a start for me in understanding music theory a bit more in depth. This product came with a software bundle including Ozone 9 elements which is mastering software that costs more than the keyboard itself and a free version of a keyboard learning program called Melodics, i've just started using Ozone 9 Elements and so far it has provided ice for a much needed refreshment.
Blue Snowball: I've had this microphone for a year now and I mainly use it for vocals, but there have been occasions where I have used it for field recording purposes; (using the environment around me to create sound) this microphone is good for that because it has three pick up patterns including omni directional which picks up sound from a 360 degree angle, (Ward, 2016) this pick up pattern also picks up the most ambient noise (Ward, 2016) which is good for environmental nuance recordings. (In the future I will be looking to upgrade to something xlr powered for vocals.)
Vocational opportunities:
I like making music though I look at music making as more of a lifestyle than a occupation, I know there are people out there who make very good living off making music and I'd love to release music and be at that level but still at the same time I consider other opportunities which require the similar skills in music making in which I enjoy doing as well.
The vocation that I looked at most was film composing which is providing music scores over scenes of film and on occasion adding foley as well,
"film is as much about what you hear as what you can see." (Paris, 2018) though i don't want to narrow my score making abilities to just film because there are other forms of media that require score making. (I.E. Gaming industry, Advertising) During my electronic to creative media assignment I made a selection of sound to video examples; where I learned different scale moods and used techniques to play the scales I researched much easier, I also delved into the warp time function when using audio files or the simpler midi instrument.
(The score and foley you see here are not the original piece but remade versions)
Examples of my work:
1: Tron Legacy
This was the first video I did recording music score for film, it was a college project and quite clearly not for the original motion picture but I got given a muted version of the video and applied my own foley from a wide variety of samples ranging from the BBC and the game Silent Hill, it might not sound relatable but it worked quite well and a lot of my lecturers liked it as well. (Unfortunately I can't provide screenshots of how it came together because it was from a laptop a long time ago though I still have an mp4 file.)
2: Star Wars: A New hope
This piece of work I done recently for my Electronic music for moving image assignment, I played lots of different sections in G Minor because of its uneasy, sinister tone. (Jared H, 2021) I chose the opening scene of this movie when the rebels are under attack by the Imperial fleet, I thought that it was an appropriate scale to play in at the beginning and throughout different sections of the track, because being under attack by a fleet with way more capable ships and resources is a uneasy situation. I found a sample loop of a guitar playing in D sharp which I chopped and reversed many times, It was a thought evocative loop and the tone is quite ghostly (Jared H, 2021) though Rebels being shot to death is ghostly and distressful (Jared H, 2021), so it was appropriate to me in putting that loop in the heart of the action. For sound effects I used an array of samples and recorded my own as well (Voice etc) using warp time functions and automation in the clip window, I also synthesised my own laser sound for the rifles following youtube instructional videos. (This one in particular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4Yq_Td3OjM)
Inner Dimensions of plasma pistol:
I began by selecting which waveform to use (Basic shapes) then went on editing the envelopes (ADSR) My attack was set to a short response but not immediate, my decay had a tail not too long as well as my release being half the intensity of the decay, and my sustain was nearly turned all the way down, (maybe just the faintest touch) I used the ADSR graph map and assigned to different algorithms of the sound. Increasing unison increases the size of the sound by multiplying the signal produced by the oscillator (Soundbridge, 2019) so I multiplied the voice by 6.
This is the oscillation section of Serum and as you can see I've changed the frequency form of basic shapes using Mirror on the warp shifter, i've also enabled the filter and changed all of the settings by using a filter preset called Format-I and increased the cut off to the limit and the resonation, I did this with the frequency so I could shape the sound in sounding like a space laser, (https://youtu.be/x4Yq_Td3OjM?t=34) An Important part of this process was assigning ADSR to the Course Pitch modulation and to the Warp shifter (Mirror)
Effects (Synth)
(https://youtu.be/x4Yq_Td3OjM?t=110) I ended up using seven different effects due to me following the instructions on this video including phasing, distortion, Hyper/Dimension and also EQing and compression, some effects are used subtly and others not so much.
Section 1
Hyper/Dimension is a hybrid between two different effects, (Computer music, 2020) The Hyper side of the synthesiser is relatable to what I was mentioning before, it applies unison and also offering the rate of the effect and a detuning element, (Computer music, 2020) I used this to increase the size of the sound and width and to create a tone that replenish a more objectifying sound instead of a musical sound, detuning does a good job of that because it plays an element the sound out of tune, The Dimension part of the effect is a pot that controls the stereo width of the effect, (Computer music, 2020) I generally just left it alone after all I wanted it to sound like it was more on the screen then at the side, the amount I added was slight. I added a lot of Distortion and drive on the effect, I also clicked pre to create a low band pass filter (Computer music, 2020) so the distortion effects the low end of the frequency spectrum, only a slight cut off the high end as you can see up to thirteen thousand hertz which effects the majority of the sound except the much higher frequencies, making it not too overbearing I increased the Q to 0.8 creating a dip in the distortion's frequency band to add to the laser type sound dynamic. A noticeable amount of flanger was used with lots of depth and not a lot of feed at a rate of nearly zero, it is a lfo driven effect with straight forward yet basic controls; (Computer music, 2020) the depth control allows you to change the amount of lfo modulation, the feedback not so high as well as the phase; reason being is because I have a phasing effect in use already, you can sync the effect to match the BPM (Computer music, 2020) but I didn't do that since this was used for sound effect instead of musical affect. Phasing works similar to flanger but instead the opposite signal will be offset to the original from a specific amount depending on how you alter the settings, I changed the frequency dial all the way up so it effects the whole sound and I increased the rate of the effect as well so the sound is warped and quick; underneath will be another image.
