SHR4C004M-002 Composition & Production Template
Upload your composition in the block below, please refer to the assignment brief for the specific file specifications.
Synthesis process evidence
The two parts of my composition that utilise synthesis are ambient vocal layers and midi violin, both with the goal of adding texture, interesting rhythmic patterns underneath the drum pattern and matching harmonically with the rest of the composition. Granular synth was my go-to, as many inspirations for this project primarily use granular synth to achieve similar effects. Additionally, I found that it matched the style of the composition as a whole, complimenting the reversed guitars, large delayed pianos and ambient sounds created from odd bits of audio found on my laptop and soundscape recordings. I used Alchemy for all of my synthesis parts, since I really enjoyed the freedom it gave me to adjust my audio however I wanted within this context, while also having to accommodate for the track being mostly acoustic / performed with instruments rather than being in the context of an EDM or 80s disco track, for example.
Starting with the vocal granular synth during the last chorus, I truly just kept trying things until it sounded good at first, and then adjusted the size and density to create a delay / tremolo effect in a pattern of three across one bar. I particularly aimed for a ‘full’ sound with this vocal, since it had to build on the other audio as the chorus progressed. The original vocal was just a simple held note within the key of D major. It didn’t matter what note, as I could always layer / pitch shift if wanted since this complimented the effect that this particular granular synth effect gave.
I had also done the same but in a much more subtle way used in both the intro and across choruses, as a less important layer.
As evident, I had copied the settings of the original vocal and edited it ever so slightly with the size, allowing a faster and more subtle response. This layer was used for quiet patches through the track, to join together sections and to add texture on top of existing recordings.
Lastly, the violin granular synth was identical to the first vocals’ settings, as it had to match the pattern and sound of the vocals while acting as a textural layer. To get to this stage, I had to play in some midi, bounce that to a new audio track, apply that to Alchemy and copy over the settings. The violin synth is audible during the last chorus and intro only, and the rest of the violin audio is bounced from midi tracks and had effects layered on them. Specifically, I used minimal delay and a pan modulator to emulate space.
Project recording:
