How music was made...
To make this piece, we used a synthesizer, keyboard,
guitar, Acoustica Audio Mixer (a software program), and several drum loops we
got from various internet sites. Using these, we tried to put together something
that explored the various dimensional aspects of music, such as pitch, tempo,
dynamics, timbre, and so on. We developed the various sections of the piece
with the visualization in mind, trying to shape the music so that it would fit
in with the graphics display. The audio mixer program allowed us to create many
different tracks and overdubs, so we could play around with texture and instrumentation,
layering sounds at some points and leaving sparse, open space at others. In
composing the piece, we would try out various ideas, tweaking and refining them
until we felt they fit into the whole. We tried to maintain a sense of cohesion
throughout the piece while also branching out to explore different areas of
music. In terms of relating it to the G-Force presentation, we discussed what
the video program could do, and tried to mold the music around the visuals so
that there were enough interesting aspects to allow the music to stand alone,
but at the same time composing parts where the visualization could really flourish
and bring out the subtler aspects of the music. All in all, it was a difficult
but rewarding process which brought a new dimension to musical composition.
Dimensionality and the mind...