Section 2
Underneath the aforementioned effects are three others which are general effects; compression, reverb and EQ. I used a lot of compression to squash the sound reducing the dynamic range between peak signal and quieter signal by reducing the peak and increasing the quieter sounds in volume. (Martin, 2018) The effect comes with your general compression settings; threshold is setting the signal for when the compression happens (Hahn, 2018) If you set the the threshold lower a great portion of the sound will be affected by gain reduction, where as if you set it higher it will reduce only the most aggressive peaks that stand out and leave the rest of the sound unaltered (Hahn, 2018) I set the threshold bar quite low because I was aiming to effect a greater portion of the sound, so nothing stuck out and sounds that needed boosting got just that which helped with balancing the audio. Ratio is the measurement of how much gain reduction is applied to the signal when it reaches past the peak threshold (Hahn, 2018) A uncompressed signal would have a ratio of 1:1 and anything above is when the compression happens, (Hahn, 2018) the most common compression ratios go between 1.5:1 and 10:1 (Hahn, 2018) I turned my compression ratio up just under half way at a ratio of 1.8:1 so the threshold is affecting a good amount of the signal and it is being squashed but not too much, the release is tuned to effect the gain reduction till it fades with the sound and the attack affects the signal just a tiny bit after it is played; there is also a multiband button which combines three bands of compression upwards and downwards, (Computer music, 2020) The multiband graph have faders, I noticeably increased the mid section and subtly increased the low end of multiband compressor, the reverb I added was very subtle though I changed the settings first by clicking plate mode, since I only wanted to use this effect subtly I decreased the room size (Computer music, 2020) to emulate a smaller space, the low cut is the cut of the frequency low end and hi cut being the opposite, (Computer music) there is also a dampening pot which absorbs the higher frequencies in the reverb, (Izotope Education team, June 2020) meaning when the button is turned up the higher frequencies of the reverb will strangulate which creates a sharp dark tone, when dampening is lowered it has less effect meaning the higher frequencies will decay with more reverb resulting in a brighter sound. (Izotope Education team, 2020) There are two parts of the equalisation, the eq on serum and the external Ableton eq eight; Serum's version of equalisation is a compact parametric EQ (Computer music, 2020) The only thing I really did was raised a high shelf in the frequency band and did all the automation with the external Ableton EQ which I will include underneath; the set of dials on each end of the effect window determine the signal, Realistically should of went into more detail though the Q is resonance, frequency the cut off from high to low and gain which is how loud the signal is, (Computer music, 2020) there are three interchangeable bands which you can shape up though I kept it on the first setting and modified it until I felt it sounded best.
External Effects:
As you can see underneath there is the eq I mentioned before and a auto filter, I also grouped the effects and midi instrument together then saved it to my user library so I can then use it again for future projects that need a laser gun sound and be able to have a chance in tweaking it to improve the sound. The frequency band on each effect has a red highlighted dot above it which means it is being automated, I made a HPF (High pass filter) for the eq and a low pass filter on the auto filter effect, the frequency was being automated from the two effects at different moments and I did this so i could blend it in different ways with the rest of the score; another reason being is because when you cut out the lower end it'll bring out higher frequencies, so when the score ends, I introduce the bass back in the mix and I will keep the cut off at 30hz to eliminate unwanted frequencies.
3: Dust to Dust:
This video was given to me from a college lecturer, it's a short film about a man who stole a woman's car but she accidentally left her mother's ashes in the back seat, it's quite a thought evoking story and also has a very emotional theme behind it. C minor is a sad scale that can represent grief but also can express declaration of love (Lessman, 2004) In this video there were many sections (Notably at the end) where this scale works perfectly, though there are sections where there was need of another tone to match the mood; sometimes I didn't know which key I was in though used this method, it helped me (https://youtu.be/djQlIr1ZYt8?t=52 this video explained it) I create a minor scale within the clip window, (On this video it is done by creating an e major scale first following this formula: WWhWWWh, the W represents a whole step "2 semitones" when changing key and the h represents a half step "1 semitone" that formula can be used to create a major scales though to create a minor scale the third, sixth and seventh note of the scale need to be lowered 1 semitone.) I used a poster to jot down what I needed i'd like to look at it as more of a guideline. The second part of this video (https://youtu.be/djQlIr1ZYt8?t=89) helps me understand how to create more octaves and gridding the notes so its only that scale showing in the clip window, by selecting all the notes then pressing cmd + D to duplicate; I am able to create a bigger scale by holding the shift button and using the top or bottom arrow keys to raise or lower an octave depending on situation. (The video I linked grids the E minor scale from E2 to E4 which is two octaves covering the mid section of the piano roll for use of making chords ETC) The brilliant part about this is these midi clips can be saved (https://youtu.be/djQlIr1ZYt8?t=111) and you can rename them by hovering over the midi clip with your mouse cursor, I ctrl and click my mousepad to rename the midi clip the scale I am playing in then dragged the selected midi clip to my user library meaning its stored to use again.
