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Mobile Song Process
For starters this was incredibly challenging. My phone has a relatively slow processor for this day and age, so I essentially made the song blindly.
Making one MIDI file a time, I would record each component save it, then have to remember what I made and record another part on top of the saved MIDI files. For this project, I used WalkBand (which is a very good app for digital piano). The song consisted of two drum tracks, a bass track and a guitar track the provided the melody line, all of which I played “live” on the phone. When it came to approaching the song, I actually had a very challenging time jumping into it. But my roommate was jamming out to music in her headphones and I could her a little bit of the drum line (it was a drum and “bass” heavy piece). This is where I drew the creativity from. After trial and error, I was ready to submit the assignment when I realized that the melody had no harmony. So I went back in, and surprisingly in one take created harmony holding down two notes at a time on the Bass screen (keep in mind, I was counting the whole time because I couldn’t hear the rest of the piece that had been made). Then poof! It magically turned into some pretty okay work and despite my sanctification with the piece, unless I update my phone, I will never make a song using my phone again.
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Self Remix
So this was actually my favorite project to make. I don’t consider my self a very creative person to begin with, but I found that making a piece is much easier than remixing it. Typically once I hear a son, I let it settle and decide that “that’s how it’s supposed to sound, why alter it?”. But, this was a fun challenge. I chose to Remix my MIDI piece, which I pulled from a free online MIDI file database. I took the melody (Piano R and L) and made a beat using GroovePizza, while listening to the piece. Once I added that almost Spanish texture, I decided I wanted to “EDM” it up! So I added in the SYNTH Smooth Lead 2 in Dbm to begin the piece. In the second measure I added a split sample I took from the melody line of the MIDI file and layered that on top of a drum-soft pop loop that Sound Trap provided. Throughout the beginning of the piece there is a SFX-EDM build up that brings the carry the momentum of the song to the bridge, where I left a drum loop I made myself and the Right hand piano track. Then I add back in the rest of the textures (excluding the EDM Build up and SYNTH smooth lead). This combination plays the same as the beginning of the song did and the song comes to a close.
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Peer Remix Process
For this project, I used Laura Carter’s piece titled St. Patrick’s Breastplate. The piece was slow and had a nice melody line, which Laura provided herself using a MIDI track done with Piano. Although I was fond of the song, I thought it could use some depth and texture. It was like a vanilla cake, but I added the fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and vanilla icing and made it a decent Strawberry Shortcake (but this is based off of personal taste).
I started and ended the piece with a quiet vinyl crackle followed with a bass drum kick and two soft symbol taps. Then, I chopped up and highlighted certain sections from her original piece and layered them. The harmony in this worked out nicely, but the timing was a a little sloppy. The towards the middle, I added soft, one pluck guitar strings and pitched altered them to fit the melody line.
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Sampling Ethics:
Do you think that sampling without permission is morally acceptable? If so, why? If not, why not?
Definition of morality: principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior
Sampling without permission is a tricky subject. When you think about it, it is very challenging to deem a piece as “original” work. To some degree, something within the song will be copied..whether it be a combination of chord progressions, beast, intervals that make a brief melody, ect. “In Western music, scale notes are often separated by equally tempered tones or semitones, creating 12 notes per octave”. (1) and considering the human ear can identify between 10-11 octaves,that leaves musicians a limited amount of combinations to choose from to create a piece. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are thousands (maybe even millions... but I’m a musician, a vocalist to be more specific, so math is obviously not my strong point!) of possible combinations to create a piece of work, but at some point we will come to a temporary plateau in music making. This is where re-mixing comes in. Back to the original question, I think to some degree, yes it is unacceptable to copy a sample w/o permission. HOWEVER returning to my facts above, can it truly be morally wrong to copy someone’s sample when the “original” sample was most likely copied? Just as we encounter “people we’ve never seen before” in our dream (Which: fun fact! These characters are derived from faces we’ve encountered at least once in passing) music and combinations of different tones are not new ideas. To my understanding, and personal experience (remember, I am no expert) my brain combines a variety of tunes I have heard before and makes a “new tune”, but in all reality, it’s not that new. It’s just like patching different pieces of cloth together to make a “new” shirt... but it’s not new, it’s just pieced together differently. SO to answer the question above, no I do not think it is morally wrong, however, I do believe that people deserve credit where it is due, and it’s important to acknowledge those we are using samples from... and if they want to acknowledge they got their samples from, then that’s on them.
(1) https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+pitches+are+there&oq=How+many+pitches+are+there&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.3746j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=how+many+pitches+are+there+in+music
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Who’s sample is it anyway?
