Prelude - The Persistence of Time
Philosophical Notes
I have always loved the Van Gough painting "The Persistence of Memory". Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was written to question if there are limits to science and technology that should not be breached. Shelley also saw the impact of technology and the advent of mass production and factories on England. Time became mechanized be it the clock like moments of planets or the time clock in the factories.
This piece begins with a clock and then distorts that regularity of the ticking clock much like the melting clocks in Van Gough's painting. The clock changes to steam engine which revolutionized global industry and then brought electricity which I represent by a Tesla coil. While Frankenstein only mentions the lesser know Galvani it was an interest in the joining of human flesh with electricity that brought about the means to create Frankenstein's unholy creature.
The theme of electricity appears again in lightening strikes that morphs into the next step in technology, the nuclear bomb. Here, as Prometheus gives fire the same is true of electrify and then nuclear weapons so I am merely extending the analogy.
Orchestration
Sound Effects - Slider 1
Clips
Clock Ticking
Steam Engine
Tesla Coil
Effects
Zebrify (drone) - Pedal 3
Live Grain Delay - Pedal 4
Guitar Rig
Reflector - Spirit Canyon - Spectral Relativity "Zone of Twilight"
Moog Voyager - Slider 2
Guitar Rig
Psyche Delay
Spring Reverb
Razor - Slider 3
Live Suite - Corpus
Guitar Rig
Space Echo
Reflector - Spirit Canyon Audio - Spectral Relativity "All Black"
Alchemy - Slider 4
Effects
Live Resonator - Pedal 1
Live Grain Delay - Pedal 2
Guitar Rig
Reflector - Spirit Canyon Audio - Spectral Relativity "At the core"
Zebra - Slider 5
Performance Controls
Alchemy 1-4 corresponding to the "Stretch" parameters for various clock samples
Performance Notes
Alchemy - Clocks ticking & Chimes - stretch time with performance controls 1-4
Use Live's "Grain Delay" to slow and speed up time and change frequency
Steam Engine (clip 2)
Tesla coil (clip 3)
Turn on resonator
Razor and Zebra drones
Voyager
Monday, August 27, 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Fire Giver Notes - 8/25/12
Fire Giver Notes
MUSIC
LETTERS FROM THE ARTIC OCEAN
Prelude - The Persistence of Time
Clock ticking (Clip 1)
Alchemy - Clocks ticking & Chimes
Steam Engine (clip 2)
Tesla coil (clip 3)
Turn on resonator
Razor and Zebra drone
http://jenmitlas.wordpress.com/ - An Arctic Passage
We find a common technique of the romantic period here called framing. We meet the captain of a ship, Robert Warren who is seeking a way to get from the Arctic Ocean to the North Pacific via the North Pole. Warren is aware of the challenges and warns his wife that if he fails he may return soon but perhaps not return at all. We also find Warren's letters at the end of the book after he has met both Victor and his monster.
2- The Lonely Journey
Warren is lonely on the ship and looking for companionship.
We find for the 1st time an allusion to "The Rhime of the Ancient Mariner" in 3 very Romantic ideas (seafaring, the mysterious, the quest for knowledge)
3 - A Letter to Home
Warren continues to express a heartfelt confidence that he will find his passage but not really backed up by knowledge which is a very romantic notion. He has the good fortune of passing a ship returning to England called "The Merchantman who will be able to get his letter to his sister before his return.
4 - Victor is Saved
Warren's ship 1st encounters a gigantic man (I.e. the monster, driving a dog sled) and then Victor trailing him on a block of ice. Warren is delighted to have someone to talk to. Here Victor begins as narrator in a sense and then fully in chapter 1
VICTOR'S STORY
1 - The Early Years
Victor tells us of the early years of his family, both hard times & good - the gift of Elizabeth - themes of hearth/home
2 - The Alchemists
Victor speaks of his interest in the alchemists Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus (not really an alchemist but more a natural scientist)
Victor witnesses a lightening storm that blows apart a tree
Idea for sound
A lightening strike morphing into a nuclear explosion, morphing into a vocal cluster (Symphony of Voices) morphing into ice effect or ice like sound)
MUSIC
Lightening Strikes - Live
Orchestration
Reaktor Prism - SlowMotion
Kontakt
Cello -Solo
Novachord - 1939 - Pad - Unseen
Live Clips
3 clips - assigned to lowest notes on keyboard
Thunder
Tesla Coil
Nuclear Blast
MIDI
Buttons
Absynth
Live Reverb
Slider 1 - Volume Reaktor (Prism)
Slider 2 - Volume Kontakt (Cello and Hammond Novachord)
Slider 3 - Clip Volume
Slider 4 - Cello Level
Sider 5 - Prism feedback
Roland FC 300
Pedal 1 - Prism - Exciter Envelope B
Pedal 2 - Prism - Exciter Feedback
Audio Cubes
Audio Cubes will be used to trigger clips
3 - Ingolatadt
Victor's mother Carolyn dies
Victor meets his teaches Krempe and Waldman
Waldmen encourages victor to learn every branch of natural science
4 - Grace Robber
Victor excels at Ingolstadt especially in chemistry but Victor would become reclusive seeking body parts in graveyards. Victor's withdrawal from the world gets worse. He let's letters go unanswered and his health is effected.
Shelley is intimating the romantic ideal that man must control technology not technology which controls man.
MUSIC
The Graveyard
Clips
Metal gate (of graveyard)
Human remains (grapefruit squish) + Live Grain Delay
Orchestration
Chromaphone
Bowed Gamelan (Live Instrument) - thru Absynth Resonator
Cylindrum (Kontakt)
MIDI
Slider 1 - Chromophone Volume
Slider 2 - Bowed Ugal Volume
Slider 3 - Cylindrum Volume
Slider 4 - Effects Volume
Slider 1 - Noise Frequency
Slider 2 - Mallet Color
Audio Cubes
Used to control "Grain Delay"
5 - The Creation of the Monster
Henry Clerval - Romantic - Poet - Friend - Knight of the Round Table
Ingolstadt - The Iluminati - Science - The Enlightenment
The re-animation of a dead body - Galvanism - Ventalators
The monster is created. Victor is horrified and runs from his creation. He is found by Clerval who slowly brings him back to health.