A foley artist is someone who recreates sound in a post production environment to enhance audio quality and bring out sounds which couldn't be captured on set of the motion picture (Maio, 2020) I wouldn't consider myself a foley artist though I used examples of foley recording while doing this project, I set my microphone to omni directional and recorded various "props" (Maio, 2020) such as gaming console controller, tapping of fingers, ambient noises being picked up and positioning audio with warp time. I used this website for a lot of the sound effects (https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/) It's from the BBC that includes nearly all their sound clips from TV ranging many years, It has car engines, footsteps, field recordings of nature and much more, these sounds were also manipulated via warp time function and the various warp modes. (Delaney, 2007)
Complex pro which is like complex mode but offers a more superior time stretching engine named "Elastique Pro V2" (Robinson, 2014) The company that designed this time stretching engine is named Zplane, (Robinson, 2014) They have their own website; (https://products.zplane.de/) which provides a selection of plugins for a wide range of DAW's (Including Ableton live) which i will be looking at when in need of new VST plug ins; this mode can be very beneficial for sound design purposes (Robinson, 2014) the formants slider dictates the originality of tonal quality from the audio file, formants is how much of the sound is being transposed naturally (Robinson, 2014) which will take away the high pitch chipmunk sound you get when increasing the pitch of the vocal track... known as "Munchkinization" (Robinson, 2014) There is a envelope slider underneath the formant which will shape the spectral content of a warped audio file. (Robinson, 2014) Spectral content is measured through the vibrating systems of instruments/Audio samples it defines the difference of sound and feel of vibration between for example a chime or a big metal pan; this tool has been very effective for me when wanting to make my voice sound much different than it does, I've used complex pro to make dinosaur sounds following this video (https://youtu.be/wec4TzusD50?t=161) unrelated yes but I still learned from it, I didn't make dinosaur noises for this video but on other videos in the same project I have done don't really wanna showcase it but instead upload it to my youtube channel which will be mentioned later on.
Live set:
I was assigned to create a live performance piece as part of the college semester, this assignment was a sort of entry to an improved way of making music for me, I learned a lot about making more tracks and creating groups for them, I also went into push and used it for automating my sends like reverb and delay in a dub like style on the go using my microphone pre and post recording so i can perform live though have a separate track recordings of me making noises, just something extra I thought. I recorded the video with my phone then sent it to my laptop and imported it in Ableton. To do this I clicked the mp4 file and then dragged it into an audio track, it will only work as segments on arrangement view not as clips in session view; I aligned the video's audio waveform to the first beat of the live set recorded on Ableton by zooming into the waveform to align the video to the beat. I began by creating a pattern of sound in the session view, trying to pave it so it pieces together scene by scene though there is elements that are ad-lib. This was the project that I changed the Ableton default setting so when I open up live I will have midi instruments and sends already tailored from this project, to do this I created a copy of the project then deleted the tracks I didn't need kept the ones I want to use and replaced midi instruments i thought needed replacing, (Bloom, 2012) then I went into preferences by clicking the live window at the top left of my Macbook screen, selecting the tab file/folder will direct you to the button that will change the default settings, there will be a save button with text at the left saying "save current set as default" (There is apparently a way of bringing the preference screen quicker by hitting cmd + but it's not working for me) (Bloom, 2012) I used "clip envelope automation" (Robinson, Singletary, 2013) a lot which helped because I was aiming to put this all in the arrangement at one piece which doesn't leave much automation to do (Unless Necessary) via the arrangement view. In the clip window appears is either a sample display or note editor (Sample display for audio tracks, note editing for midi) (Robinson, Singletary, 2013) at the bottom of the clip window there are three tiny icons (buttons) representing sample display/note editing (Middle button) launch mode (Left button) which enables you to customise how your clip is being triggered, there are several modes I use the launch mode repeat for my productions a lot and it is easily accessible on push, just takes one push of a button (no pun intended) there are settings ranging from global quantisation to 1/32 of a bar (Robinson, Singletary, 2013) for either fast glitchy noises, syncopated or off beat one off repeated sounds and then there is envelope (Right button) which is the window you use for automation via clip.
