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Emphasising feelings of struggle and fear through sound.

A variety of methodologies were utilised throughout the production process in order to emphasize feelings of struggle and fear. Whilst creating YoYo, the ds-1 distortion pedal was used for its ability to generate analogue clipping, and as a result, created a pleasing distortion that could be suggestive of emotions such as aggression and pain (Atsushi, 2005). A distorted bass line runs throughout the majority of the track, providing an aggressive texture. Using analogue clipping enabled the generation of additional harmonics that intend to serve as an emotional accompaniment to the vocal content. ‘Happy Birthday’ by Joyner Lucas (2015) is just one example of this effect, using strong amounts of analogue distortion in order to mirror the emotional context of the lyrical content. Using a high amount of drive created a sonically displeasing sound that could be considered harsh in comparison to other textures within the track (Atsushi, 2005). However, when considered within the context of the entire mix, the addition of harmonics help to generate a sense of struggle and fear, not only benefiting the emotional context of the track but creating contrast and comparison with softer textures within the mix (Wallerstedt, 2014). Another important compositional methodology used to enhance the emotional context of YoYo was the choice of key. Composing in a minor key meant that the song would immediately benefit from Emotions such as sadness and fear. Using a minor key to suggest Sadness is a technique that is used across a wide variety of musical genres. In contrast, using a major key is typically associated with a desire to portray positive and uplifting emotions (Fritz, 2009). There is however room forbearance within this compositional technique and can be approached with flexibility depending on the contextual connotations of the music (Kawakami, 2013)

Fritz, T. Jentschke, S. Gosselin, N. Sammler, D. Peretz, I. Turner, R. Friederici, A, D. Koelsch, S (2009) Universal Recognition of Three Basic Emotions in Music, Current Biology, Vol. 19, No. 7, P. 573-576.

Happy Birthday (2015) YouTube video, added by Joyner Lucas [Online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6RpbgrHVV0 (Accessed 1st November 2018).

Wallerstedt, C (2014) Experiencing and creating contrasts in music, International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, vol. 3, No. 1.

Atsushi, M. Martins, W, L (2005) Timbre of nonlinear distortion effects: Perceptual attributes beyond sharpness, Proceedings of the Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology.

Kawakami, A. Furukawa, K. Katahira, K. Okanoya, K (2013) Sad music induces pleasant emotion, Frontiers in Phycology, Vol 4, No. 311.

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Videography

Two music videos were designed and created as a way to strengthen both the conceptual as well as the commercial value of the project.

The lead track ‘Let Down’ was intended to have an accompanying video that would enhance the intensity of the lyrical content by minimising the amount of visual stimuli contained within it. Opting for a simple black and white colour scheme using a plain white studio was designed to minimise visual distraction and generate an increase in listener focus (Irving, 2013). Using slow motion footage in the space that surrounds the performer was intended to serve as a subtle visual accompaniment to the lyrics without causing a distraction from the performance. Taking onboard the methodological suggestion from the videographer, it was decided that the video would benefit from the naturalness of a one-take performance. Despite initial resistance from both myself and my collaborator, it was agreed that this approach would assist in the fulfilment of the concept, enhancing the relatability and authenticity of its message. Ultimately, however, a lack of personal satisfaction exists regarding the continuity and flow of the footage despite 3 revisions from the editor. In an effort to combat these feelings of stagnation, a second video editor has been utilized for his ability to create additional graphic design work within after effects. A draft of this second version can be found here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nScN2hD6a54&feature=youtu.be

The Amsterdam video has been well received by both professional and informal peers, satisfying the creative intentions of all parties involved. Upon reflection, this style of video helped to generate a finished product that is more relatable whilst fulfilling the visual expectations of the song. The same videographer was used for both ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Let Down’, revealing the necessity for similar direction in the future.

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Reducing the dynamic range of percussive instruments in order to maximise vocal clarity.

