“Music is in life. It occurs everywhere – at any moment in time, in every place” (Page 2010)
Aim and Objective for this Project
The aim of this project is to refocus on a creative production project that allows me to create a natural musical style and arrangement.
The objective of this project is two-fold: to fuse multiple musical styles into a finished product – a soundscape that expresses myself musically and sonically; and to develop a greater understanding of my workflow in a virtual environment using both a range of technologies (software and hardware).
The three musical styles I intend to fuse are: folk-rock, new-age/spiritual, and soul-rock musical styles, creating a new fusion musical style in which I am going to name: Nu World Indie Soul. The fused musical style I envisage could be described as a: rock track, with soulful overtones, a strong ethnic-flavoured instrumental/synthetic base, with possibly a simplistic real-type story and/or music-bed (harmony/melody) underlying the track.
Background Summary for this Project
I hope that a brief summary provides an insight of where I have come from, with a clear direction as to where I am heading to in terms of my creative practice.
My music practice experience over the past twenty-five years has been predominantly in live music performance (solo, duo, multiple piece bands) – mainly in rock-based musical styles. Several decades ago I self-recorded my original songs utilising a hybrid technology 4 track TASCAM Porta-studio. I achieved a logical practical work-flow that allowed me to produce many original songs in simple demo format that could then be forwarded to band members or record companies of the day. Side-tracked by life – performing, being recorded by others, recording other performers in studios and other opportunities – technology has changed and I have yet to develop my self-recording original song 4 track workflow within a virtual environment to an industry standard production level. I am conversant with three virtual production programs – Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Reason – which have become standard in production practice over the past few years. I have used these virtual production programs either as multi-track recorders in recording studios over the past decade, or as an electronic music production workstation over the past three to four years.
Constraints in Completing this Project
I have outlined my lack of developed workflow self-recording acoustic technologies into the virtual environment, to an industry standard of production. I will list the workflow I intend to use in this project.
Another constraint I see in completing this project is the lack of clarity I have in the diversity of musical styles I have chosen to fuse in this project. I lack a deep understanding of many electronic-based musical styles – such as new-age/spiritual. I will therefore describe and analyse all of the three styles included in this project in Part 2.
My Work-flow selected for this project
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Analyse the three musical styles in order to help me focus my objectives
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Exploring Logic Pro 8 in terms of ‘workflow’ of traditional songwriting
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Applying Song Structure Templates into Logic Pro 8
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Creating Song, using both manual and electronic programs
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Importing base song into Logic Pro 8
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Developing song in Logic Pro 8
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Consider ‘Groove-based’ song development as an alternative option
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I will experiment with Logic Pro 8 notation – importing basic digital recording, notating melody with MIDI instruments.
I intend to use the following technology:
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Mac tower computer (Power PC)
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MacBookPro (Intel)
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Logic Pro 8
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Logic Pro 8 Manual (Hard + Electronic)
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Digidesign 002 Rack
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BOSS DR 880 as a beat MIDI device
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Inboard/Software Drum – ‘idrum’
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Casio CTK 671 MIDI Controller
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Evolution MK-449C MIDI Controller
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Outboard hardware ‘Virus’
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Outboard hardware ‘MKS7’
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Outboard hardware ‘Proteous’
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Inboard/Software Synths ‘Reason’ (same as SAE front room)
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Inboard/Logic Software Synths such as ES1, ES2,
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Inboard/Logic Software Synths such as EFM1, ESM, ESP
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Inboard/Logic Software Samplers such as EXS24, Ultrabeat, etc
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Electric Guitar – passive pick ups + active pick ups
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Inboard amps/ Logic Software Amps such as ‘Amplitude’
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MIDI Guitar (GK3) + Processor (VG99)
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External amps such as Vox AC30, Fender Twin Reverb
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Shure SM57’s * 2 (for micing live amp cabinets)
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Effects Rack – TC Electronics G System
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Effects – Individual Pedals
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E-Bow Harmonic Pick
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Rode NT1A, Rode NT3 (for vocal micing)
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Microphone Pop Filter
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Import traditional guitar-based track (eg ZZ Top’s La Grange)
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DI/Live input Device
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Monster Cable DI Cable
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XLR Leads *2/3
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Guitar Leads * 1/2
Production Techniques to be incorporated:
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Create a drum beat from MIDI
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Create a drum beat from sample
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Quantising
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No audible distortions
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Create a drum beat from an audio sample (as per Assign #2)
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Applying FX to the sample
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Creating a sample from a Logic ‘loop’
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Creating a sample from an real ‘CD track’
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Remove unwanted noise/sounds from required ‘track’
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Create a sample from an external instrument
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External Instrument Direct input into Logic
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External Instrument Live Recording into Logic
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Simultaneous DI + Live Recording
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Create Synth-type sounds from MIDI
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Convert MIDI to audio sample
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Panning
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Rewire
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Side-chaining
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More understanding of ‘Musicology’
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More self awareness of my ‘workflow’/how I naturally like to work
I will continue next month with Cultural Production Project Part 2 [January 2010], focussing on a description and analysis of the three musical styles that I am choosing to fuse together in this creative production project – a soundscape that expresses myself musically and sonically.
References
DLP image courtesy of: DLP Accessed 9th January 2010
Logic Pro 8 image courtesy of: Logic Pro 8 Accessed 9th January 2010
Page, David L. 2010 DLP Quote Accessed 10th January, 2010
Planetary fusion image courtesy of: Planet Fusion Accessed 9th January 2010
– ©David L Page 10/01/2010
Copyright: No aspect of the content of this blog or blog site is to be reprinted or used within any practice without strict permission directly from David L Page.
