Not sound design as such...

[synkrotron Both a Producer and a Fan Find all posts View Profile Close synkrotron]

... More composition technique really.


Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place.

I just wanted to say that I am finding that the way I am currently creating my "stuff" has changed. I find that I am doing the equivalent of chucking a load of paint down on a canvas, layers upon layers, and then scratching stuff away and just seeing what turns out.

Perhaps not an awfully musical way of doing things, but as I am dabbling more and more with "found" sounds, and messing with them using various tools, I find it fun...

[Dutch Oven Dream Walker Find all posts View Profile Close Dutch Oven]

That sounds an interesting way of working ! I've always worked the opposite way, building each layer at a time.
Might try your method and see what happens.
I'm a big fan of found sounds and manipulation, always lots of fun !!
Have you published any tracks anywhere using this method ?
Cheers
James.

[aoVI Squanch Mod Find all posts View Profile Close aoVI]

Subtractive composition!

It will be interesting to see if this method leads you to more minimal pieces than you normally compose.

One of my secret tricks is to start with a recording of nature sounds and compose around the natural rhythms of the birdsong/insect chatter. Once I have a few layers influenced by that, I'll remove the field recording and go from there.

[betadecay Sentient Plasma Find all posts View Profile Close betadecay]

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/qu...des103610.html)

[phoenstorm Astral Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close phoenstorm]

Great thread. Once in a while, change your metaphors for what you're doing. Nothing to give you fresh ears like: and today I compose in the style of Vincent van Gogh In a recent Gearslutz thread which unfortunately I cannot retrieve at the moment (damn source amnesia, there you are again...) somebody made the distinction between listening to your project and developing it from there vs coming to a blank slate with a mental concept of what the music is supposed to sound like and then making it a reality. Certainly, the first approach is a lot of fun, the second one is tricky because not only do you need a certain idea of what you're aiming for, you also need the tools & skills to implement it. While I would never discard the joy of exploration, I try to integrate the second approach more in my workflow.

[synkrotron Both a Producer and a Fan Find all posts View Profile Close synkrotron]

Have you published any tracks anywhere using this method ?

Hi James,

My last two OSD pieces was where I started to experiment with this technique, although not many tracks were laid down to be honest. I have three projects on the go right now where I am starting to use more tracks, laying down ideas, creating more tracks as I go.

I am then going back over the tracks, using automation of either just the track volume or the VST settings in order to bring sounds in and out.

On the OSD tracks I also added other bits afterwards, so I suppose it's a combination of "subtractive" and "additive" composition (thanks for providing that wording aoVI )

[Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse Human Find all posts View Profile Close Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse]

My approach is like photography, although I'm photographing my own automations. Basically set a bunch of random or procedurally generated elements into motion then see if it works. If it does, I'll spend the majority of the time in adding proper effects and EQ. I want to be the audience, too, so a good percentage of the time I don't know what will turn up.

Not always, though.

[synkrotron Both a Producer and a Fan Find all posts View Profile Close synkrotron]

so a good percentage of the time I don't know what will turn up.

Yeah... Same here, most of the time, and is probably one of the reasons why it can take me so long to produce a piece, because I spend so much time listening

[aoVI Squanch Mod Find all posts View Profile Close aoVI]

While I am not a huge fan of generative processes, I cannot deny they can and do lead to some interesting results.

Discovery of interesting and/or beautiful things is always worthwhile.

[ian Dream Walker Find all posts View Profile Close ian]

My approach is like photography, although I'm photographing my own automations. Basically set a bunch of random or procedurally generated elements into motion then see if it works. If it does, I'll spend the majority of the time in adding proper effects and EQ. I want to be the audience, too, so a good percentage of the time I don't know what will turn up.