One important consideration when approaching mix techniques for ‘inside out’, was the necessity to ensure that vocal content contained clarity and space within the mix. Connor (2018), expresses the importance of vocal production in rap music, arguing that the ‘weight’ of what is being expressed lyrically should be representative of its presence within the mix. Using a combination of compression, limiting and digital clipping, percussive transients were minimized and as a result, allowed for enhanced vocal clarity across the upper half of the frequency spectrum. Utilizing a combination of Ableton’s stock compressor, FabFilter Pro L and Rob chokehold’s Clipmax, a subtle minimization of the dynamic range created a small but desirable symbiosis between percussive elements, thereby allowing the sibilants to possess greater clarity in the mix. When practiced within a range of -3 to -4 db, these changes in dynamic range can exist without influencing the tone or timbre of the sound (Weymouth, 2013). This same approach has also been utilized for its sonic desirability. Heavier amounts of compression, limiting and clipping has helped to impart desirable saturation across a multitude of sound types including kicks, snares, and sine waves. The track “leave me alone” was built using high amounts of compression and clip saturation as a way to create a saturated but desirable overall timbre (Gibson, 2019). Below is a view of this mix process along with an eq before and after in order to manage both the eventual tone as well as the balance of energy being fed into the mix chain.

Connor, M, E (2018) The Musical Artistry of Rap, McFarland, North Carolina.

Gibson (2019) [online] Available at http://es.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/effects-explained-overdrive-di.aspx (Accessed 1st March 2019)

Weymouth (2013) The Loudness War: A Game and Market Theory AnalysisGRIN Verlag, Munich.

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Maintaining interest.

Whilst the harmonic elements contained within the track ‘Let Down’  remain almost identical throughout the songs arrangement, a variety of sound effects and field recordings have been utilized both for their ability to create progression as well as a heightened sense of variety throughout the composition (Rodgers, 2003). One consideration whilst writing ‘let down’, was to provoke feelings of boredom and monotony without sacrificing musical interest. Vocal content provided the basis for which sounds were chosen, allowing for interest to be maintained as well as an enhanced representation of the personal dialogue. Many of the field recordings were created from objects that offered sonically complex and engaging spectromorphology.

Although this sound is subtle and generates little attention, it provides a natural sense of imperfection to the overall texture of the mix. This desirable imperfection is representative natural sound which often contains complex spectromorphology (Watt, 2014).

A conceptual compromise was made to maintain low levels of melodic and harmonic interest in an effort to enhance the impact and the clarity of the vocal content. After experimenting with complex melodic elements and further enhancing the variety of percussion parts, a decision was made to maintain simplicity and a sense of minimalism. ‘Dry your eyes’ by The Streets (2004) uses simple and unchanging percussion throughout and as a result, creates what could be considered as an enhanced focus towards the vocal content. This methodology provided a source of inspiration for maintaining the balance between musical interest and the creative choice to represent feelings of monotony and struggle.

Rodgers, T (2003) On the process and aesthetics of sampling in electronic music production, Organised Sound, Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 313 - 320.

The Streets (2004) Dry your eyes, London, Warner Music Uk Ltd.

Watt, H, J (2013) The Psychology of Sound, Cambridge University Press, London.

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Choice of Tempo.

Before starting each project, conceptual intention dictated the choice of tempo and its suitability to a specific genre. When considering a necessity for variance within the album, a conscious effort was made to design songs that would best suit vocal communication. The track yo-yo was designed to express feelings of desperation, anger and sadness. With these qualities in mind, a choice was made to construct music that contained attributes of Trap music. Typically, trap music maintains a tempo of around 140 bpm to 150 bpm, but through a process of experimentation, a choice was made to reduce the tempo to 134 bpm. This reduction in tempo allowed for the necessary balance between expressivity and clarity in the vocal performance. Basing sound choice and instrumentation upon existing works ensured that yo-yo could be considered as a trap music composition despite a significant reduction in tempo. The snare, hi-hats and horns have been utilized for their association with trap music and have been implemented in the hope that they fulfil the expectations of the trap music aesthetic. With vocal expression once again forming the primary intention of the composition, the songs construction is built to accompany the performer’s story. This approach is in contrast to other examples from within the same genre that typically offer accentuated crescendos and intensification of the ‘drop’ (Run the trap, 2019; Haithcoat, 2012)