Underneath you'll see a screenshot of my clip automation window, when envelopes is enabled there are a some options two of them being clip windows in which you choose which part of the midi instrument you want to automate, so I picked to automate from Serum and the reverb enabled through Serum's "verb wetness" knob, you can also choose to modulate as well as automate the sound in the clip window which uses the audio signal of a sound source and changes elements such as frequency, wavelength, amplitude, velocity etc ( for a richer more dimensional sound (PQ, 2020) I haven't enabled modulation on this particular midi track though there are examples of my work where I have which I will include later. I clicked several breaking points in the clip window once every 8 beats kept the automation line in rhythm. (Robinson, 2014)
Grouping tracks; select all the tracks, Cmd G which groups everything together acts as a channel you can put effects in at the same time this has helped me in managing the tracks on my screen and affecting a group of sounds as a whole depending on what type of sound is grouped. (Multitracks, 2012) and applying effects such as glue compressors to the group and tailoring them accordingly influenced by a method of compression called "Parallel compression" which requires an aggressive compression to an audio signal from sounds like drums, bass, vocals etc you use this method for more punch to the main power elements of the track. (Studioslave, 2021) When you aggressively compress a track you lose its dynamics so to minimise the loss of dynamics, you can create a duplicate channel and applying the aggressive compression to that while carefully fading it in with the rest of the mix via the volume fader. (Studioslave, 2021) The way I did it was used the dry and wet knob to fade the compression to its desired amount on the group track which is working like a drum bus for the compressor.
Compression:
Drum Bus compression: I didn't follow the parallel compression method completely, as you can see shorter attack and release I just thought that it sounded better when the compression reacted quicker it is quite a spacey mix with lots of reverb and delay feeding into each-other
Synth group compression: Pretty similar as the drums but the release is increased and the ratio is less as well as the make up gain, I was aiming to compress the whole sound so it didn't stick out too much in one particular place, i was aligning the settings to match the sound at the best of my ability.
Further on compression
New York compression is an almost identical method to parallel compression though the only difference is that there is use for an EQ as well after the compression. (Usually the eq is there to boost low and high frequencies, the low end is boosted around 100hz and the high end around 10khz.) (Studioslave, 2021) The method was originated in New York city (hence the name) to bring out a more hi fi style for the sound you're using this method. (Studioslave, 2021) Underneath I shall provide a screenshot of drums I was applying this method (Not from the live set)
These tracks that I am working on, (just used for demo) I have put more effort in following the formula for parallel compression as well as adding EQ and it has brung out elements of my music out a lot more, especially for drums, vocals and bass. I attempted to make a duplicate channel for the main drums to parallel compress it but I thought it stuck out too much so just applied the New York method and controlled the impact via the dry/wet knob on a group channel so it works like a drum bus. (I have used and will in the future use the duplicate drum track technique) The curve is not completely perfect though it was my first attempt, the frequencies are boosted around the 100 hz mark and increased up the 10khz mark. (Studioslave, 2020) On the second band I set a low shelf and on the the 7th band I set a high shelf to actuate the boost between the low end and high end. The third band as well as the rest of the bands are in use of peak filters, the third band though is nipped three decibels with a q of 1.4 between the low to mid frequency spectrum; the rest of the eq is used to centralise the mid frequencies and to smoothen the frequency line. (https://youtu.be/gqXB8fX7kfc) (This video came with the article from Studioslave.com I was reading regarding NY/Parallel compression which helped me understand better; via Ableton.)
Ozone:
I am demonstrating New York compression, and it has definitely added clarity and presence to the drum tracks and vocal tracks, the track still needs to be mastered which I will do using Ozone elements 9 included with my Korg Nanokey midi keyboard. Though I have been working on another track which I have been using ozone to improve. My lecturer told me a technique which I bounce the track with around -6DB headroom without normalise enabled, open up a new Ableton project then put it into an audio track (or into arrangement view) make sure warp time is disabled then use Ozone by inserting it into the master channel, then I experiment with the Master Assist control and the eq as well, the good thing about Ozone is it allows you to process astound audio quality in most cases would have to pay 20 pound for. (Screenshots and song example underneath) Master assist is an automatic function which uses the computer to automate parameters best suited for the song. It works at its optimum "For the best results, play the loudest portion of your track." (Izotope, 2020)
I made use of the drum sequencer, Launch Repeat quantisation, scales, recording automation for any parameter and sends on Ableton Push, scales mode allowed me to play in scales i don't know, scales such as Dorian and a lot more , I admit there is still trial and error getting the sound to feel good but Push really narrows down the elements of sound I want to play which is ideal for me because of me lacking in music theory knowledge. When I put it through the process of mastering, I ended up back to the drawing board atleast 30 40 times comparing different versions to what it sounded like with normalise on or normalise off when I bounced down the master track. Dorian mode is a shift of playing scales in Ionian mode which starts at C major and works it's way up to C ranging all the white keys, Dorian mode is exactly the same but instead the scale starts at D and ends in D, "It sounds cheeky, partly sad, but in a hopeful way" (Fratello guitar stories) This track was inspired by artists like Four Tet, Aphex Twin and Lil B the Basedgod.
