Music 319 - Assignment 2


The second assignment is to create a composition in Digital Performer using digital audio that you have gathered and modified as your sole material. The piece should be between 1'00" and 3'00", depending on the density and complexity of the composition. The source audio can be collected by signing out the studio's portable MiniDisc recorder, or recorded using the microphones in the studio. This material can be processed using a sound editor such as Peak, then assembled, edited, and mastered in Digital Performer. Your piece will be evaluated based on the technical competence in the recording and processing of the sounds, on the timbral interest of the samples, and on the creativity and coherence of the composition.

The finished composition will be exported as an audio file, burned onto a CD-R, and submitted at the beginning of class on October 24th.


Suggestion:

You may use a text (out of copyright, such as those found below) as a starting point. You could use a recording of someone reading the text as sonic material for processing, and/or you could aim to create other sounds that evoke images of the text.


e.e. cummings (1894-1963)
these children singing in stone a

these children singing in stone a
silence of stone these
little children wound with stone
flowers opening for

ever these silently lit
tle children are petals
their song is a flower of
always their flowers

of stone are silently singing
a song more silent
than silence these always

children forever
singing wreathed with singing
blossoms children of
stone with blossoming

eyes
know if a
lit tle
tree listens

forever to always children singing forever
a song made
of silent as stone silence of
song
Denise Levertov (1923 - )
October

Certain branches cut
certain leaves fallen
the grapes
cooked and put up
for winter

mountains without one
shrug of cloud
no feint of blurred
wind-willow leaf-light

their chins up
in the blue of the eastern sky
their red cloaks
wrapped tight to the bone

Due Date: October 24, 2008 (in class)