Example A [Melody directly used form song other than original]:
1.) Ed Sheeran (Shape of You) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dK2tDK9grQ
2.) TLC (No Scrubs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrLequ6dUdM
Ed Sheeran’s Shape of you was an immediate hit and “peaked at number-one on the singles charts of 30 different countries, including the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as the UK, Australian and Canadian singles charts. It has stayed at number one for 16 consecutive weeks on the Canadian Hot 100 tied for the record, and 14 non-consecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart,[6] and 12 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.” ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_of_You)
Although this is not a “direct” audio sample, the sample is very, very close. The basis of the beat is similar and it runs through the entirety of the piece. Just as it does in No Scrubs. A law suit was filed against Ed Sheeran and in ended in Sheeran having to to add members of TLC and additional names to his record after, after admitting that Shape of you was derived from No Scrubs without proper copyright.
Example B [Lyrics directly used in a song other than the original]
1. Charlie Puth’s (See You Again-- original song bout loss of a friend) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLbG1HmfBIk
2. Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKAFK5djSk
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Found Sound (Dresser Drawer)
For this piece I used Laura Carter’s Dresser Drawer sound. Splitting the sounds to gather two different sounds was challenging. I wanted the latch swinging and the slam of the handle hitting the desk to serve as a percussive instrument. I accomplished this by layering the in initial swing of the handle and doubling that for two beats at a time, then i followed it up with the segment that incorporates the handle hitting the drawer. Additionally, I added in a drum loop called “bread ‘n’ butter” because I wanted it to be just that. I wanted to add this loop to take add depth and texture to the piece, without overriding the other percussion tracks.
After I made these different clips and got a solid percussive foundation, I began to build my song. I layered two piano tracks. One has a synthesized sound (with a brass foundation), and is used this to texture the leading piano part (which serves as the melody). The synthesizer comes in every 8 beats. Then I used a MIDI piano provided by Sound trap and layers the different chords underneath the piano tracks.I still felt that harmony wise I needed more, so I added the Piano CL Rhodes Am loop to add more depth to the harmony.
In the end, the finalized song has some parts that don’t exactly line up, but I think in terms of bringing in an external sound and chopping it up, I did a pretty okay job!
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Real vs Hyper-real vs Surreal
Real: Dust in the Wind (Kansas) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ
I chose this song to represent the “real” track because the piece was actually recorded live in the studio, and when added to the album, they decided not to manipulate it in any way. The piece consists of two guitars, one with standard tuning and the other in Nashville tuning. It also has one violin, one viola, and small set of bongos (which emerge towards the end of the song). “Kansas released a live version of the song on their album Two for the Show.”
Hyper-real:Attention (Charlie Puth) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfs8NYg7yQM
I chose Charlie Puth’s Attention to represent the Hyper-real recording because although he had created all of the individual tracks, they were then manipulated in an electronic studio. The bass an guitar lines sound very real, however, when timed they fall a little too perfectly onto the beat. Additionally, the drum line also in tied perfectly.
Surreal: I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fFn2LZGnMM
As most of the songs made in the 80′s I Wanna Dance With Somebody Is has a very influenced synthesizer sound. The pronounced drum beat is loud and almost “splattered” and the bounciness of the underlying drum track sounds very artificial. Although this piece can e performed live, it can never truly achieve the lively sound created in the studio.
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“Cherry Wine” from the Mahogany Sessions(Unplugged)
The song I chose to analyze is Hozier’s “Cherry Wine”-- specifically the edition from the Mahogany sessions. This contemplation of different songs was dedicated to convert hosier’s pieces into guitar/voice tracks only. For this piece specifically, Hozier is playing the equivalent of two guitarists, using the low E string on a standard 6 string guitar to serve as the bass of the song. Although the song consists only of one vocal track and one guitar track, the combination of the setting’s acoustics and the harmony provided by the chords makes a nice pair for a full sound.
Cherry Wine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtRIz7VocNs
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MIDI Song Process
Where did you get your MIDI from?
I downloaded my MIDI piece from this website: http://www.midiworld.com/files/
What software instruments did you use and why?
In the software I chose to add a drum line to the song to add some depth and texture. The piano piece itself was really beautiful, but I felt that the brightness of the piece needed to be accompanied by an upbeat, sassy drum line. The main drum beat was from Groove Pizza and the two small additives were from the drum software available in Sound Trap.
Do you feel like the end result was satisfying?
Actually no, not at all! I unfortunately did not put in nearly as much time as I would have liked. All-in-all I was happy with the outcome because the groove sounded decent and was passable for a grade, but I definitely could to more to shape the song. Additionally I liked the jazz/Latin drum thing that was going on, but if I could go back, I’d choose a whole new piece to work with.
What would you do differently if you had unlimited time and ability?
Well, as stated before, I would have 1. chosen a whole new piece and 2. since I decided to stay with the piece, I would have gone back and doctored it up with harmony, a bass line, and some EDM/Techo ingredients to spice up the piece. This song has a lot of potential to be a great dance piece, especially for events like raves or house parties.