Sidechain compression:
Sidechain compression is when the effect level is controlled by another midi instrument's volume. (Masterclass, 2021) For example if I sidechain a ambient bright sounding pad or chords that is strong in the mix to my kick drum, the chord or pad will duck when the kick drum plays depending on how much I lower the threshold, enabling the compressors low pass filter is also beneficial because when I aim it low enough, then it just reacts with the kick and if I have other drum sounds (snare etc) on the channel the compressor will isolate the other frequencies from them and reacts only with the frequency range of the kick drum. (https://youtu.be/zeR2vPvrjU4?list=PLzfWWpa5SR8Gi_Q_3AbZ9V20Vpigpvqv1&t=132) (The link to this video gave me the information to apply this technique.) There are other methods I use for side-chaining as well, for bass purposes I create a ghost channel which requires me to use the same kick drum but put on a different channel muted. (Usually done by putting the kick on a simpler) (Plus, 2014) What this does is help the side-chain be a constant process because sometimes when I side-chain to normal drums and then I stop the drums the side-chain releases the sound and at times it can be a bit overbearing in the mix depending on the structure this method stops that from happening because you are sending the compression signal to a muted channel so i'm getting all of the nice advantages but without any of the drawbacks. (Plus, 2014) To do this the kick drum needs to be aligned with the normal unmuted kick drum (Plus, 2014) so I copy a clip of the drum track paste it into the ghost channel, take away all of the midi notes that don't represent the kick drum then paste that information accordingly on to the arrangement view.
This is a screenshot of the live set bass I side-chained my compressor to a ghost channel, the threshold has been lowered a tiny too much, though it is what it is (I usually use glue compressors for bass but this situation was different.) I even included a high pass filter when enabling EQ mode to cut off some of the compression in the bass so the kick feels like it comes out more (Hoffman, 2019) The attack and release are short, I experimented with the flexibility but the best results was this.
Vaporwave
It's a genre that isn't really spoke of anymore or made, though I still like it and wanted to make a track at-least myself since I wasn't music producing properly at the time when this genre was at its peak, it has always been something that floated in the background for me. I began by downloading a video editing software called DaVinci Resolve from a company called Blackmagicdesign, (https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/) which I heard of from a college lecture then began testing it to learn how it works; this software is very good for people who are video editing for the first time (Foreman, 2020) and as well as it being low cost there is a free version of the software as well which is what i've been looking for a long time. When I first opened Davinci Resolve I was confused in how to import media such as videos and audio etc, then I learned about how I was supposed to import or drag and drop audio and video into the media pool. (https://youtu.be/weGAsfcLLdA: this video explained it for me) I drag the video to the timeline as well as the audio, the video content has to be muted of course so that the separate audio is playing only, and you can make as many tracks as you like simply by dragging the video clip to the timeline but hovering above a track to create a new one, this helps with organisation and structure between the scenes.
As mentioned on the previous paragraph there is my media pool with my video and audio content, i drag that to the timeline and structure the project scene by scene, on the side there is a tool box including video transitions and other which can be dragged to the video clip and audio if venturing in the toolbox, though I don't do that because all of the audio processing is done on Ableton. You drag the video transitions the end or beginning of the scene to create continuity and you can also change the length of the transition, there are several tabs underneath the timeline one of them being a cut editor which allows you to play through scenes and cut split them when needed I also have more control in detail editing transition effects and when I slice a scene and hi light that specific part, I then can go into the color sync tab and it offers a vast range of color editing tools which will work specifically for that clip, so i can get lots of different colours through different scenes. (Sometimes, I will export a file then put it into the software again to distort the color sync in one take to create a weird dreamy type visual which is represented on this screenshot.)
I prepared to make the song first after watching a lot of videos on youtube of different tracks and videos people done in the Vaporwave style, the genre has been around over ten years which draws its influence from capitalism and western culture. A lot of the sounds come from adverts, elevator music, slowed down pop songs and much more capitalist represented forms of audio. (Cartledge, 2020) I went into the slowed down pop song route and used the track "Delegation - Oh honey" (https://youtu.be/HPskvnbMrNM) At first I ripped a mp3 file from youtube then shortly realised after that the lossy sound quality wasn't good enough, so I bought a wav file from bandcamp for 1 pound (The last pound in my bank account at that time.) Then replaced all of the chopped up mp3 clips scene by scene, then I had a structure recorded I even included some other samples I.E. spaceship noises from a old Sci fi tv programme from the Fifties and the ending scene from the film Paris, Texas. I applied a lot of audio manipulation so it could work together, it's not to everyones taste but I enjoyed making it and that matters to me. When I compiled the music I went searching for old adverts and movie scenes from back in the 70s all the way to the 90s, there are videos of Laguna Beach In California, movies scenes from The Warriors, Airplane and martial art videos as well as old adverts from American TV, I put it together to match the video; i wanted the video and imagery to react together.
On Ableton I created several tracks containing the same song, I then grouped them together eq and compressed the tracks differently using mainly high pass filters for the eq and a glue compressor on the group track to stick things together (Normal compressors on individual tracks) Warp time was my friend as well as the clip envelope tool, throughout the song I was automating the pitch through different warp modes such as beats and complex pro as well as using the cut tool for different segments to be affected by these methods, beats mode gives me glitchy rhythmic audio when pitched.
This is the grouped track previously explained in the last paragraphs, I cut a lot of different sections of the tracks and used clip automation and pitch as well as changing the warp modes throughout, It took me just over a month to complete.
Clip envelope (mentioned before) automates specific controls in the clip window, I chose to automate through the clip which meant I could automate the pitch directly from the clip itself, on complex pro mode the change in pitch change sounds bending instead of sounding ripped.
