WoMax

Here's a link to Professor Dubnov's software that he demoed Thursday.

http://recherche.ircam.fr/equipes/repmus/WoMax/

Calit2 Project Proposals

Ideas for Calit2 project proposals:

Telematic improvisation

Use Womax with Jacktrip to create an improvisatory situation where a musician on one side of the world can perform with a remote laptop improvisor in another location.

This will allow many amateur musicians to interact with improvisers in remote locations, and learn about their musical style.

Linking Vamp to Ableton

Vamp provides many ways to analyze sounds and extract features that describe the sound meaning or semantics. The purpose of the project is to use these analysis results and route them back to existing DAW to control effects. This project will investigate ho to create a semantic "side chain" processing method.

Guidage for hits

Discovering repeated pattern in songs and matching to songs to find segments is possible using Audio Oracle. The project will explore the use of AO for music matching, specifically finding excerpts in musical collections that are meaningful or "sticky".

link to submit proposals:

http://ucsdstudents.calit2.net/about.php

Please submit a statement / proposal by the deadline and I should be able to follow up on that after.

A new super popular mashup (2 Million hits):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBY-0n4esNY

Syllabus

Music 173: Creative Mixing and Editing
Instructor: Prof. Shlomo Dubnov sdubnov@ucsd.edu
Office Hours: Thu. 2-3, CPMC 250
TAs: Jacob Sudol, Kyle Johnson
jsudol@ucsd.edu, kyjohnso@ucsd.edu

Course Website:
http://mus173.blogspot.com/

Course Description:
The course teaches the basics of using DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for creative production, with emphasis on critical listening and hands on composition projects. We will learn to use DAW with focus on Ableton tools and tricks. The hands on projects include processing of sound and creating sound effects, arrangement and remixing, and experimenting with electroacoustic and more traditional compositions. Students will also be trained in new ways of listening to abstract sounds and concepts of sound morphology and composition design.

NOTE: This is not a mastering / post production studio course, and it is not about using protools, studio techniques or using multi-track recording consoles. People specifically interested in the recording engineering track should consider the 174 sequence.

Assignments and quizes:
There will be 5 assignments, 2 quizes, 2 composition projects and final presentation.

Assign. 1 - Sound Walk
Assign. 2 - Foley Sounds and Creative Effects
Assign. 3 - Simple arrangement, working with warping, midi map, recording
Assign. 4 - Setting DJ Environment, Arranging with Changing Tempo
Assign. 5 - Working with Dummy Clips in Audio, Dummy Midi Control Clips
Proj. 1 - Abstract Electro-acoustic Composition
Proj. 2 - Traditional Tonal / Metric Composition
Final presentation

Quiz 1 - Ableton Basics: Arrangement, Session, Library, Signal Chain, Instruments
Quiz 2 - Clip View: Automation, Envelope, Track Freeze, Dummy Tracks, Effects, Side Chaining. IAC Driver Settings, Remote MIDI Assignments

Schedule:
Week 1: A. 1
Week 2: A. 2
Week 3: A. 3
Week 4: P.1,
Week 5: Q.1
Week 6: A.4
Week 7: A. 5
Week 8: P. 2
Week. 9: Q. 2
Week 10: FP

Grading:
Assignments: 6% (Total 30%)
Projects: 20% (Total 40%)
Quizzes: 10% (Total 20%)
Final Presentation: 10%

Announcement

Important Notice:

In case anyone wants to do the assignment using other DAW or music software, you may do so. In such case, please observe the following ideas for the two parts of the assignment:
A. Create a set of effect automation presets that manipulate audio effect independently of the incoming sound, and a set of audio clips that are routed to these effects.
B. Modify part A by adding the following two aspects:
1. Use midi controls to record the automation curves / envelopes.
2. In addition to controlling effects in A use automation to control a) a crossfade between two audio clips or midi playbacks, and b) change of tempo.

In case you choose to use your own DAW, or program it in Pd, Max, Supercollider, etc., you need to submit the saved project (set, patch or module) and also add a detailed explanation of how you did it. Also in this case you are free to use different effects since Beat Repeat or Redux are part of Ableton and might not be available in your environment.