In contrast, ‘Up’ was composed at 90 bpm as a result of the desire to fulfil Its intended emotional context. Research suggests that positivity and intensified feelings of happiness and euphoria are intermittent and irregular which provided a basis for corresponding musical representation (Feldman, 2010). As a result, impactful instances of sustained pads helped to create a sound that is reflective of positive and euphoric emotions. Such irregularity, however, has also been associated with fear and anxiety and has provided a source for musical inspiration within other tracks of the EP (Hailstone, 2009).

Feldman, F (2010) What Is This Thing Called Happiness?, OUP Oxford, London.

Hailstone, J, C. Omar, R. Henley, S, M, D. Frost, C. Kenward, M, G & Warren, J, D (2009) It’s Not What You Play, It’s How You Play It: Timbre Affects Perception of Emotion in Music, The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, p. 2141-55.

Haithcoat, R (2012) What the Hell Is Trap Music (and Why Is Dubstep Involved)? [Online] Available at https://www.laweekly.com/music/what-the-hell-is-trap-music-and-why-is-dubstep-involved-2408170 (Accessed 11th March 2019)

Run The Trap (2019) What is trap music [online] https://runthetrap.com/what-is-trap-music/ (Accessed 11th March 2019)

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Generating humanization.

Generating a sense of humanization has been an integral part of the compositional process from the inception of the project. Lead by the conceptual decision to represent the realities of living with mental illness, compositional processes have been purposefully designed to avoid the rigidity and conforming attributes of spanning to the grid digital perfection in music production.

One methodology used to fulfil this purpose is ‘septuplet swing’. Much like ‘quintuplet swing’ which is achieved through a process of quantization within the DAW, septuplet swing is created using grid division and unequal note positioning (Soundonsound, 2017). Condensing seven midi notes within the space of one beat creates the rhythmic foundation for septuplet swing. When isolated, the first and fifth midi notes create a lazy and laid back groove, helping to enhance the album’s concept of unconformity. This groove has been associated with hip hop producer J Dilla and is informally known as the ‘Dilla Feel’ (Akira, 2017). A degree of movement between these positions also allows for expansion on artistic preference and helps to generate an additional sense of humanization. Varying degrees of septuplet swing have been utilized across inside out in an attempt to maximize diversity and individuality.

Below is a clip from ‘Slow’. The drum track contains septuplet swing in an effort to create a sense of humanization and passivity.

https://soundcloud.com/greg-taylor-365459637/slow-snippet

Akira, D. Stadnicki (2017) Play like Jay: Pedagogies of drum kit performance after J Dilla, Journal of Popular Music Education, Vol 1, No 3, p. 253-280.

Soundonsound (2017) Wonky beats in Logic [Online]. Available at https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/wonky-beats-logic (accessed 20 February 2019)

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Re-amping.

A process of re-amping was designed and implemented in an effort to accentuate the sonic desirability of each harmonic element used within the construction of ‘fine’. Feeding the signal through an output of the interface and into a speaker meant that it could then be recorded back into the DAW with the added benefit of both an analogue source as well as additional analogue processing. Using this technique allows for the addition of harmonic distortion as well as the subtle non-linear characteristics of analogue processing (Izhaki, 2003). Using low latency from within Ableton ensured that midi control could be retained without the influence of latency, serving to maintain the creative benefits of real-time performance. A reference track was used in order to find the appropriate microphone positioning, providing a direct comparison between the original file and the re-amped signal. Adjustments of only a centimetre were enough to unbalance the eq of the signal and so a high level of commitment was required to find the correct positioning.

