Object Fixation, (Start-up), Second Piece

 

For my second project I captured sounds of machines starting up around my home, such as my boiler, PlayStation, Xbox, computer and oven, which I edited using the Audacity and Cecilia software. I felt that this could represent an Autistic individual having a fixation on starting things, pressing buttons, as my Nephew used to do when he was an infant. I went on to start sequencing in Logic pro after I had at least fifty files of the edited sounds. This took about a week to make a start. I built sound objects from the sounds and added a step sequence of one sound to add partly an electronica like effect in the piece which I panned from speaker to speaker and faded in and out of the piece. I also achieved this with the beat maker module in Cecilia. Listening to the piece, like the Dhomont pieces, I tried to contextualize the neurodevelopmental conditions into the body of music itself. The step sequence could easily represent Autisms repetitiveness and self-stimulatory behavior. (Stimming.) In juxtaposition to this is the free-flowing samples, which could show the chaotic element of ADHD as the step sequence fades in and out Autistically to allow for the ADHD randomness and hecticness to show through. I created short burst of samples in a repetitive manner, and gradually changed these as the piece continues.

 

After reviewing this piece, I decided to tear it down a bit and rework the piece. I removed the step sequence and the drum like sample (which was making the piece sound too much like electronic dance music,) and focused on one single sound to see how much I could make it sound different with each passing using EQ in Logic. (This was partly influenced by the electronic Duo Matmos.) I went on to take three other samples and looped them consecutively through the piece to try and simulate repetitiveness or Palilalia, (repeating the same word, phrase or sound over and over,) in Autism and the constantly EQ’d sample to show the hecticness and scattered thoughts of the ADHD mind. I moved these samples around and used automation to try and give a sense of space, bringing one sample forward and taking another back. This is inspired by the Piece Eclats De Voix by Robert Normandeau. Also like this piece I effected the loops in terms of pitch to try and make them as interesting as possible.

 

I went on to source more samples from the BBC archive to see what I could find and how relative they were to the piece. I found samples of things starting up like engines. I effected these sounds through Audacity and Cecilia to hide their source in the piece. I used these sounds as my own field recorder is producing bad sound files. I am going to purchase or source a better field recorder from the university. I effected these sounds through Audacity and Cecilia to hide their source in the piece. I arranged these sounds to try and make some cause-and-effect objects in an acousmatic manner to add to the sound objects already present that I had captured myself. Overall, I think this piece sounds like it has plenty of movement and is coming close to a good acousmatic piece. Emulating autism and ADHD are only part of what I have tried to do here without the piece sounding too repetitive.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What are Found Sounds?

  This process can be referred to as sampling, but this can be an umbrella term for many different processes. I am interested in found sound; a 'non-musical' sound used creatively in a piece of music . These sounds in the environment c an be captured using a recording device such as a field recorder. Acousmatic music, Acousmatic- Referring to a sound that has no visually identifiable cause. Referring to Pythagorean disciples who for years listened to his lectures from behind a curtain, unable to see him. Acousmatic music often makes use of found sounds – environmental sounds or objects used in the recording studio. The sound object is created when numerous sounds are place consecutively in the piece of music, giving the piece a sense of movement.  
Read more

Comorbid Clashes Between Both Conditions

  Here are some comorbid symtoms that can be conflicting in the neurodiverse mind. Comorbidity is when two or more psychological (or other health symtoms,) show in the same person. ASD-   •       E xtreme interest in one topic             Need for routine       Everything in its place            Obsessive with current special interest            Thinking outside the box H yper focus                     ADHD-   H aving a short attention span and being easily distracted   M aking careless mistakes B eing unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming C onstantly changing activity or task     H aving difficulty organising tasks     It seems that ASD traits such as interests in one subject or current s...
Read more

Introduction

  What struggles and positive aspects of living with a Neurodevelopmental condition bring to researching in the field of electronic music? To shed some light on this, I have been undertaking various reading and listening of electronic musical material and most of my work has been composing electronic music, I am going to contextualize my music into the body of works. I have decided to combine my research with two Neurodiverse conditions I live with. I have extended my reading and research to include this field. Neurodiverse people tend to be drawn towards the creative arts and I felt this would be a good research question to pursue. I have found that some traits of Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder can hinder me not only in daily life but with my research. I will address these problems here with a look at the conditions alongside my methodology for recording music and trying to express these conditions in the music.  The Compositions ...
Read more