Composition Project #2

Composition project 2:

Due before class on March 8. Presentations on the project will take place on March 8 and March 10.

Although this is a "free topic" project, i.e. you get to choose your genre, use of musical language (abstract to traditional) or musical function (concert piece, dance piece, film music, ...) and etc., here are some guidelines and ideas for you to proceed. 

Please note that the project needs to have a substantial mixing and editing element to it, so mashup can be a natural choice. Try to take the assignments one step further beyond soundscape, medley or controllerism automation and show a fluent use of techniques taught in class.  

For sources you can use pre-recorded materials like sounds from freesound.org or ccmixter.

Criteria for evaluation of the musical composition are:
1. Complexity of the project (technical execution)
2. Originality (musical idea)
3. Production Quality: do not forget about things like stereo, frequency range, changes in dynamics, continuity in ambience / reverb, phrasing and even silences, ....
4. Sizzle -  reactions you will get from peers in class!

You need to submit a detailed documentation that consist of the following elements:

1. project description that defines the choice of genre, style, function, .... Also provide some motivation or inspirational blurb
2.  a list of materials (types of sounds, instrumentation, use of voice, lyrics, ... if applicable)
3. Technical notes:  your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) choice and setup. 
4. Compositional notes: Describe the musical form, instrumentation, use of effects and automation.
5. Short (approx. 150 words) program notes that give the title and a general public description of the musical idea (could be derived from project description)
6. Short bio

Final grade will take into consideration both the composition and documentation. 


-----

Here is are some ideas from previous projects, as a possible inspiration:

A mashup of classical / movie like motives, from Strauss' Zarathustra to opening of Terminator and alike. The idea is to create a dramatic atmosphere of a futuristic story through (re)use of dramatic theme, war-like drumming, fanfares and etc.

Oriental fusion piece - combine authentic oriental music with rock or hip-hop to create a mix of exotic and sensual with more progressive western harmony or rhythm like qualities. (Tribal Techno...)

Music of combat: mashup of combat or shooter game music with more familiar combat songs. See http://www.battlenotes.com/Music_of_Combat.html for a list.

Requiem / Lamentation: create a mashup of different requiems to create a mix of lamenting expression, sorrow, eternity and etc. Check out works such as Mozart Requiem Lacrymosa, Barber Agnus Dei, ... to Britten's War requiem to "Requiem for a Dream" film music. (See for examples Evanecense Lacrymosa).

Love song - a mashup of famous love songs. Such as 
http://www.alwaysmylove.com/lovesongs/index.html

good source for free classical downloads is 
http://www.classicalarchives.com

Assignment #5

Assignment 5: Sound Installation / Auto DJ

Due March 1, before class

The techniques we are going to explore in this exercise are useful for automatic DJing or creating sound installations that create a constantly varying flow of sounds.
This also introduces several more advanced aspects of algorithmic composition and controllerism.

One of the interesting phenomena in remix / mashup culture is that great deal of the composition and creative work are done by manipulating control parameters rather then the more traditional process of creation of sounds or composing note sequences. This is where automation, midi remote assignment and control curves play an important role.

Imagine:
Imagine a situation where you are a DJ in gig. You go on stage and all you have to do is drop into Ableton a couple of songs, and the rest is done automatically - the filter parameters are moving, songs are cross fading, glitches, stutters, all are automatically triggered. And next time you start the program or drop new sounds in, the sound results are different and are constantly changing.

There are great ways of introducing variation on clips by grouping related clips and using Follow Actions in Legato Mode. In our pervious examples we have seen how automation can be used to modify a recording to create variations, "give life" or naturalness to a fixed drum loop or audio clip. Follow Actions are also great for sound installations, as they allow you to create music that constantly varies. A good explanation on how to create variations and non-repeating structures can be found in sections 12.6.4 - 12.6.6 of the Ableton manual.

Two advanced techniques:
One problem with the follow method is that the control envelopes and the audio recording are bundled together into one clip. So if you want to drop in a new clip and apply the same processing to it you would have to record or draw the envelopes over and over again.
We can use the technique of dummy clips to separate effects from clips in session view. We will explore this technique in first par of this exercise.
However, clip envelopes can not be used to automate master controls, such as crossfade between A and B clips that are essential for DJing. Automation using MIDI controls will be the done in the second part of this exercise.

