Whenever I start a piece, especially one based in old school computer music, I usually find myself working in a compositional clean room. What I mean by this is I usually have to spend many hours writing synthesis code that produces very sterile sounding textures and blips that lacks both depth and soul before moving on. Sometimes I never actually make it beyond this point. To be completely honest, I kinda dig the sound of it. However, I made promise to myself right before the new year that I’m going to force myself to get out of my comfort zone. This means taking off the clean suite, getting outside and playing in the mud. Where “mud” is obviously alluding to the organic. (note: there is some dripping sarcasm in the last line) Though I’m making a joke, mostly intended for myself, there is some truth to this.
As for Fragments, though I’m still in that clean room, I’m starting to make the transition. Today’s example is that first step, and very small one at that. I’m spending more time on the overall sound of the piece, space and structure. As opposed to just creating a process and letting it run for x amount of minutes.
One thing of particular interest is that I’m applying Bohlen-Pierce ratios and proportions to various elements of the piece. Such as note duration, envelope, next start times, FM modulation indexes and ratios, etc. Though I can’t claim this idea as mine, as it came from friend and mentor Dr. Richard Boulanger who had suggested it to me in an email.
Fragments 3: fragments_3.csd