Youtube Channel:
There is a viewing of a video underneath which I am wanting to use for the first upload, it is going to be a launch following videos I mentioned inside and outside of this portfolio. I've just finished the video and uploaded it onto youtube, I have sent a link of the video to a friend for some feedback and if its a go I will post the video link on my personal instagram feed and see if anybody will watch it and if it gets enough reactions start looking at websites or systems that will help promote the track to a wider audience, though if on the other hand it doesn't get any reaction I will keep it uploaded and keep on making music, uploading it and sharing regardless. I want this to be more than just a youtube channel, I want it to be a collective with friends working along side making content ranging from videos, music and more. Websites such as Spotify have millions of people listening and releasing music worldwide and there are many companies that take music and distribute it on websites like Spotify which will reach a wider but specific audience depending on what type of music you are making, so it's down to the algorithms these apps provide for your music to be recognised. (MDG, 2020) I want to get I a more different projects uploaded on my Channel before I do that so I have a bigger scope, there are also a lot of online threads and forums specific to music production and promotion (I.E.Reddit) and a lot of people with opinions which can be good and bad. The musician package for Distrokid costs $19.99 (£14.13) which offers a unlimited uploads of music for one year, 100% revenue, unlimited lyric distribution and a license for one artist or band to access Spotify's verification platform, there are also plus packages which increase the number of artists to Spotify's verification platform (MDG, 2020) This is in the pipelines, I want more music on my channel though when I feel like it's time to do this process I will, but until then I am going to continue making music. (Link to youtube channel underneath, launch video) too) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCZqNu0DOye6n3QLRn_M2tg
Evaluation:
This year has been a productive one, though I do still have a long way to go, I felt like I was learning on the job, different techniques while trying to execute at the same time. It has been quite hard and was a shaky start, I almost quit the course because of it and dealing with issues like losing my driving license I felt like I couldn't translate what I wanted, it took time I went in thinking that everything was going to happen in this set way, I sacrificed and let a lot of people go apart of me wishes that I did this at the start but doing it now is whats important.
Te first assignment was a writing project, i felt slack on this assignment because I missed out a small amount of the criteria involving a planning chart like a pie chart with information of what I was going to do through the year, and didn't quite match the word count expected, I got a pass I was a little bit saddened by it but I perceiver onto the next work which I thought I wasn't able to do until I found out there was an extension. This was the live set which I put a lot of work into, I recorded it all as one piece onto the arrangement view then tweaked it throughout. Though I put a lot of time into it and furthered my knowledge with the software including, grouping tracks, parallel compression, working in session view, save live set as default, Serum, grain delay, increased number of sends, clip view automation and working within scales. I felt like this was an evolving assignment, after this assignment I felt like I had more control using Ableton Live. I showed a trusted friend he said he liked it as well; there could been more done to the process when I look back at it though I am happy this assignment broke the wall for me even if it wasn't sonically perfect. The next assignment was Sound for moving image, I could do anything as long as the sound corresponds with the image, there was a choice between games, film composing, sonic experiments, music videos etc, I chose film composing but I also chose to learn the basics of a video editing software called Da Vinci Resolve so I could compile and edit a bunch of videos together for some of the songs I was making. This is where the Vaporwave video comes from and there are other videos too such as the launch video for my Youtube channel. I learned a lot with audio through clip view and the warp modes, chopping samples was also a great opportunity for me to look at it a bit better and apply more consistent dynamic I.E. fading tools on the arrangement view, it sounds very strange and not to everyones taste but I enjoyed making it and I enjoyed compiling the visuals together to the sound so its now uploaded onto my youtube channel, I studied different scales on this assignment to find a particular sound ranging from minors and majors and how to strike triads and forth chords within the scale, I work by ear mostly but I have a general consensus on how to evolve the sound which I will be improving on more and more even after this course is finished. The final hand in was not completely to my taste, some of the videos needed more work done to them though maybe that was due to lack of planning, my plan was when I wasn't working on the projects I was working on the write up and then it all formulated at the end but managing 6 different projects into a finishing blow is a very hard ordeal, I should of written beforehand a timescale at least to work so I wasn't confused to what needed work and what didn't at the end.
I am reaching the end now writing this portfolio in which I still need to finalise, but what this has been to me is a massive overview as well as a way to showcase what I have been doing over this term, a part of me feels sad that this course is going to be finished because I love doing music and being in the music environment and the fact that I could of done a lot more the two years prior to this term, it's been very emotional though I hope it was worth it and have an opportunity in the future to be able to continue doing a masters programme, when I feel that I am completely ready to take that challenge.
Reference List:
AuthorOlajide Paris
Article title:Know The Score: The Composing Process, How Does it Work? - Film Independent
Website title:Film Independent
URL:https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/know-score-composing-process-work/
10/8/2018
MAKE BIGGER SYNTHS BY USING UNISON - SOUNDBRIDGE
In-text: (Make Bigger Synths by Using Unison - SoundBridge, 2021)
Your Bibliography: SoundBridge. 2021. Make Bigger Synths by Using Unison - SoundBridge. [online] Available at: <https://soundbridge.io/make-bigger-synths-using-unison/> [Accessed 9 September 2019].
www.blackmagicdesign.com
AMARCA, N.
