Bringing it all together

In my piece I created some rhythms using Impulse, recorded Irene’s and my voice for audio clips, created some sound effects using Simpler and Operator, found some suitable sounds for melodies (mainly using the string machine – see below) and amended the tunes to fit my piece – using the clip view and notes – then I had to thinking about how it would all run together.

 

I have already decided that running all the voice pieces in one ‘verse would be too much for the audience. So I have split them into two verses.

 

So I am going to have an intro section which will basically trigger itself once I launch the first scene. Though I will alter the resonance and frequency on the Operator generated wind sound and use a live mic to speak some lines (I don’t know at this point if that will be running through Ableton - ie on a track with the record button pressed - if so I can then add an effect or processor to alter my voice and that may need a live controller on the keyboard) - I will have a master volume control on my keyboard so I can turn down the music to make my voice clearly heard.

 

I had to overcome the problem that all my scenes did not have all the same elements in - ie there may be drum fills come in later on which would mean a new track triggering - but with no clips playing above them there was nothing to trigger these fills etc - in midi tracks you can just ‘click’ in an empty slot and it will create an empty clip which has all the launch capacity of a normal clip. In audio tracks you have to duplicate one of your audio clips and then turn the volume off using an envelope (and to make it easier to use I tidied it up when I’d finished and made all the empty clips - the ones with no name on - a dark grey so they weren’t so confusing).

 

 

I will then launch in the first verse - which will play beats and sung/spoken lines randomly - I will trigger melody clips with keyboard keys and turn on and off the tracks to allow both mine and Irene’s calls and responses to be heard - I will know when it is appropriate to open the tracks as at the bottom of the track there is an oblong box which fills with the colour of the clip being played as it is playing - so I don’t turn on a track when a clip is halfway through - I will also be able to see which track is due to play next as the clip about to be triggered’s play symbol flashes before it starts.

 

There will be an instrumental chorus over which I will again speak in the live mic (this will be triggered with the first sequence and play automatically - the first scene will stop any remaining audio from the verse. Again I will use the master volume to make myself heard). I will have to tweak Operator’s controls to effect the wind sound.

 

Then I will trigger the second verse - same style as the first.

 

Then I will trigger the first part of the finale, again effecting the wind sound and speaking live lines over the end of the first part (this I have turned down in volume using envelopes). Then finally trigger the second part of the finale, ending with more wind (Operator’s controls effected using knobs on the keyboard).

 

Anyroad for a more interesting look at how it all works see ‘key to the whole performance’ - shows how to use keyboard to play it all live.