The monster is created - need music to represent Victors horror
Perhaps sounds of footsteps running, heavy breathing, heartbeat, synthetic sound as the sound of Victors fears chasing him through the streets.
The dream of victors mother - worms from her head
Rhime of the ancient mariner quoted. Influential in the novel.
MUSIC
Paradise Lost
Orchestration - Live Instrument rack
1. Blade - with Guitar Rig (Roland Space Echo) - Key mapped to lower register
2. Kontakt
String Ensemble (Factory)
Timpani (Factory) - On/off - Pedal 1
Contra Bassoon (Factory)
Bazantar (8Dio's sampled instrument made by Mark Deustch)
Flute (Factory)
3. Alchemy
Performance Controls
Novation
Blade (Drone) Volume - Slider 1
Live XY Pad
Filter
Cutoff
Guitar Rig - Roland Space Echo
XY Pad - Live
Tap Speed
Tape Feedback
Effect Level
Orchestra Volume - Slider 2
String Ensemble
Timpani
Contra Bassoon
Bazantar
Flute
Alchemy (Choir) Volume - Slider 3
Slider 5 - Blade XY - Y
Alchemy Mobile
Cutoff - Performance 3
Resonance - Performance 4
Roland FC 300 - Foot Controller
Pedal 1 - Space Echo Speed
Pedal 2 - Space Echo Feedback
Pedal 3 - Space Echo Level
Performance Notes
Begin with Blade Drone
Change sound with XY and Roland Space Echo (Feedback, Speed, Echo Volume)
Generator drone - need to find this - nothing in effects libraries
Bazantar (possible assign pedal switch for solo) - and hot swap. Slow downward series of notes (even a clip) to drone
Upper end Alchemy choir (need to assign filter settings) dark chord sequence (Loxrian, Phrygian) to Timpani roll
Bazantar - lower, Choir upper - dark interlude
Back to drone - slowly dies out to generator sound (clip)
Second Thoughts
Clips
Lungs
Deep Breathing (Slot 1)
Hospital Ventilator (Slot 2)
Heart
Heartbeat (Slot 3)
Orchestration
Blade (controlled by Live envelope follower)
Kontakt 4 - Strings
Cello (ensemble)
Viola (solo)
ElectraX
MIDI
Slider 1 - Blade Volume
Slider 2 - Strings volume
Slider 3 - ElectraX volume
Slider 4 - Lungs (breathing and respirator) volume
Slider 5 - Heart Volume
Pedal 1 - Blade sub oscillator and Cello Timbre (Kontakt Main Panel
Pedal 2 - Blade octave
Performance Notes
All Sliders down
Slider 1 to max
This piece starts and end with a Blade Drone
The breathing clip is started without volume but as a side chain controlling the filter cutoff of Blade using an M4L envelope follower
Blade is modulated via the XY pad (octave) and Pedal 2
The breath volume is increased
Decrease drone to 1/8th - Slider 1
Increase Electra X to Max - Slider 3 - Lower Blade to 1/3rd - Slider 1
Phrygian Mode - start with C Minor
Bring in Strings (Cello and Viola) - Slider 2
Use Pedal 1 to control Cello timbre and Blade sub oscillator
Start heartbeat clip
Play notes in lower register
Start Ventilator clip
Fade strings out - Slide 2
Vent fades out quickly - Slider 4
High C sustained for 10 seconds
Slowly fade out heart - slider 5
Bring Blade volume up to Max - Slider 1
Modulate drone (pedal 2) and fade out - Slider 1
6 - Visit with an Old Friend
Letters from home, family matters, Victor's recovery, language studies
7 - The Death of William
William (youngest brother) is strangled by the monster
Victor glimpses the monster in flashes of lightening
Victor suspects the monster is guilty but does not want to reveal it.
8 - The Trial and Hanging of Justine
Justine is accused of William's murder (the monster places a locket in her pocket)
Justine is hung unjustly for the crimes of Victor's monster. Victor looks on helplessly knowing the true guilty party.
9 - A Time for Healing
Victor's 2nd depression - Refuge at Lake Geneva - Suicide considered
The Chamounix valley - depression a theme of Romantic writers - Why?
The healing powers of nature - Mont Blanc - Percy Shelly
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist256/alps/mont_blanc.htm
10 - The Monster Confronts His Maker
Connection with Milton's "Paradise Lost" - name for the song of Frankenstein meeting his monster? - the creature as Victor's Adam before and after the fall - banished from paradise
The romantic view that people are born good but society corrupts them - much like the monster
The glaciers - snow, ice, rock - connection to the scene at the north pole
The storm signals the monitors approach - weather as signal
11 - The Monster and The De Lacey Family
the monster relates his early life experiences to victor - romantic vision of home and hearth - the monster does not dare approach.
12 - The Monster Learns to Speak
The monster learns French from the De Lacey family, he begins to gather wood from them, he sees his reflection
13 - Reflection on Good and Evil
A Turkish woman comes to the cottage and learns French, the monster learns more from this, Shelley goes more into the good and evil nature of man, language is seen as good, themes of Paradise Lost - is Shelley here wrestling with issues of science as good or evil?
14 - De Lacey family history
Felix, Safie's father is defended by the De Lacey family but in their battle to free her father from the Gallows their wealth is confiscated. The family was well to do but is brought to ruin.
15 - The Monster Learns to Read
Plutarch's "Lives of Illustrious Greeks and Roman's", Milton's "Paradise Lost", Goethe's "Sorrows of Werter", and Victor's notes found in his jacket
The monster questions his place in the world, he sees his reflection
The monster decides that in spite of his looks the family might accept him. He waits till only the blind father remains who warmly welcomes him but on seeing him, Felix beats him severely and the monster leaves without any resistance.
16 - The Monster Requests a Companion
As the monster tells his story, he catches up with Victor's in time
The De Lacey family leaves the cottage and it's burned down by the monster.
William (Victors brother) is murdered by the monster when he realizes who it is
The locket is placed in Justine's pocket sealing her fate
The monster requests that Victor create a mate for him
17 - The Ultimatum
The monster gives victor an ultimatum. Either make him a mate or he will destroy all that is good in Victor's life and make his heart desolate. In exchange, the monster tells him he will leave Europe for the wilderness of South America.
Victor has many doubts and goes into another depression.
