Farook's March To Mars

Author
BenMMusTech
Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 2606
  • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
  • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
  • Status: offline
2016/12/26 20:19:34 (permalink)

Farook's March To Mars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFuMChIOHf8 
I've been experimenting with new forms of sonatas over the last few months, and also instrumentation using Notion score editor...yes everything is still mixed and mastered in Sonar;).
 
This one I created a few weeks ago, using ZT3a as a bass synth, sequenced in Notion...with Piano and Viola.  The idea of Farook's March To Mars came to me because the piano, which I wrote in Notion and also humanised in Notion sounded like Freddie Mercury's playing a bit, and I had just read his mum had died...hence Farook, but Fred spells his name differently.  I'd also been watching this show on living on Mars.
 
To create the sonata, I used the concept of chance ala John Cage, and the automatic ala Jackson Pollack.  Basically, I had the music and sonata rules out and threw ideas at the orchestral instrument. I've also used the post-modernist technique of cut-up (Bowie, Burroughs) by using audio samples to create a story of sorts.
 
Finally, I used some film footage left over from my masters project to create a film painting of sorts.
 
Enjoy Ben 

Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
http://1331.space/
https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
#1

12 Replies Related Threads

    Johnbee58
    Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 946
    • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
    • Location: Reading PA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/26 20:30:55 (permalink)
    The piano and synth is beautiful.  Interesting effects with the background and voices.  Kinda reminds me of Revolution #9 on the Beatles White album, but with better music.
     
    John B.

    Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers.  Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7,
    NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer.
     
     "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening."   Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
    #2
    BenMMusTech
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2606
    • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
    • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/27 00:12:25 (permalink)
    Johnbee58
    The piano and synth is beautiful.  Interesting effects with the background and voices.  Kinda reminds me of Revolution #9 on the Beatles White album, but with better music.
     
    John B.




    Thanks, you've hit the nail on the head John...this is exactly what I'm doing. If I can get a uni to accept the idea for my phd now that I've finished master, I'm trying to update the sound art manifesto's of the avant-garde to include a musical element...the avant-gardes said any sound you like could be 'music', but this concept has perhaps created the problem modern music is now facing...any sound can be music, anyone can create music, but you don't need musical skills.
     
    Ben

    Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
    http://1331.space/
    https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
    http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
    #3
    Johnbee58
    Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 946
    • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
    • Location: Reading PA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/27 06:07:34 (permalink)
    BenMMusTech
    Johnbee58
    The piano and synth is beautiful.  Interesting effects with the background and voices.  Kinda reminds me of Revolution #9 on the Beatles White album, but with better music.
     
    John B.




    Thanks, you've hit the nail on the head John...this is exactly what I'm doing. If I can get a uni to accept the idea for my phd now that I've finished master, I'm trying to update the sound art manifesto's of the avant-garde to include a musical element...the avant-gardes said any sound you like could be 'music', but this concept has perhaps created the problem modern music is now facing...any sound can be music, anyone can create music, but you don't need musical skills.
     
    Ben


    I most definitely hear musical skills in your piece, especially the piano and string arrangement.  That would be great ambient film score material, for sure.  Although not my favorite genre, I can get behind some avant-garde (ala Edgar Varese for example).  Some things I hear from people on these indie forums sound like the creator(s) have a definite skill and goal to bring about what they're trying to convey in a soundscape (as does your's) and some just sound as if they're throwing a bunch of noise together.  It's true that you can call anything "art" but only true artists know the difference.  Best of luck with your endeavors.
     
    JB

    Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers.  Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7,
    NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer.
     
     "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening."   Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
    #4
    emeraldsoul
    Max Output Level: -56.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1858
    • Joined: 2009/01/02 23:16:43
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/27 11:43:45 (permalink)
    I liked what happened around 3:40 - that was unexpected!
     
    Almost the entire piece has an arpeggiated piano idea moving up and down . . . for me that got a little too samey. You might drop it out or replace it, just on occasion?
     
    Your violin and piano samples are presented without much reverb, if any, and they kind of stick out for the lack of it. I don't know if you want them to fit into the music, or if they are meant to be exposed as they are, just an observation.
     
    Lastly, I'm reasonably sure that my comments are likely not what you need, because you are spectacularly in your own lane and as such you don't require people trying to give you "notes" - I'd say keep on truckin' and good luck! I like your academic approach to the avant-garde.
     