Cloud Rap: The Spacey, Cyber-Born Hip-Hop Subgenre | Highsnobiety
In-text: (Amarca, 2015)
Your Bibliography: Amarca, N., 2015. Cloud Rap: The Spacey, Cyber-Born Hip-Hop Subgenre | Highsnobiety. [online] Highsnobiety. Available at: <https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/cloud-rap-yung-lean-lil-b/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
FOREMAN, C.
Why DaVinci Resolve 16 is the best video editing software for beginners
In-text: (Foreman, 2020)
Your Bibliography: Foreman, C., 2020. Why DaVinci Resolve 16 is the best video editing software for beginners. [online] DPReview. Available at: <https://www.dpreview.com/opinion/3313009578/why-davinci-resolve-16-is-the-best-video-editing-software-for-beginners> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
Scales and emotions
In-text: (Hein, 2010)
Your Bibliography: Hein, E., 2010. Scales and emotions. [online] The Ethan Hein Blog. Available at: <http://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2010/scales-and-emotions/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
H., Jared.
Musical Key Characteristics & Emotions | LedgerNote
In-text: (H., 2021)
Your Bibliography: H., J., 2021. Musical Key Characteristics & Emotions | LedgerNote. [online] LedgerNote. Available at: <https://ledgernote.com/blog/interesting/musical-key-characteristics-emotions/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
PORTFOLIO, 5.
5 Things Everyone Should Include In Their Digital Portfolio - EdTechTeacher
In-text: (Portfolio, 2017)
Your Bibliography: Portfolio, 5., 2017. 5 Things Everyone Should Include In Their Digital Portfolio - EdTechTeacher. [online] EdTechTeacher. Available at: <https://edtechteacher.org/5-things-everyone-should-include-in-their-digital-portfolio/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
MUSIC, C.
In-text: (Music, 2020)
Your Bibliography: Music, C., 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.musicradar.com/how-to/a-quick-guide-to-xfer-records-serums-effects> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
CORFIELD, C.
8 best budget laptops for music production 2021: top cheap laptops for home recording
In-text: (Corfield, 2021)
Your Bibliography: Corfield, C., 2021. 8 best budget laptops for music production 2021: top cheap laptops for home recording. [online] Available at: <https://www.musicradar.com/news/best-budget-laptops-for-music-production> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
PHASER EFFECT - WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS - SAMPLECRAZE
In-text: (Phaser Effect - what it is and how it works - Samplecraze, 2021)
Your Bibliography: Samplecraze. 2021. Phaser Effect - what it is and how it works - Samplecraze. [online] Available at: <https://samplecraze.com/tutorials/phaser-effect-what-it-is-and-how-it-works/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
BROWN, G.
Understanding Chorus, Flangers, and Phasers in Audio Production
In-text: (Brown, 2018)
Your Bibliography: Brown, G., 2018. Understanding Chorus, Flangers, and Phasers in Audio Production. [online] iZotope. Available at: <https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/understanding-chorus-flangers-and-phasers-in-audio-production.html> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
HAHN, M.
Audio Compression 101: How to Use a Compressor for a Better Mix | LANDR
In-text: (Hahn, 2018)
Your Bibliography: Hahn, M., 2018. Audio Compression 101: How to Use a Compressor for a Better Mix | LANDR. [online] LANDR Blog. Available at: <https://blog.landr.com/how-to-use-a-compressor/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
RUSSELL, A.
Compression: The Definitive Guide for Producers - EDMProd
In-text: (Russell, n.d.)
Your Bibliography: Russell, A., n.d. Compression: The Definitive Guide for Producers - EDMProd. [online] EDMProd. Available at: <https://www.edmprod.com/compression-guide/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
D'ARK, J.
What Is Reverb? The 8 Step Guide to Mixing's Most Powerful Effect | LANDR Blog
In-text: (d'Ark, 2017)
Your Bibliography: d'Ark, J., 2017. What Is Reverb? The 8 Step Guide to Mixing's Most Powerful Effect | LANDR Blog. [online] LANDR Blog. Available at: <https://blog.landr.com/what-is-reverb/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
IZOTOPE ED TEAM.
What is Reverb? The Reverb Resource for Audio Engineers of All Levels
In-text: (Education Team, 2020)
Your Bibliography: Education Team, I., 2020. What is Reverb? The Reverb Resource for Audio Engineers of All Levels. [online] iZotope. Available at: <https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/reflecting-on-reverb-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
MURPHY, C.
High-Pass Filter: A Simple Secret for Pro Mixes
In-text: (Murphy and Murphy, n.d.)
Your Bibliography: Murphy, C. and Murphy, C., n.d. High-Pass Filter: A Simple Secret for Pro Mixes. [online] Musician on a Mission. Available at: <https://www.musicianonamission.com/high-pass-filter/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
DELANEY, M.
Ableton Live 6
In-text: (Delaney, 2007)
Your Bibliography: Delaney, M., 2007. Ableton Live 6. Thetford, Norfolk, UK: PC Pub.
DELANEY, M.