18 - A Trip Down The Rhine and Return to Geneva
Victor returns to Geneva to fulfill his promise and make a mate for his monster
Victor recovers and tells his father he want's to catch up on science
Victor tells his father he will marry Elizabeth on his return and travel through Europe and eventually to London. He joins his friend Clerval.
They travel the Rhine - much Romantic imagery here
19 - A New Creation
Victor leaves Clerval who continues his tour of the Rhine
Victor reads the latest philosophers and wrestles with the implications of the plans for a new creation.
He goes to the Ornkey Islands so he can be isolates - his mental condition deteriorates
20 - The Refusal
Victor refuses to go any further fearing that his new creation might be a threat to the world. He destroys the new creation and the monster tells him he will be with him on his wedding night.
The monster disappears into the night.
Victor removes everything from the laboratory and cleans the remains planning to return to Clerval for a trip to India.
On his return from the Island Victor finds he is wanted for murder and is taken into custody.
21 - Clerval is Murdered and Victor Arested
The sight of his friends dead body causes Victor to become extremely I'll for 2 months. A nurse is provided who nurses him back to health in the prison.
His legal council is able to prove his innocence and presence on the island lab at the time of Clerval's murder.
Alphonse takes Victor home but he remains very ill. A brief visit is made to Paris.
22 - Victor marries Elizabeth
They go on their honeymoon and Victor plans on telling Elizabeth about the monster. He fears the threat of the monster expecting the monster to attack.
23 - The Death of Elizabeth
There is a storm (gothic symbol that something will happen). Victor wanders the halls looking for signs of the monster who finds his way to Elizabeth's room and kills her. Victor reaches her and the monster and even gets a shot off but the monster escapes unharmed.
Victor's father, Alphonse, overcome by shock over Elizabeth's death, dies
Victor goes to the local magistrate and tells him the story of his monster from it's creation and that it was the monster who killed his wife.
A few gothic elements here. 1st, there is communication of sorts between Victor and his creature who seems to always know where he is.
Victor vows to spend whatever time it takes to destroy the monster.
24 - The Final Chase
Victor is goaded by the monster's laugh as he visits the graves of his family. The monster's knowledge that Victor would be there is another gothic element. He pursues the monster and chases him out of Geneva and after boarding a ship on the Black Sea and then to Russia and the Arctic Circle
The monster finds a dog sled and Victor continues to pursue but the ice begins to crack.
The two are separated on two different pieces of ice which is where the letters at the beginning of the novel start. The monster want Victor to chase him. He keeps leaving notes. Without them Victor would not be able to pursue him. The arctic is a gothic element.
THE FINAL LETTERS
The end of the book is told from the perspective of Walton's letters. Victor also shows him letters of Felix and Safie to lend credence to his cautionary tale. The two enjoy much time together talking about literature and other things.
Victor is on the verge of death but Walton is also on his own quest to find a Northwest passage and that is failing.
Victor's health gets even worse and now the crew are almost ready to mutiny. Walton agrees to turn the ship around and return to England. Despite his condition, victor wants to continue to pursue the monster.
Victor dies but the monster makes his way on board looking for Victor. He tells Walton his side of the story but then leaves the ship continuing his now fruitless journey and disappears into the mist.
The monster in speaking to Walton alludes to Paradise lost and compares himself to a fallen angel.
MUSIC
Into The Mist
Orchestration
Ableton Operator (with Absynth 5 Aetherizer and Guitar Rig Effects)
Guitar Rig (Roland Space Echo, EH Flange, EH phaser and reflector using "Sprit Canyon Audio" impulse response
Moog Voyager - Soundscape shifter
Effects - Guitar Rig - Psychedelic Delay - Reflector
Impulse Response - Spirit Canyon Audio
MIDI
Slider 1 - Oscillator C (Frequency)
Slider 2 - Oscillator C (Level)
Slider 3 - Pitch Envelope (Level)
Slider 4 - Spread
Slider 5 - Tape Feedback
Slider 6 - Tape Speed
FC 300
Pedal 3 - Voyager Filter Cutoff
Pedal 4 - Voyager - OSC 3 - Wavef
MUSIC
LETTERS FROM THE ARTIC OCEAN
Prelude - The Persistence of Time
Clock ticking (Clip 1)
Alchemy - Clocks ticking & Chimes
Steam Engine (clip 2)
Tesla coil (clip 3)
Turn on resonator
Razor and Zebra drone
http://jenmitlas.wordpress.com/ - An Arctic Passage
We find a common technique of the romantic period here called framing. We meet the captain of a ship, Robert Warren who is seeking a way to get from the Arctic Ocean to the North Pacific via the North Pole. Warren is aware of the challenges and warns his wife that if he fails he may return soon but perhaps not return at all. We also find Warren's letters at the end of the book after he has met both Victor and his monster.
2- The Lonely Journey
Warren is lonely on the ship and looking for companionship.
We find for the 1st time an allusion to "The Rhime of the Ancient Mariner" in 3 very Romantic ideas (seafaring, the mysterious, the quest for knowledge)
3 - A Letter to Home
Warren continues to express a heartfelt confidence that he will find his passage but not really backed up by knowledge which is a very romantic notion. He has the good fortune of passing a ship returning to England called "The Merchantman who will be able to get his letter to his sister before his return.
4 - Victor is Saved
Warren's ship 1st encounters a gigantic man (I.e. the monster, driving a dog sled) and then Victor trailing him on a block of ice. Warren is delighted to have someone to talk to. Here Victor begins as narrator in a sense and then fully in chapter 1
VICTOR'S STORY
1 - The Early Years
Victor tells us of the early years of his family, both hard times & good - the gift of Elizabeth - themes of hearth/home
2 - The Alchemists
Victor speaks of his interest in the alchemists Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus (not really an alchemist but more a natural scientist)
Victor witnesses a lightening storm that blows apart a tree
Idea for sound
A lightening strike morphing into a nuclear explosion, morphing into a vocal cluster (Symphony of Voices) morphing into ice effect or ice like sound)
MUSIC
Lightening Strikes - Live
Orchestration
Reaktor Prism - SlowMotion
Kontakt
Cello -Solo
Novachord - 1939 - Pad - Unseen
Live Clips
3 clips - assigned to lowest notes on keyboard
Thunder
Tesla Coil
Nuclear Blast
MIDI
Buttons
Absynth
Live Reverb
Slider 1 - Volume Reaktor (Prism)
Slider 2 - Volume Kontakt (Cello and Hammond Novachord)
Slider 3 - Clip Volume
Slider 4 - Cello Level
Sider 5 - Prism feedback
Roland FC 300
Pedal 1 - Prism - Exciter Envelope B
Pedal 2 - Prism - Exciter Feedback
Audio Cubes
Audio Cubes will be used to trigger clips
3 - Ingolatadt
Victor's mother Carolyn dies
Victor meets his teaches Krempe and Waldman
Waldmen encourages victor to learn every branch of natural science
4 - Grace Robber
Victor excels at Ingolstadt especially in chemistry but Victor would become reclusive seeking body parts in graveyards. Victor's withdrawal from the world gets worse. He let's letters go unanswered and his health is effected.