Follow the Instructions:
A. Dummy clips

Initial Setting of Audio Tracks
• Create two audio tracks. On track 1 drop several audio clips. In Launch Box turn on Legato and set follow actions to every 4 bars and Any.
• Set "Audio To" to 2-Audio and turn Monitor Off
• On track 2 set "From" to 1-Audio and Monitor In

Dummy Clips
• On track 2 drop a beat repeat effect.
• Record a silent clip into first slot on track 2.
• Double click on the clip slot. This will open an audio clip on the bottom. Display the Envelope Box (button E in Clip View) and select in the top chooser box "Beat Repeat" and "Chance".
• Optional: click on the Linked button (Region/Loop) to turn linking off / should shows now "Unlinked" and In drag the right loop end in the envelope editor and extend it to 8 or 16 bars.
• Use a pencil (Click on Draw Mode or Control - B (Win) / Command - B (Mac)) to draw an envelope shape. For instance you can choose to start with a rising line.
• In Launch Box turn on Legato and select Follow Actions to Play Again and Other with equal chances (type 1:1 in the bottom box).
• Alt-drag (copy) the clip 3 times to create 4 dummy clips. Draw new envelope for each dummy clip to get a different behavior or automate a different control parameter.

Run it:
• Turn on the first scene and see and listen to how the clips switch and the effects change.

B. MIDI Ctrl clips

In this part of the assignment we will show an advanced technique that uses MIDI clips as controls of Audio clips in the same live set. This is achieved by special routing of MIDI from Ableton to itself by setting it in the Preferences. This is not a normal way of routing MIDI across tracks. In Ableton MIDI can not be routed to Audio track without converting it to sound through an instrument. So somewhat like "side chaining" that uses audio from one channel to control and effect on another channel, we will be using MIDI to control effects on another channel through the unique Remote control facility of Ableton.

Setting the preferences.
• Go to: Live -> Preferences -> MIDI Sync tab. Set MIDI Ports sections as:
• Input: IAC Driver (Bus 1), Track "Off", Sync "Off", Remote "On"
• Output: Track "On", Sync "On", Remote "Off"

Note - In some cases you might not have IAC Driver enabled on your mac. (If you are on Windows, email me to find out what is the equivalent).
On Mac: Go to Applications -> Utilities -> double click Audio Midi Setup
Double click IAC Driver and check the "online" box
Now you should be able to go back to Live Preferences and set the Midi routing as described.

Creating the set:
• Create two audio tracks with 2 effects each. For the purpose of the exercise choose Redux, and Beat Repeat. Set Audio 1 to A and Audio 2 to B crossfade.
• Create three midi tracks. Name the Midi tracks - redux, tempo and xfade. Show the I/O section and set MIDI To to IAC Driver.

Create a remote control midi map for the following parameters on each audio track (in other words click on MIDI Map Switch, select a parameters, and move a midi button or slider):
• redux downsample
• project tempo
• master track crossfader

You will need to consult the MIDI Mappings table in the next step to assign the MIDI Clip Envelopes to the correct devices.
In the first MIDI track (redux) do the following:
• Double click on a clip slot. This will open a MIDI clip on the bottom.
• Show the Envelope Box (button E in Clip View) and select in the top chooser box "MIDI Ctrl" as the device to automate.
• Select in the bottom box Clip Envelope Control number that is appropriate for that track according to your MIDI Mappings table that you created before.
• Optional: click on the Linked button (Region/Loop) to turn linking off / should shows now "Unlinked". In the envelope editor drag the right loop end and extend it to 8 or 16 bars.
• Use a pencil (Click on Draw Mode or Control - B (Win) / Command - B (Mac)) to draw an envelope shape.
• In Launch Box turn on Legato and select Follow Actions to Play Again and Other with equal chances (type 1:1 in the bottom box).
• Copy this clip down the same track several times. Edit the envelope in each of the copied clips by drawing different curves such as zigzag, rise and fall, step up and down, or some random change.

Repeat this process for each one of the remaining MIDI tracks (tempo, xfade) choosing each time a MIDI Ctrl envelope according to the MIDI mapping table.
Remember that the way we organized our set is that MIDI track names represent the devices they control, so all clips in one track should operate on the same MIDI Ctrl.

