So finally I have found time to post the final version of the score for everyone to see. I’m pretty happy with the overall experiment, even if I don’t really like the final product — visually it’s a little rough and child like. That said with more time (and a faster computer) I think a more aesthetically appealing version could be produced.
After choosing the piece of music, the next step I outlined for myself was to create a visual map of the music which I could use as a design tool for the following stages. What I wanted from this was a rough break down of the various layers in the music that would be represented visually on the screen, and to know when these layers were being played.
This sounded fairly simple to me and I thought I could knock out my first draft in an afternoon of listening. It took much much longer, so much so I have no idea actually how long it took. It was rewarding in many ways and made me much more familiar with the music and how it had been constructed.
This is the shortlist of tracks I put together when looking for a piece of music to use in the visual music project. After shortlisting I removed them by a process of elimination until I ended up with just one…
Replica, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Cinemage, 4:50
Another orchestral, instrumental track, this time with very distinct layers. This reminds me of an animal march. It can be harsh a grating, but has moments of uplift, and is very rhythmic in places.
iTunes Store Link
There is a strong relationship between the question of what makes art, fractal images (see this post) and Steve Reich’s Pendulum Music (see this post).
Both fractal images and Pendulum Music have simple basic straight forward formula’s which define them. Both have a variable element which effects how the “art” is produced: in the case of the music the four performers will start the pendulum in different places each time the piece is played and effect the outcome; in the case of the fractal formulas a seed value for the formula effects the output of the image. Both of these values are often random, but come under some degree of control by the “artists” involved.
I’m still not sure if the outputs of these formulae are actually art, but is certainly interesting and often beautiful and contemplative. To varying degree’s most artists work to a formula or methodology of some kind — it’s the number of variables and the amount of control through a larger range of variables, and the fine control they have over those variables which is different for each artist and/or artwork.
I like the idea of a strict formula or methodology in regard to my own project — it would make working on a long and complex project somewhat simpler, but if the formula or methodology I start out with is wrong then I have no chance of producing anything good… hmmm ???
Seeing this show was supposed to inspire and kick start this whole project, but due to some sort of hardware failure we only got a limited range of visuals projected at the very start and end of the show