Shelley is intimating the romantic ideal that man must control technology not technology which controls man.
MUSIC
The Graveyard
Clips
Metal gate (of graveyard)
Human remains (grapefruit squish) + Live Grain Delay
Orchestration
Chromaphone
Bowed Gamelan (Live Instrument) - thru Absynth Resonator
Cylindrum (Kontakt)
MIDI
Slider 1 - Chromophone Volume
Slider 2 - Bowed Ugal Volume
Slider 3 - Cylindrum Volume
Slider 4 - Effects Volume
Slider 1 - Noise Frequency
Slider 2 - Mallet Color
Audio Cubes
Used to control "Grain Delay"
5 - The Creation of the Monster
Henry Clerval - Romantic - Poet - Friend - Knight of the Round Table
Ingolstadt - The Iluminati - Science - The Enlightenment
The re-animation of a dead body - Galvanism - Ventalators
The monster is created. Victor is horrified and runs from his creation. He is found by Clerval who slowly brings him back to health.
The monster is created - need music to represent Victors horror
Perhaps sounds of footsteps running, heavy breathing, heartbeat, synthetic sound as the sound of Victors fears chasing him through the streets.
The dream of victors mother - worms from her head
Rhime of the ancient mariner quoted. Influential in the novel.
MUSIC
Paradise Lost
Orchestration - Live Instrument rack
1. Blade - with Guitar Rig (Roland Space Echo) - Key mapped to lower register
2. Kontakt
String Ensemble (Factory)
Timpani (Factory) - On/off - Pedal 1
Contra Bassoon (Factory)
Bazantar (8Dio's sampled instrument made by Mark Deustch)
Flute (Factory)
3. Alchemy
Performance Controls
Novation
Blade (Drone) Volume - Slider 1
Live XY Pad
Filter
Cutoff
Guitar Rig - Roland Space Echo
XY Pad - Live
Tap Speed
Tape Feedback
Effect Level
Orchestra Volume - Slider 2
String Ensemble
Timpani
Contra Bassoon
Bazantar
Flute
Alchemy (Choir) Volume - Slider 3
Slider 5 - Blade XY - Y
Alchemy Mobile
Cutoff - Performance 3
Resonance - Performance 4
Roland FC 300 - Foot Controller
Pedal 1 - Space Echo Speed
Pedal 2 - Space Echo Feedback
Pedal 3 - Space Echo Level
Performance Notes
Begin with Blade Drone
Change sound with XY and Roland Space Echo (Feedback, Speed, Echo Volume)
Generator drone - need to find this - nothing in effects libraries
Bazantar (possible assign pedal switch for solo) - and hot swap. Slow downward series of notes (even a clip) to drone
Upper end Alchemy choir (need to assign filter settings) dark chord sequence (Loxrian, Phrygian) to Timpani roll
Bazantar - lower, Choir upper - dark interlude
Back to drone - slowly dies out to generator sound (clip)
Second Thoughts
Clips
Lungs
Deep Breathing (Slot 1)
Hospital Ventilator (Slot 2)
Heart
Heartbeat (Slot 3)
Orchestration
Blade (controlled by Live envelope follower)
Kontakt 4 - Strings
Cello (ensemble)
Viola (solo)
ElectraX
MIDI
Slider 1 - Blade Volume
Slider 2 - Strings volume
Slider 3 - ElectraX volume
Slider 4 - Lungs (breathing and respirator) volume
Slider 5 - Heart Volume
Pedal 1 - Blade sub oscillator and Cello Timbre (Kontakt Main Panel
Pedal 2 - Blade octave
Performance Notes
All Sliders down
Slider 1 to max
This piece starts and end with a Blade Drone
The breathing clip is started without volume but as a side chain controlling the filter cutoff of Blade using an M4L envelope follower
Blade is modulated via the XY pad (octave) and Pedal 2
The breath volume is increased
Decrease drone to 1/8th - Slider 1
Increase Electra X to Max - Slider 3 - Lower Blade to 1/3rd - Slider 1
Phrygian Mode - start with C Minor
Bring in Strings (Cello and Viola) - Slider 2
Use Pedal 1 to control Cello timbre and Blade sub oscillator
Start heartbeat clip
Play notes in lower register
Start Ventilator clip
Fade strings out - Slide 2
Vent fades out quickly - Slider 4
High C sustained for 10 seconds
Slowly fade out heart - slider 5
Bring Blade volume up to Max - Slider 1
Modulate drone (pedal 2) and fade out - Slider 1
6 - Visit with an Old Friend
Letters from home, family matters, Victor's recovery, language studies
7 - The Death of William
William (youngest brother) is strangled by the monster
Victor glimpses the monster in flashes of lightening
Victor suspects the monster is guilty but does not want to reveal it.
8 - The Trial and Hanging of Justine
Justine is accused of William's murder (the monster places a locket in her pocket)
Justine is hung unjustly for the crimes of Victor's monster. Victor looks on helplessly knowing the true guilty party.
9 - A Time for Healing
Victor's 2nd depression - Refuge at Lake Geneva - Suicide considered
The Chamounix valley - depression a theme of Romantic writers - Why?
The healing powers of nature - Mont Blanc - Percy Shelly
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist256/alps/mont_blanc.htm
10 - The Monster Confronts His Maker
Connection with Milton's "Paradise Lost" - name for the song of Frankenstein meeting his monster? - the creature as Victor's Adam before and after the fall - banished from paradise
The romantic view that people are born good but society corrupts them - much like the monster
The glaciers - snow, ice, rock - connection to the scene at the north pole
The storm signals the monitors approach - weather as signal
11 - The Monster and The De Lacey Family
the monster relates his early life experiences to victor - romantic vision of home and hearth - the monster does not dare approach.