Izhaki, R (2013) Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools, Taylor & Francis, Oxfordshire. 

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Working for free

As a result of previous music industry collaborations, both myself and Ian have the benefit of existing relationships with a variety of professionals from within different areas of the creative industries. Previous collaborations, as well as personal friendships, meant that artwork was offered to us free of charge. Despite obvious benefits regarding budget and ease of communication, this opportunity eventually generated feelings of unease when requesting edits and revisions. Whilst this was certainly a benefit to us when considering the production of both music videos as well as album artwork, the project did suffer from a lack of commitment from designers. Receiving free creative work also meant that confirming an exact date for its finalization became increasingly difficult. Upon reflection, the recruitment and selection process for designers and editors could benefit from a monetary incentive and in doing so, might have allowed for a more rigid approach regarding the exchange of work, as well as helping to officiate the process of professional exchange. David Airy (2012) explains that whilst working for free can reduce stress on the part of the designer, inevitably, it may result in a reduced level of professionalism and a lack of commitment to a deadline.

Airey, D (2012) Work for Money, Design for Love: Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Starting and Running a Successful Design Business, New Riders, Indianapolis.

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Overcoming stagnation and monotony

Due to feelings of stagnation and monotony, the location in which collaborative composition took place was frequently rotated. Using a laptop along with two pairs of headphones meant that myself and my collaborator could work outside of the studio environment together. This approach was crucial in ensuring the continuation and eventual completion of the project. Sitting outside helped to generate a refreshed sense of enthusiasm for the production process, helping to prevent feelings of repetition, boredom and stagnation. At times, the production process was in danger of becoming a source of distress and confrontation between myself and my collaborator and so, utilising the benefits of working in a variety of locations aided in our ability to overcome potential barriers. This methodology proved to be effective against the negative effects that can occur as a result of regular personal interaction, helping to enhance not only the strength of the collaboration but the level of creativity that could be generated on a consistent basis (Korunka, 2017).

Korunka, C. Kubicek, B (2017) Job Demands in a Changing World of Work: Impact on Workers' Health and Performance and Implications for Research and Practice, Springer, New York.

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Minimising the use of reverb.

 Throughout the developmental stages of ‘inside out’, it became apparent that a minimal approach regarding the use of reverb would maintain a close and intimate aesthetic. Using digital reverb caused a reduction in the intimacy and authenticity of the vocal performance, generating what was perceived as an artificial character. The same methodology was implemented across each element within the mix, with both myself and Ian agreeing that a close and present mix style would suit the intention of our concept, and help each track to retain a sense of presence. A creative choice was made to avoid using reverb across instrument buses despite its proven ability to add a sense of coherence and glue across instruments of a similar character (Izhaki, 2013). As a result of minimising the use of reverb and to combat a lack of depth that occurred from doing so, a reduction in gain was applied across select elements within the mix. This methodology increased the dynamic range and helped to enhance the sense of depth (Hepworth-Sawyer, 2016). One explanation that could account for a personal distaste o both algorithmic and convolution reverb is the artificial method in which it is generated. It is a personal belief that on occasion, both types of digital reverb processing can generate an artificial quality which in the context of ‘inside out’ has become undesirable. Hardware reverb would be a welcome addition to the studio, as well as a better-equipped space for the recording of real reverb. Experiments using a reverb chamber have in the past generated positive results but due to a lack of space, budget and time, the choice was made to rely on digital reverb but only when absolutely necessary.

Hepworth-Sawyer, R. Hodgson, J (2016) Mixing Music, Taylor & Francis, Oxfordshire.

Izhaki, R (2013) Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools, Taylor & Francis, Oxfordshire

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Implementing creative constraint.