At this point you should have the control tracks programmed with alternative envelope curves ready to start modifying the effects on the audio tracks by random triggering of MIDI clips.

Drop two different songs into the Audio tracks 1 and 2. You might want to experiment with Re-Pitch versus Complex Warping in the audio clips. Make sure that these tracks have correct warping by testing them with a metronome, like we did in Ex. 2 and set the tracks to loop so that the songs do not stop when they reach their end (set the loop braces to beginning and end of the songs).

Now when everything is set. Press play button and ...!!! After a while, just drop other clips into the Audio tracks and keep on the fun :)
Another option is dropping multiple clips in each audio track and setting the Follow Actions to jump between the songs (like we did in part A).

Submission: This time we want to see the ableton set. Save your set, with couple of midi and audio clips to try it out with and package it into a live pack.
This is done by going to File -> Manage Files and following the instructions from there. Section 5.12 in the manual helps with that as well.
We will not judge the artistic quality of the assignment, but please, no nonsense...
If you have done all correctly, you get full grade. FYI, the questions in the second quiz will be about A4 and A5.

In case Soundcloud is full

In case Soundcloud is full when you need to upload your assignment(s), upload the file to mediafire.com and then send the upload link to Kyle and Jacob.

Assignment #4

Assignment 4: DJ Environment and Medley

Due February 17, 2010

General description:
In this assignment you will set up a DJing environment and use it to create a medley. You need to provide between two to four songs of your choice. These could be from a single or different composers. You will also create a backing beat track to help unify the songs.

Setting the environment:
Load each song on a separate track. Show the crossfade section by clicking the button with a cross on the right edge of the Live window. Assign each of the tracks to A or B crossfader. Rehearse switching between songs by triggering simultaneously clips of A and B tracks and crossfading on the master track.

Jump between different locations in the song by opening the clip view and placing the cursor at the playback part of the clip waveform (the part that shows the mouse cursor as a speaker icon).  Experiment with setting a loop brace and shifting it in time by pressing the keyboard up and down keys.

After you determined the sections for mixing, make several copies of each song on following clip slots and select these sections in separate clips. It helps to identify them by names, such as verse, a brief chorus or some other music section of interest.

Beat Track:
Create an additional beat track either by using midi or using a recorded drum loop.
Copy it several times and create variations by using the methods shown in class, such as track automation of track activator (on and off), changing track volume, using transposition, beat repeat effect and clip follow functions in the launch section. The backing beat should be kept basic to help mixing and not compete with the music.

DJing:
Improvise with the set and practice transitions between the songs. 
Record one such DJing session into arrangement view.

Optional: To add naturalness to the song consider altering the tempo in the arrangement view after you've done the recording. This is done by creating an automation on the master track tempo.

Final submission:
Export the final medley as audio and post it on soundcloud or send in the recording.
Provide a short document that describes:
1. The songs you used
2. The sections you selected
3. Describe the transitions / arrangement
4. Document the beat track, automation and effects you used to create beat variations. You may provide a separate recording of the beat track.

Back up assignments

Make sure to back up the assignments you put on Soundcloud. Since there's only so much room (2 hours of audio) on the website, I'm going to start deleting old and graded files.

Assignment #3

Assignment 3:

Due Thursday February 3, in the beginning of class.

The assignment consist of creating a small arrangement of guitar and percussion.

Your learning outcomes are:

1. Using MIDI files
2. Working with Impulse and designing your own drum set
3. Working with warping marks

Instructions:

Use drumloop, Guitar and House clips to create 3 tracks.

Assign Impulse instrument to the MIDI track.

Inside Impulse to assign the drum samples folder to slots in Impulse.

Audio FX: on Guitar add Compressor (ratio around 2.8, Threshold around -8)
Add EQ3 and Reverb. Play around with the settings to find a sound you like

Add FX to Drumloop. Find and document the effect settings.

On House add MIDI Simple delay. Try setting it on 3rd 16th note.

Play around with feedback and Dry/Wet

Consider adding Auto Filter and play around with the cut-off and filter's Q

Guitar track:

In case there are problems with initial warping you need to perform the following actions:

Remove leading or trailing silences by either clipping (use clip function from contextual menu) or by setting the Start Marker to the beginning of the song.