12 - The Monster Learns to Speak
The monster learns French from the De Lacey family, he begins to gather wood from them, he sees his reflection
13 - Reflection on Good and Evil
A Turkish woman comes to the cottage and learns French, the monster learns more from this, Shelley goes more into the good and evil nature of man, language is seen as good, themes of Paradise Lost - is Shelley here wrestling with issues of science as good or evil?
14 - De Lacey family history
Felix, Safie's father is defended by the De Lacey family but in their battle to free her father from the Gallows their wealth is confiscated. The family was well to do but is brought to ruin.
15 - The Monster Learns to Read
Plutarch's "Lives of Illustrious Greeks and Roman's", Milton's "Paradise Lost", Goethe's "Sorrows of Werter", and Victor's notes found in his jacket
The monster questions his place in the world, he sees his reflection
The monster decides that in spite of his looks the family might accept him. He waits till only the blind father remains who warmly welcomes him but on seeing him, Felix beats him severely and the monster leaves without any resistance.
16 - The Monster Requests a Companion
As the monster tells his story, he catches up with Victor's in time
The De Lacey family leaves the cottage and it's burned down by the monster.
William (Victors brother) is murdered by the monster when he realizes who it is
The locket is placed in Justine's pocket sealing her fate
The monster requests that Victor create a mate for him
17 - The Ultimatum
The monster gives victor an ultimatum. Either make him a mate or he will destroy all that is good in Victor's life and make his heart desolate. In exchange, the monster tells him he will leave Europe for the wilderness of South America.
Victor has many doubts and goes into another depression.
18 - A Trip Down The Rhine and Return to Geneva
Victor returns to Geneva to fulfill his promise and make a mate for his monster
Victor recovers and tells his father he want's to catch up on science
Victor tells his father he will marry Elizabeth on his return and travel through Europe and eventually to London. He joins his friend Clerval.
They travel the Rhine - much Romantic imagery here
19 - A New Creation
Victor leaves Clerval who continues his tour of the Rhine
Victor reads the latest philosophers and wrestles with the implications of the plans for a new creation.
He goes to the Ornkey Islands so he can be isolates - his mental condition deteriorates
20 - The Refusal
Victor refuses to go any further fearing that his new creation might be a threat to the world. He destroys the new creation and the monster tells him he will be with him on his wedding night.
The monster disappears into the night.
Victor removes everything from the laboratory and cleans the remains planning to return to Clerval for a trip to India.
On his return from the Island Victor finds he is wanted for murder and is taken into custody.
21 - Clerval is Murdered and Victor Arested
The sight of his friends dead body causes Victor to become extremely I'll for 2 months. A nurse is provided who nurses him back to health in the prison.
His legal council is able to prove his innocence and presence on the island lab at the time of Clerval's murder.
Alphonse takes Victor home but he remains very ill. A brief visit is made to Paris.
22 - Victor marries Elizabeth
They go on their honeymoon and Victor plans on telling Elizabeth about the monster. He fears the threat of the monster expecting the monster to attack.
23 - The Death of Elizabeth
There is a storm (gothic symbol that something will happen). Victor wanders the halls looking for signs of the monster who finds his way to Elizabeth's room and kills her. Victor reaches her and the monster and even gets a shot off but the monster escapes unharmed.
Victor's father, Alphonse, overcome by shock over Elizabeth's death, dies
Victor goes to the local magistrate and tells him the story of his monster from it's creation and that it was the monster who killed his wife.
A few gothic elements here. 1st, there is communication of sorts between Victor and his creature who seems to always know where he is.
Victor vows to spend whatever time it takes to destroy the monster.
24 - The Final Chase
Victor is goaded by the monster's laugh as he visits the graves of his family. The monster's knowledge that Victor would be there is another gothic element. He pursues the monster and chases him out of Geneva and after boarding a ship on the Black Sea and then to Russia and the Arctic Circle
The monster finds a dog sled and Victor continues to pursue but the ice begins to crack.
The two are separated on two different pieces of ice which is where the letters at the beginning of the novel start. The monster want Victor to chase him. He keeps leaving notes. Without them Victor would not be able to pursue him. The arctic is a gothic element.
THE FINAL LETTERS
The end of the book is told from the perspective of Walton's letters. Victor also shows him letters of Felix and Safie to lend credence to his cautionary tale. The two enjoy much time together talking about literature and other things.
Victor is on the verge of death but Walton is also on his own quest to find a Northwest passage and that is failing.
Victor's health gets even worse and now the crew are almost ready to mutiny. Walton agrees to turn the ship around and return to England. Despite his condition, victor wants to continue to pursue the monster.
Victor dies but the monster makes his way on board looking for Victor. He tells Walton his side of the story but then leaves the ship continuing his now fruitless journey and disappears into the mist.
The monster in speaking to Walton alludes to Paradise lost and compares himself to a fallen angel.
MUSIC
Into The Mist
Orchestration
Ableton Operator (with Absynth 5 Aetherizer and Guitar Rig Effects)
Guitar Rig (Roland Space Echo, EH Flange, EH phaser and reflector using "Sprit Canyon Audio" impulse response
Moog Voyager - Soundscape shifter
Effects - Guitar Rig - Psychedelic Delay - Reflector
Impulse Response - Spirit Canyon Audio
MIDI
Slider 1 - Oscillator C (Frequency)
Slider 2 - Oscillator C (Level)
Slider 3 - Pitch Envelope (Level)
Slider 4 - Spread
Slider 5 - Tape Feedback
Slider 6 - Tape Speed
FC 300
Pedal 3 - Voyager Filter Cutoff
Pedal 4 - Voyager - OSC 3 - Wavef
Friday, August 10, 2012
Initial Impressions of Space Wiz
I just started using Space Wiz but of all the Jordan Rudess synths this one impresses me the most. I'm sure that there is some influence here from Kepler Orrery (Although Space Wiz us much better) and at first glance one might believe this is a video game but underneath the visuals (which are also well done) there is a rather substantial algorithmic synth. In fact, this is the first musical I App that might make it into my music.
