måndag 29 Aug 2011, 23:27
Lee McCormack of fADED lAMENTABLE on Musique concrète
The Placebo Effect
Available to hear at
4SHARED.COM
Introduction
The aims of the report are to record and collect samples using recording devices to build into a sample bank using sampling software. Then with the utilisation of sound wave manipulation techniques to create appropriate samples that can be performed into a piece of Musique concrète through the use of a MIDI keyboard.
Equipment Used
Edirol R09 Recorder
M-Audio Ozone
Sennheiser E845 Dynamic Microphone
Steinberg Wavelab
Steinberg Nuendo 4
Native Instruments Kontakt 4
Nero 8
A Computer
Methodology
Firstly before any samples could be collected, an idea of what the Musique Concrète will represent, had to be established. An idea of a soundscape representing a fearsome reaction from a patient participating in a drug trial, not knowing whether they had the placebo or the real thing, yet somehow experiences the ups and downs
nonetheless, was conceived.
The next step was to test audio recording techniques. This involved a series of experiments that would provide the information needed to know what the limits of the recorders were. Tests such as recording the same sample from right up close to far away and the effect of stereo recording samples moving around a single source were carried out. By using a combination of mono (Dynamic microphone) and stereo recording (Edriol R09) to capture samples, allowed creative use of sound before a sample was imported into Kontakt 4. Over 30 sound experiments were implemented before intentional sampling proceeded.
A list of idea's was then created as to what this unintentional reaction to a possible placebo might sound like. This included internal paranoid thoughts echoing around the mind coupled with everyday sounds like trains passing and thuds of doors. Also included were idea's of flies buzzing around, distant chimes and interference feedback intermingled with sounds that represent common drug based sounds such as using a straw to blow bubbles into a glass of water to imitate a bong plus samples of cigarette papers being rustled to imitate joint rolling. Also used in the final piece entitled The Placebo Effect were samples of sniffing through tubes of glass of varying density to produce an effect of nasal narrowing that can accompany a bout of panic paranoia. A collection of 48 samples totalling 67 minutes all recorded at 24bit (mono/stereo) 44,100Hz sampling rate for optimum clarity was completed.
Samples as they appear when exported from the Edirol R09
With all raw samples gathered, each one was listened to within the environment of Wavelab. This allowed not only a perusal of the samples but an ability to capture and single out the best samples for trimming, fade in/out, normalising and maximising to ensure consistency of the 16 samples to be used. Below is sample 1 as seen in Wavelab.
As each sample was chosen for the final 16 to be used, it was at this point that names were provided for the samples and were saved into a final samples folder, making the instrument bank importation to Kontakt 4 simpler. Below is the folder that was created.
All 16 samples named, edited and organised into a final sample folder
Ready now for Kontakt 4, Nuendo 4 was loaded first and a new project was created. Kontakt 4 was selected as a VST instrument. Before any importation took place, the M-Audio Ozone was synced with Kontakt 4 ensuring a MIDI signal was being received. Once established use of the file browser was required and location of the final sample folder was sought. Having been found it was just a case of dragging from the file browser into the Multi rack one by one in ascending order. Within a few minutes the Multi rack contained named samples ready for manipulation and key mapping. As the objective is a musique concrete, it seemed only appropriate to place each sample at its root note. Overleaf is an example of what the sample bank looked like within Kontakt 4 once all samples were inserted.
All 16 samples named and placed into Kontakt 4 Multi Rack
With everything imported the next stage was key mapping and root note correction. This is achieved by clicking on the spanner icon that can be seen in the screen shot above to the left. Root note correction keeps the sample at the recorded pitch which in turn makes the manipulation process more logical.
The final stage before the musique concrete performance was sample manipulation utilising Kontakt 4 effect plug-ins. Kontakt 4 has many modification abilities. By clicking on the browser module tab and then clicking the effects tab, Kontakt 4 gives a very detailed description of each effect within its design. To mention all the effects on offer would be diminishing to the concise nature of this report especially as they can be viewed within Kontakt 4 without the need of a manual. However, the following screen shots demonstrate the main effects chosen for 'The Placebo Effect' with indications under each description as to what samples they are applied to.
Surround Panner applied to Sample 1 only
Rotator applied to Samples 2,7,10,15
Chorus applied to Sample 3
Delay applied to Samples 4,8,14,16
Reverb applied to Samples 5,10,15
Saturation applied to Samples 6,9
Phaser applied to Samples 11,13
Stereo Modeller applied to Sample 12
Skreamer applied to Sample 14
The table outlines the modifications made to each sample, such as how much reverb, delay, saturation, rotation etc. It does not outline any velocity because they were all set to 0-127. Samples were down tuned frequently as this was the required effectiveness for vocal samples to sound slurry and to create that audio elusiveness of speech whilst under panic conditions. Also note that the edit all group functions were turned off as a pre-requisite decision, due to the effects that were requirements of each sample individually. During this process all sixteen samples had been set to MIDI output A1, thus allowing the samples to be triggered in succession on the M-Audio Ozone MIDI keyboard.
