Started new classes this quarter. Logic replaces Digital Performer as the new DAW, which I'm fine with, I hated working with DP. Unfortunately there is still one facet of the program that requires me to use DP until gradation, it's either the only or the best at setting up the click track the sound booth uses during the recording session.
Sibelius replaces Finale as the Notation Software we use, again, fine with that as I have only used Finale since version 1 came out in 1989. Sibelius is fine on its own I guess, but I'm not starting over with a new program after 35 years. :-)
Studio Technology is a new addition (I may have mentioned it already) and is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine! This class covers so much stuff. We use Pro Tools (Another DAW) which we will go into greater depth next quarter. Yesterday's assignment was to take existing voice over and music and cut a 60 second radio spot. This was both enjoyable and quite easy as I spent the last 10 years editing VO and Video as my career. We also cover sound engineering, recording studio hardware and software, sound design, signal processing, et cetera. You may ask, "What does that have to do with writing music?" and you would be right to ask. A good portion of commercial music today is written solely with computers and instrument sampling libraries. This is a vital skill for anyone who wants to survive in the music world today.
Advanced MIDI 1 is also new, and leads me to believe there will be an Advanced MIDI 2 at some point. We cover modular synthesis, computer score mockups and how to make them sound VERY realistic, and other electronic goodies. This week I created 2 brand new sounds using a software modular synthesizer and then used those sounds alongside more traditional orchestral instruments to write a piece of music. This was fun, but a ton of work if you have never used modular synths before.
Got my official grade and feedback from the Strings session. I was surprised and humbly gratified to see the 'A' and read feedback from the 3 composer / instructors that graded the assignment! Musically I nailed it! The only feedback was that my theme development could have made 'more musical sense'. I also dropped a point for turning in an audio sample as a .wav file instead of the .mp3 they asked for.
Currently working on a theme for a Psychological Thriller (Think Basic Instinct) for woodwind septet. (2 Flutes, 2 Oboes one doubles on English Horn, 2 Clarinets one doubles on Bass Clarinet and 1 Bassoon) For those who may not understand doubling, 1 of the Oboe players can play either Oboe or English Horn at any given time. We are employing a very specific and specialized form of harmony known as Chromatic Voice Leading (CVL), which basically means a series of chords that have at least one pitch in common with the chords on either side of it. We're also using Out Of Scale Chromatics (OOSC) to create completely freaky sounding melodies. Look up Basic Instinct Main Theme by Jerry Goldsmith on a streaming platform or You Tube, he uses both CVL and OOSC heavily in that score, particularly the main theme. Moving on to a new clue also means a new composition advisor, it's refreshing and quite frankly necessary to work with and receive feedback from more than one contemporary.
Feeling very positive this week.
So yeah, the new year brings new / fun challenges and approval of my work from professional peers.
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