What fascinates me in regard to the possibilities here is that each planet has it's own voice, physical properties and tonal properties. It's like Lemur on steroids.
SpaceWiz also supports CoreMIDI so I will have to try using it on my synths, especially Kontakt.
What I love the most is the ability to use different scales and voices allowing a track to be created to use as a kind of pad for a lead track.
As I explore this more I will post more. Sadly, the wizard Rudess is creating a major distraction before Electro Music so I might have to shelf in depth tonal journey's until Fire Giver is brought to EM fest stage 2 but in the event of any discoveries during preparations I will be sure to post.
What fascinates me in regard to the possibilities here is that each planet has it's own voice, physical properties and tonal properties. It's like Lemur on steroids.
SpaceWiz also supports CoreMIDI so I will have to try using it on my synths, especially Kontakt.
What I love the most is the ability to use different scales and voices allowing a track to be created to use as a kind of pad for a lead track.
As I explore this more I will post more. Sadly, the wizard Rudess is creating a major distraction before Electro Music so I might have to shelf in depth tonal journey's until Fire Giver is brought to EM fest stage 2 but in the event of any discoveries during preparations I will be sure to post.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Blade Vs. Razor
For a while now I wanted to do a quick comparison of Blade and Razor, two additive synthesizers recently developed by Rod Pappen and Native Instruments. I don't believe the timing of their release so close together is mere coincidence but rather they both reflect a development in additive synthesis that is worth mentioning.
The Holy Grail if Synthesis
Additive synthesis might have seemed to be a kind of holy grail of synthesis at least for a time. I think it has matured and that expectations of what it can and cannot do are more realistic. It's promise is that it can recreate any timbre changing over time. However, I believe one need only look to the history of additive synths to see how difficult a task it is to make additive synthesis an effective musical tool more than a scientific and mathematical curiosity.
Baby Steps
My first experience with additive synthesis was with Absynth although it is a stretch to say Absynth has additive synthesis. Absynth has a parallel waveform/partials display. In this sense a pipe organ or a Hammond B3 or many other types of organs are additive synthesizers albeit with a very limited number of partials.
The next additive synthesizer I bought was VirSyn's Cube and latter Poseidon. Both of these synthesizers allow a sample to be re-synthesized. This is a process by which a sample can be broken into a series of partials each with their own amplitude and pitch envelopes.
The reason for doing this is not to reproduce the sample. Samplers do a better job of this anyway but rather to be able to morph sounds and speed up, slow down and freeze time in ways samplers can't.
The Next Generation
The next generation of additive synths that came out about the same time were Vir Syn's Cube and Camel Audio's Chameleon which was really the father of Alchemy. In all of these synths additive models can be morphed one to another and time can be sped up, slowed down or even frozen without the need for looping. Of course, such methods are not without artifacts.
Cube had a feature that allowed the user to draw spectrums and spectral envelopes. In theory, this all sounds great but how does one distinguish between on spectrum and another or their envelopes and make a mental connection with the sound. This is really what I saw early in the game as the problem with additive synths. That and the discovery I made that the brain really makes little distinction in timbre in terms of higher order partials which are mostly perceived as buzzy unless (and this is big), there are a series of peaks that provide a kind of shape if form to the partial much like formants which speaking of the synthesis if the human voice. If anyone reading this has purchased or looked at demos of Blade or Razor, these peaks will be familiar.
This is really why filters are so important. How one shapes the lower order partials is really what gives strong character to a sound but also how that shape changes over time. Early analogue synths all are based on broad spectrum waveforms. That is, waveforms with a lot of higher order partials. One might liken it to a sculpture with a block of marble. Filters then act as the chisel to chip away at the higher order partials that can be harsh and not very musical. Envelopes help to shape over time emulating the characteristics of real instruments.
The Shape of Things to Come
So with that said, it's my guess that both Rob Pappen and Native Instruments wanted to correct for these problems and came up with tools that reduced the overall "dynamic" shape of the partials to a few parameters. In Blade these are called Harmolators. The idea is that working with parameters that define an overall shape if a waveform allows the user to get a handle on what effects the overall sound without having to think about individual partials. What is missing is any form of re-synthesis which is interesting given that this was the central focus of additive synthesizers before this.
Overview and Central Focus
I believe it's no mistake when you look at the main screens of Blade and Razor that each have a very different focus. Blade's screen features an XY style pad with multiple Harmolators on the side which change as the cursor moves over the XY space. The movement of the cursor can be recorded and a number of preset patterns are also available. Blade also offers an LFO, envelope and two other modulation sources which all control Harmolators. It is the Harmolators that are the central focus if Blade.
Razor focuses more directly on the shape of the partials both in 2D and 3D although the 3D display is a bit more of a CPU hog. It offers two oscillators, Two additive filters, dissonance effects which I believe are unique to Razor and very interesting. Also stereo and dynamic effects, 2 LFOs, 3 envelopes, a side chain and a few controls related to controlling the real potential of Razor to shred speakers. Modulation takes the form of controls for each component which appear as a small circle below each knob. The modulation options are extensive.
The Partial Paradox
Any additive synth is going to have partials and lots of them. The problem with an additive synth that is not re-synthesizing is that one has to start with very broad spectrum and dare I say somewhat buzzy waveforms. Of course noise is all the rave today (pun intended) with the Hoover sound actually earning it's own Wiki page. So in many ways. the broad spectrum buzz saw of dancing partials is ear candy to many.
The real trick is to find interesting ways to shape these partials. Without going into details, Blade starts with some interesting starting shapes and patterns (such as primes only) and then makes broad morphs to the overall shape such as ripples (no doubt intended to be like formants), number of partials, left or right skew even and odd partial distribution reminiscent of tube and tape saturation and many other acoustic effects.
Razor's approach to oscillators is radically different. First, Razor does not have a large collection of starting shapes. Rather, it offers a collection of broad form waveforms that mimic classic analogue sounds with some really unique and creative waveforms that provide what I believe is a broader sonic pallet than Blade despite the fact that blade offers a lot more choices of waveform.
Oscillators
Here is the big difference between Blade and Razor. Blade has a rather substantial library of waveforms which are shaped by Harmolators. Razor has a limited number of oscillators which are very analogue in nature but very flexible. Unlike Blade where each oscillator is shaped by the same Harmolators, Razor's all have parameters specific to an oscillator type. Let's take a look.