Sample Name
Key Editor Settings
Insert Effect
Insert Settings
1. Backing Track Plus Clues
Vol. +5.4db – Pan Centre
Surround Pan
2.0 Wide
2. Sniff and Ahhhh
Vol. -4.0db – Pan Centre
Rotator
Bal 50% - Dist 30%
3. Laughing
Vol. -3.2db – Pan 28R
Tune -5
Chorus
Depth 75 – Speed 0.85
Phase 76.5
4. It's All Wrong
Vol. -5.7db – Pan 19L
Tune -8
Delay
Time 980.5ms – Damp 20
Pan 20 – Feedback 40%
5. Water
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 65R
Tune +1
Reverb
Pre Delay 25ms – Colour 50
Size 75 – Damp 50 – Stereo 80
6. Plastic Bottle
Vol. +7.5db – Pan 73R
Tune -7
Saturation
Saturation 32.6%
Output 8.3db
7. Bubbles
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 52L
Rotator
Bal 50% - Dist 41.1%
8. Placebo
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 33L
Tune -10
Delay
Time 512.2ms – Damp 21.7
Pan 22.2 – Feedback 45.6%
9. Pressure Bass
Vol. +2.9db – Pan 28R
Tune -11
Saturation
Saturation 37.7%
Output 0.0db
10. Bubbles 2 Extreme
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 3L
Rotator
Reverb
Bal22% - Dist 75.6%
Output -6.4db
Pre Delay 27.8ms – Col 45.3
Size 64.7 – Damp 54.3
Stereo 70.1
11. Train
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 3R
Phaser
Cutoff 70% - Reso 57.4%
12. Bells
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 19L
Stereo
Spread 77.0 – Pan 36L
13. Flying Buzz Sub
Vol. 0.0db – Pan Centre
Tune -17
Phaser
Cutoff 45% - Reso 63.3%
14. Clicking Stereo
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 61L
Tune -5
Skreamer
Delay
Tone 42.2% - Drive 78.1%
Bass 10.2% - Bright 83.0%
Clean 74.1%
Time 147.4ms – Damp 21.1
Pan 59.5 – Feedback 50.3%
15. Whistling Feedback
Vol. 0.0db – Pan 56R
Rotator
Reverb
Bal 50% - Dist 33.1%
Pre Delay 26.1ms – Damp 43.6
Size 66 – Colour 29
Stereo 86.9%
16. Whistling Feedback 2
Vol. 0.0db – Pan Centre
Tune -14
Delay
Time 228.9ms – Damp 22.2
Pan 100 – Feedback 52%
Having completed the settings, the performance of 'The Placebo Effect' was now possible. Before the final composition, a series of tests were carried out to make sure the samples sounded complimentary to each other. This was judged by contextual comparisons as outlined in the concept stage. Did the samples resonate well together and are they creating the desired effect. Once happy with the settings in place, a new MIDI track was added to Nuendo 4. Ensuring MIDI ports were correctly assigned within Nuendo, the Key Editor was opened and the Track was set to record.
Having only 10 fingers meant the project was built up layer by layer whilst pressing the relevant MIDI keys to trigger the samples. Once the soundscape was completed, use of Key Editor tools were required to make small adjustments that occurred due to latency issues and some miss timed key triggers. Also the velocity of some samples were altered where heavy triggering had taken place. Below is a screen shot of the performance as seen in Nuendo 4 Key Editor.
Key Editor in Nuendo 4 displaying the finished composition
It was at this point the completed piece was listened to untouched for about five listens. Notes were made during the listening process about how to improve the overall quality of the Concrete during the mastering stage. The stereo master bus was utilised to apply EQ, Stereo Enhancer, Limiter and a Maximiser.
The file was exported as a WAV set to 16bit, 44,100Hz which is the standard for Compact Disc Audio. Next Nero 8 was loaded and a CD was compiled with 'The Placebo Effect' as track one and the next sixteen tracks sequenced in the order of the Multi Rack within Kontakt 4. The finished CD which was burnt at 4X to ensure a stable product was produced. The CD has been tested across three home entertainment systems and two computers with successful operation across these platforms.
Conclusion
Kontakt 4 is without a doubt an astonishing piece of software of which its ability to handle and manipulate samples with ease, allowed the inception of 'The Placebo Effect' to be completed. The power of creativity coupled with an understanding of Kontakt 4 has unlimited potential and has proved that with the right approach any soundscape idea's can come into fruition.