The genre presented is electronica.
Composing method: Two ostinati were composed and played into a music sequencer. A dozen or so music fragments were composed to be played along with either one or the other ostinati. The composing process included determining where in the piece each fragment should be played, and whether or not the fragment should electronically influence the sequencer (retriggering), thus imparting a method of altering the ostinato. It also gave consideration to pacing, form, and texture.
Recording: Two stereo tracks were recorded simultaneously as a performance lasting six minutes, during which time I operated/played two instruments: a modular analogue synthesizer and a digital keyboard. I rehearsed for two weeks to become solid on the choreography, which included playing the aforementioned fragments and manipulating the synthesizer's operating parameters. I got the performance I was after on the third take (and, considered myself lucky). Later, I overdubbed a low frequency track, then a noise track, then a drumset track for the finale section.
Ostinato 1 is the foundation until 3:39. Ostinato 2 is the foundation from that point until the conclusion. "Foundation" in this context means something to alter. Both ostinati are introduced in a state of variation and are heard in their native state only momentarily throughout.
I've included here a page which shows the ostinati, one and two. I re-copied (neatly, for this discussion) the first eight bars which indicates principal control settings for the synthesizer, what to change when, and the first melodic fragment. The original, scribbled, was on my music stands during the recording.
Thank you for listening. --Ray
Example of the score: Score example.pdf
The recording is here: Sequential Study 2
Replies
Hi, Kristofer - Absynth and some other soft-synths are robust, full featured environments, and people are doing amazing things with them. For me, the immediacy of hardware synths are a better fit for my performance oriented recording style. One member who recently joined this forum put up a fragment of work he did in csound (software environment) which is something I had never heard of; but I'm learning now that he and people devoted to that environment have their own unique and creative thing going. The explosion of new soft and hard synths, some of the latter being buit on 1970's era circuits.... who saw this coming!? --Ray
Ray, your're preaching to the choir on the vintage stuff. I was so excited at the ripe age of eighteen to acquire my first Memorymoog. Walter/Wendy Carlos, Kubrick, and Jeff Lynne had us all so enthralled with the potential of classical-electronica mixed genres, bridging the seemingly impassable chasm between the stolid, 16th-18th century, contrapuntal discipline, and the ear-candy of 70s-80s synthesis. My first digital hardsynth was a Roland Juno 6, a stark departure from analogue in the delicate, glass like, scintillating sounds that could be achieved. Then the soft-synths arrived, with incomprehensible, note-for-note(DAW) parametric control, beyond my very much time-constrained ability to even exploit to their maximum potential, and - at that point - I realized, Damn! I am old now, but lived long enough to see the vision realized:)
Hi, Kristofer - I'm impressed that you and some of the other members (Ivor comes to mind) have a deep analogue synth background. Even though I grew up listening to the references you stated (add Keith Emerson) I did not develop a working interest in synthesizer music until just recently, which, just by happenstance, coincides with a booming revival of analogue gear. Rowy has mentioned once being interested, and David (Stuttgart) has in his playlist an enjoyable seventeen-minute electronic showcase called "techno." Thank you, Kristofer, for listening and commenting,.... and for owning a Memorymoog at age 18, I bow to you. --Ray
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