Locate the first clear downbeat. Make sure it falls on the beginning of the note.
In case there is a short segment of sound preceding the first transient market, such as a slow attack that we see in the guitar example, double click at the beginning of the note to create Warp Marker there. Right-clik the transient market to set the first bar 1.1.1 from context menu. Right click again and select "Warp from Here".

MIDI map:

Use MIDI mapping to trigger each track separately in the session view.

Use a MIDI slider or a MIDI dial to control continuously one of the two effects parameters of your choice on one of the devices.

Improvise by triggering the track and controlling the effects.
Record you result.
Render to audio and save.
Upload to the class Sound Cloud account (remember to mark your name).
Put a comment indicating the different sections in the final recording and special effects or points of interest.

Assignment 3 files available here:

http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/A3.zip

Granular Synthesis and Phase Vocoder Lecture Slides

The slides for the lecture on granular synthesis and the phase vocoder are available for download at:

http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/LectureNotes_1.pdf

Composition Project #1

Composition project 1: Electro-Acoustic Composition (EAC)

Compose a piece 3-5min long in one of so called "electro-acoustic" genres (concrete, acousmatique, ambient, film / radiophonic, noise music, ...).
http://www.ears.dmu.ac.uk/spip.php?rubrique3

The piece should be based mostly on non-insturmental recorded sounds (environmental, animate, man made and etc.). It can be blended and mixed with instrumental excerpts, but the structuring elements should not be based primarily on repeated loops or musical notions of rhythm, harmony and melody.

In terms of musical form, it should have a clear design, such as a cyclic structure, theme and variations, rondo, song and similar, or it could be more of a through-composed music, such as an arch form, process music or any other development following its own "internal logic".

The difference between this project an the previous soundscape compositions are:
1. heavier processing
2. multiple layers (mixing down of several tracks)
3. pre-compositional analysis and clear form or process design

In terms of techniques you need to use automation, effects and warping.
Stages of the project should include processing on clip, session track, and arrangement levels, as described below.

Submission instructions

The submission should include:
1. title and short textual description of the piece (concert notes)
2. list of sound sources (clips)
3. sound taxonomy: a table that groups sounds according to their sonic or compositional properties. It could be done as an excel sheet with each clip described in terms of sonic properties, and then grouping of sounds according to common properties or functions. (your own list)
4. outside of time organization: list of relations, links and possible transformations between groups of sounds or between individual sounds (session)
5. in time organization: a sketch, ideogram or graphic and textual description of how the sounds are organized in time. It should indicate at least 3-4 key points in the composition and specify their timing in the final audio rendering. (arrangement)
6. technical description that includes description of the software and list of techniques or special effect. (track = clip + effects + automation)
7. recording of the piece / audio rendering of the final composition.
Optional: specific excerpts, processes, sound examples, transitions, key points or interesting elements or processes can be provided. (final rendering)

The final piece should be also be uploaded to http://soundcloud.com/ucsd-mus-173 for peer comments. Instructions will be provided separately.

Due on Thursday, Feb. 10

Materials from Tuesday 1/18/2011 Class

This is website that has the model for how we would like you to format the first part of Assignment #2:

http://www.sonicstrategies.com/sound_effects_from_household_app.htm

This is the website for HighC, the UPIC-style drawing music maker:

http://highc.org/index.html


This is the website for Spear, a Phase Vocoder editing software:

http://www.klingbeil.com/spear/

Assignment #2

Music 173
Assignment 2

1. Record, rip or download 2 sounds from your soundwalk recording or sounds generated by a house appliance or other common everyday object.

Transform each sound at least 3 times to create a totally different foley sound (i.e. the sound effects used for a movie, TV program, radio, etc.).

The transformation that you apply should be one of the following:
- clip
- echo
- compress
- filtering
- modulator (phaser, etc.)
- pitch, speed and tempo changes
- reverse

Put the original sound and each of the transformations on a single track with 2 sec. silence between each. Document the original sounds and the transformations that you applied, including the program name and values of effect parameters or any other instructions of how you manipulated the sounds. Submit the sound file and a text that describes the effects. Give a name to the resulting sound.

