COMPOSITION THREE
BRIEF
Creative Intention
To create a compositional seed which meets the following criteria:
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Contain samples which are both forwards and in reverse.
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Contain a minimum of five samples.
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Contain samples no longer than two seconds.
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Consist of at least two samples which can be utilised as a bass line.
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Consist of at least two samples which can be utilised as a percussive element.
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Possess a tempo between 95BPM and 100BPM.
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Possess stylistic relevance within the genre of Hip Hop.
Audio Recording Selection
The selected audio recordings for this compositional seed must:
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Possess no lyrical vocal parts.
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Contain bass instrumentation.
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Contain percussive and/or drum parts.
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Be no longer than eight seconds in length.
Primary Interventions:
Time (Reverse), Structure (Deriving of Samples & Structural Exploration).
Secondary Interventions:
Pitch, Timbre, and Structure.
AUDIO RECORDINGS
AUDIO RECORDING SELECTION
Audio Recording Nine
I have selected this audio recording as I really enjoy the timbre of drums and bass guitar. In addition, I am curious to explore this rhythm section's capacity to be deconstructed into re-purposed samples. Furthermore, I am quite interested in the non-lyrical vocal part that introduces the rhythmic instrumentation. I feel that this forlorn and ominous sounding vocal part could yield inspiring results when subject to further intervention. Overall, I believe that through further intervention this audio recording could have the potential to be re-purposed into a set of samples that align with the criteria outlined within the creative brief.
Audio Recording Eleven
I have chosen this audio recording as I am curious to explore its simplistic rhythmic arrangement. In particular, I am rather interested as to how the movement within the arrangement of the drum part will respond to further time based intervention. In addition, I also enjoy the slightly overdriven timbre of the minimalistic bass part, and I am eager to assess how this part responds to further intervention. However, despite the fact that I can see this audio recordings potential to fulfil the requirements of the creative brief, I feel that until further interventions are performed its capacity to generate a set of re-purposed samples capable of forming a new compostional seed is relatively unknown.
Audio Recording Seventeen
I have decided to select this audio recording as I am inspired by the clarity in both its recording and arrangement. For example, I really enjoy the warm timbre of the bass guitar part. In addition, I feel that due to the wider arrangement, the bass guitar part is often left unobstructed, therefore I feel it has the potential to be directly accessed through structural intervention. Furthermore, I am eager to explore the percussion part within this audio recording. I feel that as this percussion part is tuned, I am curious as to how it may respond to further intervention. Therefore, I feel that this audio recording could have the potential to be re-purposed into samples capable in both forming a new compositional seed, and satisfying the criteria outlined within the creative brief.
REFLECTION
PRIMARY INTERVENTION ONE
REFLECTION
Audio Recording Nine
I am quite inspired by this first primary intervention as I feel it has worked well to reveal new opportunities within this audio recording. In particular, I am excited by the sound of the reversed snare drum, as I feel it has the potential to provide contrast in a compositional seed containing re-purposed samples which have not been reversed. For example, I am eager to experiment with this reverse sounding snare as a glitchy type fill within a wider rhythmic compositional seed. In addition, I am also excited about how this time based intervention has altered the vocal part at the beginning of this audio recording. I feel as if this vocal part now possesses a rather interesting warped tape like aesthetic. Overall, I feel this primary intervention has been successful in determining that this audio recording has the capacity to contain re-purposed samples which have been reversed through time based intervention.
Audio Recording Eleven
Unfortunately I feel disappointed in this audio recordings capacity to respond to this first primary intervention. I feel that this is due to this primary interventions inability to reveal any new and compelling creative opportunities within this audio recording. In a sense, I feel this primary intervention has worked to enforce a sense of monotony upon the audio recording, whilst promoting the noise of the vinyl record itself. Furthermore, I feel that through this intervention the arrangement now appears to sound very crowded with a lack of definition within the instrumentation. Therefore, I believe that this audio recording can no longer be considered viable in creating the reversed samples required to fulfil the parameters of the creative brief.
Audio Recording Seventeen
I have found this primary intervention to have been relatively successful. I feel that through this time based intervention I have been able to assess the potential to create a set of re-purposed samples consisting of elements of instrumentation both in forwards and reverse. For example, I am really intrigued by how this intervention has influenced the tuned percussion, as I feel as if this aspect of the instrumentation now has an ethereal synthesizer type sound. In addition, I am pleased with how the isolated aspects of bass guitar have maintained warmth and clarity. Furthermore, I feel that through the new discoveries uncovered by this primary intervention, I have been able to recognise the potential of this audio recording to generate a set of re-purposed samples capable in forming a new compositional seed, and satisfying the criteria outlined within the creative brief. Therefore, I have decided to continue to explore this audio recording through the application of further intervention.
PRIMARY INTERVENTION TWO
Initial sample selection markers for Audio Recording Nine - Original