One oscillator actuals changes the mix between prime and non prime partials. Blade does the same thing by providing a number of presets but in Razor, the mix of primes and non primes is a parameter. The Pershing Hoover sound makes it into the oscillator choices to no doubt appeal to a pop electronica market. You have 3 oscillators that simulate pitch bend adding an interesting sonic pallet not found in Blade. Pitch bend in Razor is done through oscillators and it a shifting of partials not real pitch bend. You have 2 oscillators that provide an interesting parallel to noise generators in analogues but with a spectral flavor and lastly a formant shaper which parallels Blade's ripples although is far more complex.
Filters
Blade's filters are pretty much standard fair although a bit broader than most synths offering low pass, band pass and high pass each in 12, 18 and 24 db cutoff but also a comb and a formant like filter called "vocal". All of Blade's filters are analogue in contrast to Razor that rarely leaves the additive realm.
Razor also has two sets of filters with different filter types in each bank. All of Razor's filters have a filter smoother to (I suspect) reduce some of that buzzy character of additive models based on broadband waveforms. Razors low pass filters are far more flexible than Blade's and feature continuous variable filter cutoff no doubt a by product of staying in the additive universe. There are 3 shapes of, something with ripples in resonant peak resembling a hybrid between LDF and comb and is evidenced by it's name low pass phaser and a dirtier grittier filter. There is what resembles a variable band envelope modulated filter, three types of formant filters (one with specific vowels) a vocoder.
The second Razor filter bank is more if the standard collection of garden variety filter fair, low, high, band, a few types of comb, a combined filter phaser, waterbed (yes, the filter visually looks like ripples on water and has a very organic sound, very cool). There is also a spectral pitch bend filter and a filter to emulate several instruments played at the same time.
The Holy Grail if Synthesis
Additive synthesis might have seemed to be a kind of holy grail of synthesis at least for a time. I think it has matured and that expectations of what it can and cannot do are more realistic. It's promise is that it can recreate any timbre changing over time. However, I believe one need only look to the history of additive synths to see how difficult a task it is to make additive synthesis an effective musical tool more than a scientific and mathematical curiosity.
Baby Steps
My first experience with additive synthesis was with Absynth although it is a stretch to say Absynth has additive synthesis. Absynth has a parallel waveform/partials display. In this sense a pipe organ or a Hammond B3 or many other types of organs are additive synthesizers albeit with a very limited number of partials.
The next additive synthesizer I bought was VirSyn's Cube and latter Poseidon. Both of these synthesizers allow a sample to be re-synthesized. This is a process by which a sample can be broken into a series of partials each with their own amplitude and pitch envelopes.
The reason for doing this is not to reproduce the sample. Samplers do a better job of this anyway but rather to be able to morph sounds and speed up, slow down and freeze time in ways samplers can't.
The Next Generation
The next generation of additive synths that came out about the same time were Vir Syn's Cube and Camel Audio's Chameleon which was really the father of Alchemy. In all of these synths additive models can be morphed one to another and time can be sped up, slowed down or even frozen without the need for looping. Of course, such methods are not without artifacts.
Cube had a feature that allowed the user to draw spectrums and spectral envelopes. In theory, this all sounds great but how does one distinguish between on spectrum and another or their envelopes and make a mental connection with the sound. This is really what I saw early in the game as the problem with additive synths. That and the discovery I made that the brain really makes little distinction in timbre in terms of higher order partials which are mostly perceived as buzzy unless (and this is big), there are a series of peaks that provide a kind of shape if form to the partial much like formants which speaking of the synthesis if the human voice. If anyone reading this has purchased or looked at demos of Blade or Razor, these peaks will be familiar.
This is really why filters are so important. How one shapes the lower order partials is really what gives strong character to a sound but also how that shape changes over time. Early analogue synths all are based on broad spectrum waveforms. That is, waveforms with a lot of higher order partials. One might liken it to a sculpture with a block of marble. Filters then act as the chisel to chip away at the higher order partials that can be harsh and not very musical. Envelopes help to shape over time emulating the characteristics of real instruments.
The Shape of Things to Come
So with that said, it's my guess that both Rob Pappen and Native Instruments wanted to correct for these problems and came up with tools that reduced the overall "dynamic" shape of the partials to a few parameters. In Blade these are called Harmolators. The idea is that working with parameters that define an overall shape if a waveform allows the user to get a handle on what effects the overall sound without having to think about individual partials. What is missing is any form of re-synthesis which is interesting given that this was the central focus of additive synthesizers before this.
Overview and Central Focus
I believe it's no mistake when you look at the main screens of Blade and Razor that each have a very different focus. Blade's screen features an XY style pad with multiple Harmolators on the side which change as the cursor moves over the XY space. The movement of the cursor can be recorded and a number of preset patterns are also available. Blade also offers an LFO, envelope and two other modulation sources which all control Harmolators. It is the Harmolators that are the central focus if Blade.
Razor focuses more directly on the shape of the partials both in 2D and 3D although the 3D display is a bit more of a CPU hog. It offers two oscillators, Two additive filters, dissonance effects which I believe are unique to Razor and very interesting. Also stereo and dynamic effects, 2 LFOs, 3 envelopes, a side chain and a few controls related to controlling the real potential of Razor to shred speakers. Modulation takes the form of controls for each component which appear as a small circle below each knob. The modulation options are extensive.
The Partial Paradox
Any additive synth is going to have partials and lots of them. The problem with an additive synth that is not re-synthesizing is that one has to start with very broad spectrum and dare I say somewhat buzzy waveforms. Of course noise is all the rave today (pun intended) with the Hoover sound actually earning it's own Wiki page. So in many ways. the broad spectrum buzz saw of dancing partials is ear candy to many.
The real trick is to find interesting ways to shape these partials. Without going into details, Blade starts with some interesting starting shapes and patterns (such as primes only) and then makes broad morphs to the overall shape such as ripples (no doubt intended to be like formants), number of partials, left or right skew even and odd partial distribution reminiscent of tube and tape saturation and many other acoustic effects.
Razor's approach to oscillators is radically different. First, Razor does not have a large collection of starting shapes. Rather, it offers a collection of broad form waveforms that mimic classic analogue sounds with some really unique and creative waveforms that provide what I believe is a broader sonic pallet than Blade despite the fact that blade offers a lot more choices of waveform.
