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