Writing and producing as part of a collaboration meant that any personal production habits were exposed to potential criticism and scrutiny. As the project progressed, it became apparent that working together during every aspect of the production process meant that time and creativity was being lost. Another difficulty that formed as a direct result of the collaboration was a persistent need of the behalf of my collaborator to change existing elements in each track even after significant time had passed since their inclusion. Lack of experience meant that impractical and unrealistic requests were made which inevitably caused feelings of uncomfortability and anxiousness over the completion of the music. We were, however, able to accommodate a degree of creative constraint when deciding on the completion of both individual sounds, as well as each mix in its entirety. Eventually, we were able to conclude and agree upon the notion that if existing sound choices had helped to form the songs overall character, then it should remain and would be detrimental to the surrounding mix if it were to change. In reference to the process of working under constraint and in keeping with the personal findings that became apparent throughout the production process, Morgan (2015. p 2) claims that  “Constraints can be fertile, engaging and desirable”.

Morgan, A. Barden, M (2015) A Beautiful Constraint: How To Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, and Why It's Everyone's Business, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.

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Album Artwork.

Due to a previous collaboration with Warner Music, an appropriate graphic designer became available who offered to construct imagery based on the contextual themes of the album. As well as offering high-quality artwork the offer was presented free of charge which added further desirability.  As a result of such high-quality existing works, the choice was made to allow the designer a degree of creative freedom. He was, however, given a short and concise written brief that demonstrated our artistic intention for the project, as well as a personal distaste for artwork that contained any imagery of everyday items and objects. This was done in an attempt to avoid straightforward and pronounced imagery and instead, harness feelings of intrigue and enigma (Cytowic, 2011). This methodology hoped to generate symbiosis between visual and sonic attributes, relating further to the depth of the album's concept. In agreeance with Cannon (2018 p. 353) who claims that “a strong image is part of the listener's first impression of your music so choose it wisely”, we felt content in our choice to use a professional graphic designer who had previously delivered satisfactory results. Unfortunately, however, upon completion of the first draught, it became apparent that the written element of my brief had not been considered. A variety of explanations could exist for this miscommunication including a lack of personal communication between myself and the designer as well as the possibility that a conscious choice was made on behalf of my collaborator not to include it. It became apparent that only a small degree of post-editing was on offer and so, unfortunately, a personal dissatisfaction with the Albums artwork remains.  My collaborator, however, feels satisfied that the artwork has a strong symbiosis with the album's concept, meaning that a compromise was made and the artwork remains as the visual representation for the album.

Cannon, J Thomas, T (2018) Get More Fans: The DIY Guide to the New Music Business: (2018 edition) Jesse Cannon.

Cytowic, R, E. Eagleman, D, M (2011) Wednesday Is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia, MIT Press, London.

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Release schedule.

Although each song has no proposed relation to chronological events, each track had a designated release time according to its emotional content. This methodology hoped to ensure fluidity and symbiosis throughout the release of the album (Cannon, 2012). With each track being intentionally built around a lyrical concept, the initial intention was to systematically release each track independently upon completion. Unfortunately, however, due to unforeseen circumstances regarding the date in which the visual elements of the album could be completed, the release schedule could not be maintained. As a result of this, a new direction was established that meant that the album would see it’s release around may 5th. Maintaining a schedule has proven to be one of the most difficult aspects of the collaboration so far. A variety of contributing factors including high demand for other projects, lack of commitment and illness has so far meant that staying on schedule has been unobtainable. As a result, overall management of the project has unfortunately suffered from constant adaptation. However, having now experienced the extent of these complications, future plans will benefit from greater foresight and a more realistic expectation of outcomes (Austin, 2010).

Austin, C Giloth, R (2010) Mistakes to Success: Learning and Adapting When Things Go Wrong, iUniverse, Indiana

Cannon, J. Thomas, T (2018) Get More Fans: The DIY Guide to the New Music Business: (2018 edition)  Juvenile Nonfiction, Nevada.