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Loop Song Process
Which loops did you use and why?
Loops:
SFX- Sweep- This comonent of the song added texture and a nice background sound. It was small enough, yet noticeable, making it a useful, unique tool.
SYNTH- Vocomember Em- I this additive was the most interesting and importance part of the piece. As far as character goes, this loop was that one friend who livens up the party. Originally I was basing the entirety of my song off of this one loop. I figured it’d serve as a good back bone. Then I thought it’d be better as the “solo” component. Similar to the main character of a TV show who isn’t always featured in every episode, but the title of the show is based off of it’s name. So as I was finalizing the project, I felt that I made the right decision bringing this loop into the limelight.
BASS- Retro Funk1 EM- This bass line is that on ingredient that doesn’t have to be used, but always makes the cake taste just a little bit sweeter. Towards the end of finalization, I felt that there was something missing in the song. It was lacking fullness. That’s where this bass line comes in. It’s typical only to have one bass line, but this worked very well with the other bass line, so I just had to incorporate it. It’s this only component of the song that isn’t in Em. It’s the parallel major, E major.
BASS- Blast4 Em (Only component of the piece that never ceased to play)
So, this loop is the back bone of the entire piece. There is never a moment in the song where it isn’t playing. Back bones are the strongest components of any piece. But their strengths can also be used for things other than the basis of a song. For example I chose to use this loop as a strong beginning hook, grounded middle beat, and “cliff hanger-like” ending; in hopes that it urges the listener to want more, but is also satisfying enough to use as closure for the piece. Also, it was a subtle enough that I could pair it with a second bass line and not overwhelm the listener with a lot of lower-register depth. Despite it’s subtleties, it was noticeable and predictable enough to use as the grounding for this song.
PIANO- ADK Electric Grand 1 Em-
To me, this loop was a necessity. Being chosen as my second loop in the piece, I was immediately intrigued by it’s texture and how it lays out. If you listen to the track individually, the loop starts out on the E, the tonic. For every measure there are 4 beats, and every beat is sub divided into 16th notes. The 16th notes are all apart of individual scales. For example: Beat 1 starts on E and the ‘e + a’ of the 1st beat ascend in a scale on degrees 1, 2, 3, & 4. The second beat moves down a major 4th to B, and from there the ‘2 e + a’ ascend on scale degrees 5, 6, 7, & 1. The third beat moves down a m3 and the ‘3 e + a’ are on scale degrees 3, 4, 5, & 6, then the measure concludes when the last beat, beat 4 hits the G above E2. These musical components were important because it added flare to the piece. The combination of downward leaps with ascending scales was completely different from all of the other loops, there by adding creativity and purpose to the sound. Additionally, it’s fun to listen to.
PIANO- ADK Electric Grand 4 Em
This sound is super funky, like a distorted electric piano, but I added it because I needed a piece to compliment the Electric Grand 1 piece. This did the job.
BEAT- FlashDrums 2 ST- Lastly, I added the drums as per suggestion from a friend. I hadn’t thought the piece needed it because some of the components had offered just enough percussive texture, with out actually using percussive ‘instruments’. But once I added the drum kit to the piece, it immediately brought it to life in a way I didn’t even think was possible. Although I was reluctant at first, I’m glad the beat was added. The song itself was already fairly full, but the groove of this “hip-hop” beat was like the extra layer of cookie crumble on-top of the cake’s icing. Not necessary but much appreciated.
How did you approach creating a structure?
My dad listens to a lot of ‘groovy’ music, and so when I found the first loop, I immediately thought of a song he would like. I started building from there, and actually sent the piece to my dad for critique. He actually said “wow, sounds like one of my funky tunes”!
Do you feel like creating music in this way is a legitimate form of musical creativity?
I absolutely do! I believe there are more options that could allow from more creativity, but as far as ‘this way’ being legitimate, I certainly think it is. Music is heavily based on repetition and these loops are created on just that... hence the name ‘loops’. Of course you’re options as an artist would be limited to some extent, but a good number of people don’t really look that deeply into pieces, they more listen for enjoyment, some even put music on as background noise. If an artists was looking to get creative and express creativity to “original” works, I believe they could do it!
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Chained To the Rhythm
For my song analysis project I chose to strip down Katy Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm”. The song has a very busy sound, and the many different layers on instruments makes the piece seem more complicated than it is. It was simple to break down, because there were a limited amount of section titles to choose from; Intro, Verse (1, 2, & 3), Pre-Chorus, Chorus pt.1/pt.2, Bridge/Solo, and Outro. My change in sections was based off of two main components- Phrasing and repetition. Here is a break-down of how I identified each section and why.
Intro: For the first 04.30s of the piece, the introduction is distinct because it 1. begins the piece and 2. is a beginning instrumental section leading into the first verse. Although in this piece, the introduction is has a very distinct beginning and end, not all pieces do. Which is why it’s important to determine the defining qualities an introduction has (other than it begins the piece).