2. Reading: two short Jonathan Harvey papers.

Questions:

Explain how the composer transformed the bell sound using the idea of a "pivot".

Describe how the composer blended the boy's voice with the bell sound?

Explain the concepts of paired, evolved and convolved sonorities and their use in composition.

Paper #1:

http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/harvey_mortuos_ps.pdf

Paper #2:
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/Harvey.pdf

Recording of Jonathan Harvey's "Mortuos Plango, Vicos Voco" (Save m4a link to your hard drive)
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/Mortuos.m4a


Assignment due: Thu. Jan 27, at the beginning of class

Assignment #1 Clarification

1. The soundwalk should be delivered as a text that gives instructions about where to go, what to do AND what to listen to. The sound walk can be anything from "Go to place X at time Y, listen to sound Z for T seconds, move to ..., listen to..., do this or that to create a sound, ... etc.".

2. The soundscape composition can be based on the sounds recorded in the soundwalk, but it will be a redacted (edited and shortened) version of the walk. So, if the soundwalk can take many minutes or even hours, the soundscape should not take more the a few minutes. It should be minimally processed. What matters is that the sonic ambiance or sound "ecology" is faithfully delivered. You need to hand in an actual recording, which can be put on soundcloud or any other way that is agreeable (e.g. e-mail, mediafire, ftp, etc.).

New SoundCloud

The following is the new SoundCloud for the class.

Go to Soundcloud.com and click "Log In" at the top.

Username: editmix173@gmail.com
Password: UCSDMUS

You can use this information to add files and make comments on already upload files.

Article and Recording for Assignment #1

The following link will take you to a PDF of the article for the homework. Please also read this before Thursday's class.

Giselle Martins Dos Santos Ferreira:
"A perceptual approach to the analysis of J. C. Risset's Sud: sound, structure, and symbol"

The following link is for an mp3 of the first movement of "Sud" by Jean-Claude Risset:

http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~jacob/Sud-1.mp3

Assignment #1

Assignment due: Th. Jan. 20, in class.

1. Soundwalk & soundscape:

A. Compose a sound walk: create a walk plan with listening instructions that describe: place, time, what to listen to. Make it a map or some design that is more aesthetic then just a list. Include additional text if you wish. Think about the "feel" of the plan / graphic representation of your composition.

B. Soundscape sketch: Compose a brief soundscape (approximately 1 minute).  Use field recordings from your sound walk as your primary source material.  Pay particular attention to how your sounds work together.  Do they complement each other?  Do they clash?  How does their relationship drive a narrative?  Try to tell a story. (See some ideas below)

Instructions: At this point do not use sophisticated editing beyond cross fades or equalization. Basically put clips on a timeline. In soundscape you may change the order of event compared to the sound walk.

Tools:
Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)
Microphones and other equipment can be borrowed from Brady Baker.

Ideas:
Soundwalk in an urban atmosphere versus sounds of nature.
Sounds of sailing, plunging in an ocean, diving.
Story of a city - industrial production, building, housing construction
Journey in a forest, cutting trees
Visit in a computer game arcade.
Sounds of a boxing ring or other combat.
Drunken bar story...

2. Reading: A perceptual approach to the analysis of J. C. Risset’s Sud.

Listen to the recording of J. C. Risset’s Sud, first movement.

Questions:
How does Risset use surrogacy and spatial imagery?
Describe the musical form of the piece. How is the arrangement structured?

Class Goals

The following is a list of goals for this class.

General:
1. Using laptops (computers) for production / composition (creative mixing and editing),
2. Critical listening
3. Hands on composition projects.


Specifically:
1. Learn to use DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) with focus on Ableton: clips, tracks, instruments, effects, arrangement and sessions views, automation, etc.
2. Processing sounds, creating sound effects
3. Experiment with electroacoustic or more abstract sound compositions
4. New ways of listening, reduced / surrogate properties of sounds, composition design
5. Collaborative and critical skills - peer review, commenting, sharing clips, tracks
6. Composing mashups, contorllerism, and various mixing and unmixing "tricks"
7. Writing about your composition, class presentation

Test

This is a first post just to test the blog.

Hi.