Introduction to Electronic and Computer Music

Individual Project #3

GOAL: Working alone and using Pro Tools, create a short piece using recorded sounds.

· Find a musician NOT in the this class (they must be a UTSA student), and arrange for them to come to the studio so you can record them playing into a track in Pro Tools.

· Record them in Pro Tools. You should run the session, request them to play what you want them to play. You canNOT ask them to play excerpts of pieces, only single notes (short or long), or short gestures. So as not to waste their time, you should pretty much keep recording throughout the session, letting ProTools “roll.” When you are done, rename this audio “raw audio” and save your file.

· After your performer has gone, you will want to chop up the audio you recorded. Label each bit with something meaningful (long high note; soft muted B-flat, etc.), keeping in mind that Pro Tools stores these names alphabetically.

· Using only these sounds, create a short piece (at least 1 minute long) in Pro Tools.

Note: as in the last project, you may use the digital signal processors to manipulate the sounds in addition to the processors in Pro Tools.

I will grade you on

· the quality of the recordings you made of the musician,

· your creativity, including the extent to which you are able to manipulate the sounds you recorded,

· the technical ability demonstrated, including logical use of the software, and

· general musical elements of the piece, including form, the mixture of variety/similarity, density, use of the stereo space, use of dynamics, and the ability of your piece to hold a listener’s interest.

To hand in:

· A CD-R recording of your finished Pro Tools session,

· the folder name of your Pro Tools session in your computer folder, and

· a typed/word processed paper with a short description of what you did and, if desired, a program note. Also include the name of the musician you used and the instrument they play.

NOTE: For all projects, there is a ban on the use of overly repetitive patterns. This includes drum loops or repetitive beats and all but the most limited forms of ostinati.