Oscillators
Here is the big difference between Blade and Razor. Blade has a rather substantial library of waveforms which are shaped by Harmolators. Razor has a limited number of oscillators which are very analogue in nature but very flexible. Unlike Blade where each oscillator is shaped by the same Harmolators, Razor's all have parameters specific to an oscillator type. Let's take a look.
One oscillator actuals changes the mix between prime and non prime partials. Blade does the same thing by providing a number of presets but in Razor, the mix of primes and non primes is a parameter. The Pershing Hoover sound makes it into the oscillator choices to no doubt appeal to a pop electronica market. You have 3 oscillators that simulate pitch bend adding an interesting sonic pallet not found in Blade. Pitch bend in Razor is done through oscillators and it a shifting of partials not real pitch bend. You have 2 oscillators that provide an interesting parallel to noise generators in analogues but with a spectral flavor and lastly a formant shaper which parallels Blade's ripples although is far more complex.
Filters
Blade's filters are pretty much standard fair although a bit broader than most synths offering low pass, band pass and high pass each in 12, 18 and 24 db cutoff but also a comb and a formant like filter called "vocal". All of Blade's filters are analogue in contrast to Razor that rarely leaves the additive realm.
Razor also has two sets of filters with different filter types in each bank. All of Razor's filters have a filter smoother to (I suspect) reduce some of that buzzy character of additive models based on broadband waveforms. Razors low pass filters are far more flexible than Blade's and feature continuous variable filter cutoff no doubt a by product of staying in the additive universe. There are 3 shapes of, something with ripples in resonant peak resembling a hybrid between LDF and comb and is evidenced by it's name low pass phaser and a dirtier grittier filter. There is what resembles a variable band envelope modulated filter, three types of formant filters (one with specific vowels) a vocoder.
The second Razor filter bank is more if the standard collection of garden variety filter fair, low, high, band, a few types of comb, a combined filter phaser, waterbed (yes, the filter visually looks like ripples on water and has a very organic sound, very cool). There is also a spectral pitch bend filter and a filter to emulate several instruments played at the same time.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Dave Smith Mopho x 4
I did a quick read of the Morpho x 4 manual and I wanted to get some quick Impressions in print.
Oscillators - standard + saw triangle - no sign and discrete rather than continuous like a Moog Voyager.
Also Oscillator sync and FM.
Standard 2 and 4 pole filter - not a lot of selection here although this filter is what gives DS products like the Prophet a unique sound.
Nice MIDI implementation via USB as a MIDI port but it does not act like a plug in. There is a downloadable librarian. It also looks like a plug in version will be available for purchase.
Filter, amp and aux envelopes. Nothing spectacular.
4 LFOs - nice!
A relachable arpeggitor What looks like a pretty powerful step sequencer
Also a feedback loop.
It has weighted keys so it's not cheaply made but very portable.
The voices can be expanded using other Dave Smith Products.
It looks powerful enough but anemic in some areas but considering the limited number of poly analogues out there and that Moog seems reluctant to offer an analogue poly this one certainly deserves a look.
Oscillators - standard + saw triangle - no sign and discrete rather than continuous like a Moog Voyager.
Also Oscillator sync and FM.
Standard 2 and 4 pole filter - not a lot of selection here although this filter is what gives DS products like the Prophet a unique sound.
Nice MIDI implementation via USB as a MIDI port but it does not act like a plug in. There is a downloadable librarian. It also looks like a plug in version will be available for purchase.
Filter, amp and aux envelopes. Nothing spectacular.
4 LFOs - nice!
A relachable arpeggitor What looks like a pretty powerful step sequencer
Also a feedback loop.
It has weighted keys so it's not cheaply made but very portable.
The voices can be expanded using other Dave Smith Products.
It looks powerful enough but anemic in some areas but considering the limited number of poly analogues out there and that Moog seems reluctant to offer an analogue poly this one certainly deserves a look.
A New and Old Direction
For a long time now I have had an interest in physical modeling synths not only for their ability to overcome some of the limitations of sampling but also their ability to make sounds that sound nothing like anything anyone was heard in the natural world.
I also have a love of real instruments although space prevents me form having many. None the less, I have studied their development and loved their sounds. I find that new methods of synthesis can't rival the dynamic colors of their sounds.
More akin to my day job, I have an interest in philosophical and theological things so I like my work to express deeper questions. The album I am working on no has some subtle sonic archetypes that I am leaving somewhat sublimated in my music. I wan't my music to speak for itself but also go deeper.
As for the synths I really wan't to focus on:
Reaktor Prism - a sublime synth, modal synthesis
Reaktor Steampipe - which is the only synth I have that models woodwinds well.
Chromaphone - which couples resonators and makes sounds I can't get with anything else.
Ableton Live:
Collision, Tension and Corpus
Kontakt - not as a physical modeler but a great sampler for real instruments.
While not physical modelers I will also use Absynth, Alchemy, Zebra and Iris because they are great synths but I really want to focus and real instruments and physical modeling as well as continue on a philosophical and theological direction with my music.
I have to add an addendum that I will also continue to pursue things analogue because analogue is, well, the other side of the sonic mirror.
I also have a love of real instruments although space prevents me form having many. None the less, I have studied their development and loved their sounds. I find that new methods of synthesis can't rival the dynamic colors of their sounds.
More akin to my day job, I have an interest in philosophical and theological things so I like my work to express deeper questions. The album I am working on no has some subtle sonic archetypes that I am leaving somewhat sublimated in my music. I wan't my music to speak for itself but also go deeper.
As for the synths I really wan't to focus on:
Reaktor Prism - a sublime synth, modal synthesis
Reaktor Steampipe - which is the only synth I have that models woodwinds well.
Chromaphone - which couples resonators and makes sounds I can't get with anything else.
Ableton Live:
Collision, Tension and Corpus
Kontakt - not as a physical modeler but a great sampler for real instruments.
While not physical modelers I will also use Absynth, Alchemy, Zebra and Iris because they are great synths but I really want to focus and real instruments and physical modeling as well as continue on a philosophical and theological direction with my music.
I have to add an addendum that I will also continue to pursue things analogue because analogue is, well, the other side of the sonic mirror.
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