I just finished Kadenze’s “Experimental Foundations of Sound Design” course, and it was great! Starting with looking at sample libraries and tape music techniques, you build up a set of individual sound recordings, process them using tape music techniques (in the box, of course, using Audacity), and learn to design and create an imaginative soundscape. Along the way you learn about auditory perception and how it affects sound design, and some techniques in Audacity in Ableton for manipulating sounds to improve tonality and place objects on the stereo field.
I had a lot of fun with it. Even though I’ve read a lot about tape music techniques and sound perception, it was great to have the lectures and some practical experience to back it up.
This year I plan on spending most of my effort in sharpening my acoustic playing — lots of piano practice, and I’ll dig out the long-neglected flute.
Some days, though, I may record drones for later use in compositions. Here’s one with some noise from the Lyra.
Modulated Noise @ -12dB
Obviously, this is not my composition, just my performance. I’ve done one other on SoundCloud, and tomorrow night I’ll probably do this on the OP-Z. I don’t know why, but his entire series ofcompositions from 1960 fascinate me.
I’ve got a #jamuary track from the 24th, too, that I need to upload.
Day 18 was a travel day. After 18 hours awake, when I got home I just didn’t have it in me.
Day 19 is on our Steinway, which I haven’t practiced in over a week, and it shows.