Initial sample selection markers for Audio Recording Nine - Reverse

Initial sample selection markers for Audio Recording Seventeen - Original

Initial sample selection markers for Audio Recording Seventeen - Reverse

Audio Recording Nine
To begin this structural intervention, I have placed nine audio markers across both the original audio recording, and the first primary intervention. It is my intention that these nine markers across both tracks will derive a minimum of fourteen potentially viable samples. I have loosely placed these audio markers in order to capture the sections of the drums, bass, and the vocal part within the original audio recording and the audio of the first primary intervention
Audio Recording Seventeen
To begin this structural intervention, I have placed five audio markers across both the original recording and first primary intervention. It is my intention that these five audio markers placed across both tracks will derive a minimum of eight samples. I have purposefully placed these markers in the same approximate locations across both audio recordings in order to derive the instrumentation in its original form, as well as in the form present after the first primary intervention. In addition, I have placed these markers near transients within both audio recordings in order to isolate aspects of the bass and percussion parts. It is hoped that the placement of these markers will allow me to consider the viability of each sample within an isolated context.
Audio Recording Seventeen (Initial Samples)
After performing this structural intervention, I am really unsure about the samples derived from both the audio recording, and the first primary intervention. For example, I really enjoy the warped nature of Sample Six, yet I feel there is a lack in variation across all of the derived samples. This is evident in the similarities between Sample One and Sample Three, Sample Two and Sample Four, and between Sample Five, Sample Six, Sample Seven and Sample Eight. Therefore, due to this lack of variation among the selected samples, I feel that this audio recording does not meet the criteria outlined within the creative brief, and therefore is not viable in creating re-purposed samples capable of forming a new compositional seed.
Audio Recording Nine (Initial Samples)
From this concentrated selection of samples, I am particularly drawn to Sample Five, Sample Six, and Sample Seven. I feel all three of these samples best represent the drum and bass instrumentation within the original audio recording. After hearing them in isolation, I believe each of these samples has the capacity to be re-purposed as a percussive/bass sample in order to satisfy the creative brief, and create a new compositional seed. In addition, I am curious as to how Sample Ten, Sample Twelve, and Sample Fourteen could respond to further structural exploration and intervention. For example, I feel that these three reversed samples have the capacity to operate as re-purposed samples, and therefore would meet the criteria of the creative brief. Furthermore, the total selection of seven samples has allowed this audio recording to fulfil another aspect of the requirements within the creative brief to be achieved.
Audio Recording Nine - Structural Exploration of Samples (100BPM)
ONE




After exploring the capacity for each of these samples to be arranged together within a tempo matching that as required within the creative brief, I feel the selected samples require further refinement. However, I feel as if this is not an entirely creative decision, as although particular samples do require refinement in duration so as to function in a more cohesive manner within a wider arrangement, I am also wanting to ensure that all of the selected samples fit within the maximum duration of two seconds in order to comply with the requirements of the creative brief. Therefore, I am eager to experiment with the refinement of each sample in order to meet the criteria stated within the creative brief, whilst attempting to maintain the essence of the sample itself.
REFLECTION
Audio Recording Nine - Further Refinement of Sample Selection
Sample One - Initial Selection

Sample One - Refined Selection (Added additional length to the ending of the selected sample)

Sample Five - Initial Selection

Sample Five - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the beginning and end of the selected sample)

Sample Six - Initial Selection

Sample Six - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the beginning and end of the selected sample)

Sample Seven - Initial Selection

Sample Seven - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the beginning and end of the selected sample)

Sample Ten - Initial Selection

Sample Ten - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the end of the selected sample)

Sample Twelve - Initial Selection

Sample Twelve - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the beginning and end of the selected sample)

Sample Fourteen - Initial Selection

Sample Fourteen - Refined Selection (Trim applied to the beginning and end of the selected sample)

REFLECTION
After refining the selected samples, I am quite fascinated by how they now move together within the structural exploration. For example, as the majority of the samples are now shorter in length, I feel as if the overall rhythmic movement within the wider arrangement of the samples is more pronounced. I feel this is particularly evident in the relationship between Sample Five, Sample Six, and Sample Seven. Furthermore, I feel that through this refinement, the capacity for Sample One, Sample Twelve, and Sample Fourteen to act as a ambient texture within the arrangement has become more realised. However, I am currently unsure about the refinement of Sample Ten, although this may just be due to its placement within this structural exploration. Overall, I am pleased with the selected samples and their capacity to fulfil all of the parameters required by the creative brief.
SECONDARY INTERVENTIONS
To be continued Semester Two, 2019.