Verse 1, 2, & 3: The verses were easy to determine due to their repetitive nature. All of them followed parallel chord progressions and served as the “meat” of the song’s story. Additionally All of the verses were roughly 15.00s long.
Pre-chorus: In this piece, it was challenging to determine if “Pre-Chorus” was the right terminology. However, I wasn’t sure if the segments labeled “pre-chorus’ had any-other purpose. Although the ‘pre-chorus’ served as a break between verse 1 and verse 2, it also appears around 41.00s, right before the Chorus, which comes in at 53.00s. The only reason I ended up labeling “So comfortable we’re livin in a bubble, bubble.So comfortable we cannot see the trouble, trouble.” as the pre-chorus is because at the 45.00s mark, we are introduced to the Second part of the pre-chorus? “Aha! So put your rose-colored glasses on, and party on”... Which is followed by Chorus pt. 1 at 53.00s. However I do believe there could be a different terminology used, but for the mean time ‘Pre-chorus’ will have to suffice.
Chorus pt.1/pt.2: The chorus pt.1 in this song was very easy to determine due to it’s repetitive nature and placement throughout the piece. It is always followed by the “rose-colored glasses” line and is always 20.00s long. I decided to split the “chorus” title into two separate sections because after the 20.00s segment, the second half of the chorus is filled with more substance. For example (and maybe it’s just how I hear it) but around 1min and 15s, the bass is more prevalent and the artist’s voice is enhances with more layer and harmony, specifically in the lower register. Additionally in the second chorus sections,, she begins to solo on top of the melody line.
Bridge/Solo: The bridge/solo was determined by it’s uniqueness. In addition to Katy Perry, a second artist, Skip Marley, is introduced to us at 2mins and 50s. Adding a ‘rap’ section to the piece I feel added a great deal of climax of the song, which is typically a ‘bridge’s’ job. Adding texture, climax, and a ‘close to the finish-line feel’, the bridge in a song is, to me, the most crucial and identifiable component. I mean “bridge” literally means extending across, connecting pathways. Which in this context, allows the listener to understand that the first half of the piece is over, and the ending is near.
Outro: Just as the intro had distinctive qualities, the outro did as well. As the instrumental components of the music begin to dwindle, the song comes to a close. I decided that the Outro began at 3min and 33secs because we hear the song begin a cycle of repetitive lyrics and chord progressions. Then at 3min and 45s the song becomes completely acapella and Katy Perry closes with “We’re all chained to the rhythm”.
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Pizza and a groovy?
Groove Pizza is a website (created by my professor) that gives individuals the opportunitie to create their own beats using a variety of preset genres and instruments. For this assignment I created a beat based off of the “Afro-Latin” sound system. Check it out! It’s pretty groovy.
https://apps.musedlab.org/groovepizza/?source=pub&museid=ryrRIEYYe
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Uh yes.. Hello? It me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHsXMglC9A
Least Favorite Song: Honestly, I didn’t have a “least favorite song” but considering the radio overplayed this one to death, I thought it’d be the closest thing. Adele is a wonderful artists who’s songs are full of honesty and I greatly admire her ability to belt. However, despite her talents, I feel that this is one of her weaker pieces. Maybe my hostility is partly to blame on the radio station, but additionally I have trouble understanding why this piece was thrown into the number one spot for so long. It is a soft spoken, over dramatic piece about a relationship that took place many moons ago. Every time I hear it, all I can think is “let it go already”. Also why would anyone call someone 1,000 times? If he wanted to answer, he would have.The music and her vocals in the piece may be enjoyable, but her intentions are rather annoying and repetitive. Maybe one day I will come to love and understand the deeper meaning behind her piece, but until then, this song shall stand as my #1 least favorite piece.
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Mediterranean Sun Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhccIfevjCU
Favorite Piece: Al Di Meola, an “American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Di_Meola), is one of my favorite artists of all time. His speed, accuracy, and musicality bring every one of his pieces to life. When I was young, my father always played his music around the house, especially during the summer months. At the time, I enjoyed the tunes, but never really appreciated the amount of practice he must have put in to acquire these skills. Since the summer of 2016 I have had the opportunity to learn (and come to love) playing guitar. I had been “bitten by the bug” dad says. Since coming to love the guitar my father decided to create a mix tape of our favorite “summer” Al Di Meola pieces. Now, every time I listen to this song and the rest of the CD, it reminds me of the bond my father and I have and how music is such an important part of mine and my family’s life. Mediterranean Sun Dance is my favorite piece because it reminds me of my dad and our family. The piece is essentially the theme song to our summer adventures and expresses how much fun we have at home or on the beach when the weather is warm. It also reminds me of how the sun looks when it “dances” on the water.
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