    -Tom

    A work in regress:
    www.studiusinterruptus.com
     
    Cornbread - video   audio
    A Very, Very Troubled Soul - video   
    Kilometers Davis - video   audio
    Mayans (Face in the Crowd) - video  audio
    The Sweet Slow Fade - video
    #5
    Wookiee
    Rrrrugh arah-ah-woof?
    • Total Posts : 13306
    • Joined: 2007/01/16 06:19:43
    • Location: Akahaocwora - Village Yoh Kay
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/27 14:25:16 (permalink)
    Another Ben classic, nice job, sorry not watching the video just enjoying the trip of a soundtrack.
     
    Thanks for sharing

    Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
    Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
    Primary, i7 8700K 16Gigs Ram, 3x500gb SSD's 2TB Backup HHD Saffire Pro 40. Win 10 64Bit
    Secondary  i7 4790K, 32GB Ram, 500Gb SSD OS/Prog's, 1TB Audio, 1TB Samples HHD AudioBox USB, Win 10 64Bit
    CbB, Adam's A7x's - Event 20/20's, Arturia V6, Korg Digital Legacy, Softube Modular, Arturia Keylab-88, USB-MidiSport 8x8 
    #6
    BenMMusTech
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2606
    • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
    • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 01:36:25 (permalink)
    Thanks guys, this was just attempt one, I've actually finished another where I've used Star Trek (classic) samples...I will post in a few weeks

    Ben.

    Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
    http://1331.space/
    https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
    http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
    #7
    BenMMusTech
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2606
    • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
    • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 01:41:10 (permalink)
    emeraldsoul
    I liked what happened around 3:40 - that was unexpected!
     
    Almost the entire piece has an arpeggiated piano idea moving up and down . . . for me that got a little too samey. You might drop it out or replace it, just on occasion?
     
    Your violin and piano samples are presented without much reverb, if any, and they kind of stick out for the lack of it. I don't know if you want them to fit into the music, or if they are meant to be exposed as they are, just an observation.
     
    Lastly, I'm reasonably sure that my comments are likely not what you need, because you are spectacularly in your own lane and as such you don't require people trying to give you "notes" - I'd say keep on truckin' and good luck! I like your academic approach to the avant-garde.
     
    -Tom


    Thanks Tom, there is verb, but it's gentle...actually if you listen in headphones you can hear the verb is actually in binaural sound, that is maybe what you're hearing. I use this cool virtual binaural plug for the verbs and delay. As for the arpeg it's because I'm trying to find my voice through experimentation. The second piece continues the arpeg theme but I do mix it up more, when you're trying to create new forms using chance and the automatic, there will be these sorts of issues is probably the best way to describe it.

    Ben

    Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
    http://1331.space/
    https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
    http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
    #8
    daryl1968
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 10984
    • Joined: 2010/06/01 22:51:43
    • Location: Englishman in deepest, darkest Wales
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 11:03:42 (permalink)
    Very cool Ben - my only small crit - maybe the piano is a little loud
    #9
    philz
    Max Output Level: -50.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2462
    • Joined: 2004/04/11 13:50:46
    • Location: Shrewsbury, PA, USA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 11:04:37 (permalink)
    Weird, unpredictable and spectacularly creative as usual, Ben.  I applaud you.  
    What did you use to do the video?
    #10
    BenMMusTech
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2606
    • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
    • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 21:05:01 (permalink)
    daryl1968
    Very cool Ben - my only small crit - maybe the piano is a little loud


    Noted :) Daryl thanks

    Ben

    Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
    http://1331.space/
    https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
    http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
    #11
    BenMMusTech
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2606
    • Joined: 2011/05/23 16:59:57
    • Location: Warragul, Victoria-Australia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/28 21:07:37 (permalink)
    philz
    Weird, unpredictable and spectacularly creative as usual, Ben.  I applaud you.  
    What did you use to do the video?


    Thanks Phil, it's actually footage I shot from my bedroom window at Dawn using a DSLR. It was left over footage from my research masters thesis and creative project. More avant-garde garde stuff, I've added another feather to my cap and now do a bit of film painting using the ethereal materials of sound and light ;).

    Thanks Ben.

    Benjamin Phillips-Bachelor of Creative Technology (Sound and Audio Production), (Hons) Sonic Arts, MMusTech (Master of Music Technology), M.Phil (Fine Art)
    http://1331.space/
    https://thedigitalartist.bandcamp.com/
    http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks
    #12
    kakku
    Max Output Level: -59 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1646
    • Joined: 2014/08/31 21:37:39
    • Location: Finland
    • Status: offline
    Re: Farook's March To Mars 2016/12/30 05:28:29 (permalink)
    Very good and, I believe, better than your earlier works.

    Sonar X1 Studio, Duo-capture and Steinberg's UR22 mk2 interfaces, super fast (read snail like) dual core computers, Arturia the Player 25 and Goldstar midi keyboards, Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 phone
    kakku
    #13
    Jump to:
    © 2025 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1