KVR Audio

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 9:35 pm

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... o-way-home

Created back in April for the Cities and Memory website - 'Prison Songs' project: citiesandmemory.com/projects/prisonsongs/

For various reasons, I didn't quite get around to uploading it at the time!

This was a tricky project – so many possibilities! I experimented with numerous ideas including a full on expansion of the track involving drums, bass, organ, horn section etc!

This more ambient version is based around the simple concept of being trapped somewhere unfamiliar and not being able to get back home.

It was created in Reaktor 5 using various granular modules. No new audio has been added - everything in the piece is taken from the original prison song recording - "Duckin' and Dodgin'" by Hogman Maxey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5WCsRdm0eM

The pulsing strand was created from a short clip of the strummed guitar.
The two deeper threads were created by manipulating fragments of the original vocal line.

seismic1 · Post by **seismic1** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:11 am

This one has a very disorientating atmosphere. The 'alien" sounds certainly impart a feeling of unfamiliarity and with a distinct lack of tonal reference, it is quite easy to get lost in this space. This is a great piece of sonic re-purposing, and the sentiments expressed by the original song have been successfully incorporated into the new track.

Good work

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:03 am

Thanks for the feedback, Tim.

You have grasped exactly what I was aiming for...the central message hidden away amongst the up tempo, bouncy rhythms of the original!

Truth is, (moving the 'deep' concepts to one side), it's quite a difficult listen - no tunes, man! :0)

Ah, what the hell...

The more serious truth is that my mom died suddenly whilst I was composing it way back in April and I know that it took a 'darker' path because of that! I had to get it finished for the project deadline, but it was tough....'disorientating atmosphere' sort of covers where my thoughts were at the time! :0)

seismic1 · Post by **seismic1** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:55 am

ChamMusic wrote:
The more serious truth is that my mom died suddenly whilst I was composing it way back in April and I know that it took a 'darker' path because of that! I had to get it finished for the project deadline, but it was tough....'disorientating atmosphere' sort of covers where my thoughts were at the time! :0)

I had a very comparable experience almost 4 years ago when my father died. I was mixing an upbeat track and had to break off when I got the phone call from my sister. When I eventually got back to the mixing, I broke the track in half and inserted a "dark" pseudo-ambient bridge section over 2 minutes in length into the centre of the song. To a casual observer, this might seem like an eccentric act, but at the time, it was the only thing to do. I wouldn't ever change it. That bridge stays forever.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:59 pm

"I wouldn't ever change it. That bridge stays forever."

I understand entirely!

annode · Post by **annode** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:42 am

Sorry you lost your mom Mark.
Just came in to support this sort of experimental music.
Somewhat reminiscent to Tim's 'Respirator' in mood and circumstance.
Like prison, your trapped within the respirator.

Can you talk a little about what we are hearing besides a granular stretch created in Reaktor?
I assume you altered it in other ways?

Thanks.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 3:25 pm

Hi Barry,
Thank you for the kind words and apologies for the delayed response.

All layers for this piece were constructed in the same Reaktor module - Metaphysical Function. It's one of those that instantly generate sound when you open it up, so a lot of people ignore it as a weird preset machine. But...

You can do a huge amount of automation + upload your own wav files into its sampler section which can then be edited alongside its 2 other totally independent sound generation sections...imaginatively labelled A and B! :0)

Oscillators in A and B are summed and then amplified + passed through a 12dB filter.

Outputs of the 2 filters are then combined both additively and via ring modulation.

There is a MIX section where you can cross fade between the summed signal and ring modulated one.

The output of the sampler section - where you have uploaded your own wav files is then mixed with all of the above.

ALL of this then goes through the MASTER section - Filter / EQ / Spin Module / Resochord / Reverb / Main Volume.

Attached is a screen shot from one layer of the piece...rectangular green lights signify parameters that were automated and NOT static. The big graphic display in the middle ebbs and flows with the audio and you can also interact with it in real time to tweak the sound. Above it - P1 and P2 are PITCH MODULATION controls.

Hope that helps.
Mark

If you want any more detail about Metaphysical Function - here's a link to a pdf that explains it all:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx46tiu6hcqmv ... n.pdf?dl=0

annode · Post by **annode** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 6:16 pm

Hey thanks Mark!
I have an old ver. of Reaktor,and I do remember Metaphysical Function. I haven't been in there for some yrs now. You have got me curious and somewhat excited about it and Reaktor again.lol
Going to get into it tonight.

Cheers.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:55 pm

Enjoy!

wavephonic · Post by **wavephonic** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 2:51 pm

very cool way of producing this, it has a lonely feel to it, kinda reminded me of the movie the martian. sorry to read that news man, best in the new year to you.

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:24 pm

@wavephonic:

Thank you.

The Martian soundtrack - I know what you mean there...it has some quite disturbing / minimalist /electronic moments...a bit more experimental than many other recent sci-fi films although it does still have bombastic moments! :0)

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:19 pm

I love me some Metaphysical Function compositions. It's a fun instrument to get lot in.
I enjoyed this piece. It has direction which can be difficult to achieve with this kind of instrument. Even with automation it can be tough to guide devices which generally do their own thing. Well done.

Thanks for sharing!

ChamMusic · Post by **ChamMusic** » Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:36 pm

Thanks for the feedback Justin - much appreciated.

MF is a tough beast to tame at times, although importing your own wav file helps enormously in pushing the sound in new directions!

I'm becoming a bit of a REAKTOR nut...so many in-built modules and so many brilliant user-created ones on the NI forum as well.

Trapped in the Void - No Way Home