(sonicarts) final project – midi and synthesis

Due 12/12/14, by 8:00 am. In-class performance at 9:45 (change from the syllabus)

overview

Compose a short work using virtual analog synthesis. The work should be between 1:30 and 2:00 (minutes). Material created with the Retro Synth in Logic Pro X will occupy a significant portion of the final project. You will need to create at least three virtual instruments in the Retro Synth, and each instrument will need to have at least two parameters respond to MIDI automation (apart from note number and key velocity). Form does not need to be much of a concern at this length.

You can make use of repeated patterns and repeated phrase material, provided you include some artful/interesting sound parameter transformations over time, and/or interesting sounds and combinations of sounds within your patterns. You may also use some of your existing processed audio material, or newly created processed audio. I will provide some listening examples by Richard Devine, Amon Tobin, and Brian Eno to help you.

requirements and grading criteria

• Duration: 1:30 – 2:00 (10)
• Three different Retro Synth instruments (presets) (10)
• Two automation controls for each instrument, as evidenced by data in your software instrument tracks (10)
• Creativity: are your sounds interesting and used in interesting ways in the project? Do your Retro Synth instruments make use of interesting modulation and automation controls? (40)
• Quality of edits and finished audio: you should not have audible clicks at beginnings or ends of edited audio, and your audio should not distort (it should not go over the maximum amplitude). (20)
• Organization of files and following turn-in procedure: is there a finished, mixed audio file? Can I open your project file and play back all the tracks contained? Did you include your original source files and your processed files? Did you include your Retro Synth instrument preset files? (10)

turn-in procedure

Note: everyone must turn in their files via an internet file storage service (dropbox, box, google drive, iLocker, etc.). No projects on flash drives will be accepted. At 8:00 am on 12/12 I will start downloading projects, and I expect to have everyone’s project by then.

• Include all Logic Pro X files, Retro Synth instruments, and audio files in a single folder, with your name as part of the folder name.
• Zip/compress the folder, and upload it to a filesharing service (see above note).