Not always, though.

i love doing this with bass music; twisting random knobs and shit and automating pretty much anything, especially if i don't fully understand what will come out. i think the appeal behind genres of music that aren't based on melody is the proper arrangement of unique sounds. i always start my work in a generative way but over time i like to layer in and subtract sounds at various points. when done correctly this produces much more interesting textures than full-blown generative or subtractive composition; you get the best of both worlds. sometimes, this lends itself to making sounds so complicated that i can return to them in a month and have no clue how i created them :o

[Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse Human Find all posts View Profile Close Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse]

Yeah, it's always fun to listen to something old you did and have no memory of making it. That's a lot of my tracks, actually, lol.

[synkrotron Both a Producer and a Fan Find all posts View Profile Close synkrotron]

sometimes, this lends itself to making sounds so complicated that i can return to them in a month and have no clue how i created them :o

Hi Ian,

To be honest, this doesn't bother me at all and it ensures that I don't repeat myself too much

[Lorn Dream Walker Find all posts View Profile Close Lorn]

... More composition technique really.


Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place.

I just wanted to say that I am finding that the way I am currently creating my "stuff" has changed. I find that I am doing the equivalent of chucking a load of paint down on a canvas, layers upon layers, and then scratching stuff away and just seeing what turns out.

Perhaps not an awfully musical way of doing things, but as I am dabbling more and more with "found" sounds, and messing with them using various tools, I find it fun...

Yea...kind of like within that piece of granite is a statue of Michael.

[Sky High Diamonds Astral Traveler Find all posts View Profile Close Sky High Diamonds]

... More composition technique really.


Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place.

I just wanted to say that I am finding that the way I am currently creating my "stuff" has changed. I find that I am doing the equivalent of chucking a load of paint down on a canvas, layers upon layers, and then scratching stuff away and just seeing what turns out.

Perhaps not an awfully musical way of doing things, but as I am dabbling more and more with "found" sounds, and messing with them using various tools, I find it fun...

I can relate to these methods of creating! Currently I would describe my soundscapes as 'colouring in with sound.'

[Maharg Sentient Plasma Find all posts View Profile Close Maharg]

I used to follow certain processes in a step by step agenda and to some extent still do, but more and more I find that I am using different methods that appear to be random at the time, but upon further reflection seem to follow an "auto reflex response" pattern. A bit like when you are out and about on a hike through the wilderness (I do hike a lot - to walk is good!) and you instinctively close your eyes suddenly to avoid some creature flying into it, or as a small twig from a plant or tree tries to poke you in the eye. Most of the time we avoid contact without harm and without actually being aware of what just took place. We realise it after the fact. It is a reflex action that acts instantly for self protection. It isn't controlled via a predetermined thought. Interesting.
So, back to ambient music. I believe we all have an innate aesthetic. An inherent understanding or knowing of what is right or wrong or what is good or bad (to some degree). It is like riding a bike, you can only learn how to ride a bike by riding a bike. I think our choices in how we construct our artwork, music, sculpture, photography etc is inherently part of our DNA. It progresses and develops as we progress and develop as a person and vice versa.
It has teething problems at first because it is knew, we need to learn to see and listen, how and what our tools do and how they work. What are their boundaries and what happens when we transgress them etc. Once we have build some understanding of the craft we begin to function and think/see things in the light of our new awareness and understanding of what is happening around and inside ourselves. This is a never ending journey of discovery, challenges and fails, and triumphs ,which are all in direct proportion to where we are currently sitting on the ladder of progress.

May be a load of bullshit, but I think we rely more on instinct, reflex and auto response the more we do what we do with a free and open mind. We may not believe it, but we are getting better all the time (the Beetles I think) (well...unless your DNA is totally insensitive and devoid of empathy; which when you observe the human race at the moment you could conclude that most are deficient in large quantities).
All this leads to me saying I can understand how and why everyone takes a different approach to what they do and how they do it. Just like their choices of the tools they use. I can also understand why there are many overlaps and similarities to our different approaches.

Keep sharing your thoughts and discoveries as this is how we can all progress and grow a little bit more each day.

p.s. I think I have just written a new blog post. This stuff sounds so far off track that someone will believe it...