Ableton Live 6
In-text: (Delaney, 2007)
Your Bibliography: Delaney, M., 2007. Ableton Live 6. Thetford, Norfolk, UK: PC Pub.
MAIO, A.
Foley: The Art of Sound Design
In-text: (Maio, 2021)
Your Bibliography: Maio, A., 2021. Foley: The Art of Sound Design. [online] StudioBinder. Available at: <https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-foley-artist/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R30L1fIKzpU: Andrew Huang
KERRY L. HAGAN. AND MILLER PUCKETTE.
Between the Tracks: Musicians on Selected Electronic Music
In-text: (Kerry L. Hagan. and Miller Puckette., n.d.)
Your Bibliography: Kerry L. Hagan. and Miller Puckette., n.d. Between the Tracks: Musicians on Selected Electronic Music.
SPECTRAL CONTENT
In-text: (Spectral content, n.d.)
Your Bibliography: Sound.pressbooks.com. n.d. Spectral content. [online] Available at: <https://sound.pressbooks.com/chapter/connections-between-time-and-frequency-domains/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
BLOOM, M.
Ableton Live Tutorial (Live 8 – 10): Create a Template Set | Sonic Bloom
In-text: (Bloom, 2016)
Your Bibliography: Bloom, M., 2016. Ableton Live Tutorial (Live 8 – 10): Create a Template Set | Sonic Bloom. [online] Sonic Bloom. Available at: <https://sonicbloom.net/en/ableton-live-tutorial-create-a-template-set/#:~:text=Once%20you've%20created%20the,Set%20as%20the%20default%20Template.> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5cG0s1upU: Ask audio
PQ, R.
In-text: (PQ, 2020)
Your Bibliography: PQ, R., 2020. [online] Iconcollective.edu. Available at: <https://iconcollective.edu/modulation-effects-tips/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
https://youtu.be/TSkgYavvFQ4: Sadowick Production
NY STYLE PARALLEL COMPRESSION | QUICK MIX TIPS - STUDIO SLAVE
In-text: (NY Style Parallel Compression | Quick Mix Tips - Studio Slave, n.d.)
Your Bibliography: Studio Slave. n.d. NY Style Parallel Compression | Quick Mix Tips - Studio Slave. [online] Available at: <https://studioslave.com/ny-parallel-compression-mix-tips/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
SENIOR, M.
Mixing secrets for the small studio
In-text: (Senior, 2018)
Your Bibliography: Senior, M., 2018. Mixing secrets for the small studio.
HOFFMAN, C.
How to Use Sidechain Compression in Ableton | Black Ghost Audio
In-text: (Hoffman, 2019)
Your Bibliography: Hoffman, C., 2019. How to Use Sidechain Compression in Ableton | Black Ghost Audio. [online] Blackghostaudio.com. Available at: <https://www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/how-to-use-sidechain-compression-in-ableton> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
GROUPING TRACKS IN ABLETON LIVE
In-text: (Grouping Tracks in Ableton Live, 2021)
Your Bibliography: Multitracks.com. 2021. Grouping Tracks in Ableton Live. [online] Available at: <https://www.multitracks.com/blog/grouping-tracks-in-ableton-live> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
https://www.reddit.com/r/WeAreTheMusicMakers/
ROBINSON, K.
Ableton Live 9
In-text: (Robinson, 2014)
Your Bibliography: Robinson, K., 2014. Ableton Live 9.
DISTROKID REVIEW: IS "CHEAP" GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR MUSIC DISTRIBUTION?
In-text: (DistroKid Review: Is "Cheap" Good Enough for Your Music Distribution?, 2020)
Your Bibliography: Music Distribution Guru. 2020. DistroKid Review: Is "Cheap" Good Enough for Your Music Distribution?. [online] Available at: <https://musicdistribution.guru/distrokid-review/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
ANON
In-text: (2015)
Your Bibliography: Wix.com. 2015. [online] Available at: <https://www.wix.com/blog/2015/10/10-best-places-to-promote-your-music-online/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
SHELVING FILTER EXPLAINED: UNDERSTANDING HIGH-SHELF AND LOW-SHELF EQUALIZERS
In-text: (Shelving filter explained: understanding high-shelf and low-shelf equalizers, 2019)
Your Bibliography: mixinglessons.com. 2019. Shelving filter explained: understanding high-shelf and low-shelf equalizers. [online] Available at: <https://www.mixinglessons.com/shelving-filter/> [Accessed 25 May 2021].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqXB8fX7kfc: Studio Slave
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE DORIAN MODE | MUSICAL U
In-text: (The Ultimate Guide to the Dorian Mode | Musical U, 2021)
Your Bibliography: Musical-u.com. 2021. The Ultimate Guide to the Dorian Mode | Musical U. [online] Available at: <https://www.musical-u.com/learn/get-familiar-with-the-dorian-mode/> [Accessed 28 May 2021].
THE MAGIC BEHIND MUSICAL MODES
In-text: (The Magic Behind Musical Modes, 2017)
Your Bibliography: Fretello Guitar Stories. 2017. The Magic Behind Musical Modes. [online] Available at: <https://news.fretello.com/the-magic-behind-musical-modes/> [Accessed 28 May 2021].
