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    • Rosie Record
      • 6 min read

    Glocks, Clocks, Math & Music: How Imperfections Create Emotion in Music

    By Rosie Record


    My dad loves clocks and has an extensive collection from different eras, with a variety of styles, materials, and faces all tucked away among his books and other trinkets he’s collected over the years. One Father’s Day or Christmas he was gifted a unique antique. It kept time perfectly but had a quirk. The tiny third arm that spun around to count seconds would go from 12 to 6 and then stutter for maybe three seconds before quickly swinging back up to 12 again. It always made up for the stutter at 6, and to me, it was perfect in its adorable imperfection. But it bugged my dad.

    With tiny screwdrivers, pliers, and a magnifying glass he toiled away and made it so the third arm went full circle in an uninterrupted fluid motion. And it never kept the proper time again. I completely ascribe to finding the beauty where others might see flaws, or seeing perfection in the imperfections. This same concept, when applied to music, translates into something even more incredible.


    Since the first utterance of words, humans have been drawn to singing, creating melodies, clapping and snapping to a rhythm; music is innate and inextricably linked to the definition of being human. In fact, research has shown only about 3-5% of the population don’t enjoy music, but due to a neurological condition called musical anhedonia.


    With time signatures, meter, rhythm, BPM, acoustics, frequencies, timbre, sonic texture, psychoacoustics, etc., music seamlessly combines mathematics and physics into an art. But while mathematics is an essential element of music, the difference between mathematically perfect (a machine) and human lies in the slight irregularities and minor alterations. Like notes being off by micro-fractions- it's not necessarily perceivable by ear, but it's visible on a computer screen. With plugins sampling real players and more complex algorithms being written to give human expressions, a musician working in a DAW will still most likely want to make those midi notes mathematically perfect. However, in the “flaws” lies humanity; the slightly elongated notes, the quickening of others, all of those micro-expressions translate into emotion.

    Time Signature

    Mathematics is deeply embedded in music on multiple levels, but some higher-level elements are time signatures, rhythm, meter, and BPM. The time signature is marked at the beginning of a piece of music with two numbers stacked on top of each other, like a fraction. The top number denotes how many beats per bar, while the bottom denotes what type of note is considered a whole note. The notes in a bar can be comprised of half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc., but will all combine and total out to the top number of the time signature. For instance, 4/4, or “common time,” denotes each bar will have 4 beats and a quarter note represents one beat. Likewise, 2/4 time denotes the quarter notes as one beat, but each bar will only have two beats. With different time signatures come different meters or rhythms.

    E Major/C Sharp Minor. 2/4 Time: 2 beats per bar, with a quarter note per beat. Vivace: 156–176 BPM. Sempre legato: notes played smoothly. Doce: notes played sweetly or with a light touch
    Meter and BPM

    Common time taps 4 beats out evenly, whereas a 2/4 meter will give a 1-2 rhythm reminiscent of a march. With a 3/4 time signature, the emphasis is on the first note. 1 is a down-beat followed by 2 and 3 being up-beats, creating that recognizable down-up-up, down-up-up waltz rhythm. Time signature and meter define the mathematical rhythm, or heartbeat of a song, while BPM (beats per minute) define how fast that heart is pumping. There are many tempo markings denoting speed usually written/seen in Italian or French. The following BPM are approximations: From the slow Larghissimo at 24 and below BPM, ticking up to a still languid Adagio at 66-76 BPM, to a moderate Moderato at 108-120, up to a trance favorite Allegro at 120-156 BPM, all the way to an intense Prestissimo at over 200 BPM.

    Examples

    Darude's Sandstorm is a 4/4 Allegro 136 BPM or 34 Bars Per Minute.


    Sia's Chandelier is a 5/4 Moderato 117 BPM or 23 Bars Per Minute.


    Next time you need a good laugh check out this rendition of Chandelier. Get it, Toad!

    My nemesis the metronome

    When I was first learning piano I had a strict and structured piano teacher... in retrospect that was a good thing. However, back then I always wanted to write my own songs and play around with the timing of other songs. Inevitably, she would whip out an old-school metronome, forcing my fingers to tap each note with the tick-tick-tick of that swinging metal arm.

    Old school metronomes are mechanical devices usually made of wood with a metal arm. You slide a weight up or down the metal piece to quicken or slow the swinging motion; this is what creates that distinctive metronome tick. Now they come as plastic tiles with adjustable numbers; but they produce a regulated ticking that corresponds to a tempo, marking rhythm and pace.


    When I rediscovered piano and first started playing around in Logic Pro X I would hit the record button and play in a stream-of-consciousness way. The comments from people on those songs are always centered around emotions. “It gave me chills.” “I can hear the heartbreak.” However, during a music session with a friend, an old familiar nemesis came back. My buddy sat me down at his system, let me play, and then stopped me. He pointed out some irregularities of the notes then clicked on a damn metronome. Afterward, he quantized and tweaked all of my notes so they were properly sandwiched between the corresponding lines and perfectly lined up. He made it mathematically perfect. And to me, it lost something in the process.

    What's my point?

    When something is too mathematically perfect, the rigidity seeps into our brains and reads as artificial, stiff, mechanic, or robotic. A musician can instinctually draw out some notes and quicken others to make up the difference and keep true to the time. However, to a computer program, this reads as incorrect.

    The proof is in the comments and emotional responses, though. That's why film productions spring for a full orchestra instead of a single artist at a computer keyboard. These "imperfections" are human, and this is what creates emotion. I’m happy to say, while the rhythm of that song I worked on with my friend ticks alongside the metronome, the melody pulls it’s emotions from the subtle “flaws” that are me; so it's as if it was played by an orchestra of me's, rather than a computer.

    Guns

    Jake Estes, a documentary filmmaker, is currently working on a controversial and intriguing project. A conversation about guns. Terrorism, hate crimes, and school shootings make this topic a contentious one that has fractured the nation into different groups trying to find answers in different directions.

    Photograph by Maria Perez

    While American’s love their shoot-em-ups on the big screen -- James Bond, John Wick, Jack Ryan -- Jake Estes discusses guns in their realism. When people’s misunderstandings bleed into a family, it can be detrimental, so Jake set out to demonstrate how a family can come together and have an open-minded dialog about such a polarizing topic. Between his cousin, an NRA member and Jake himself, someone who is not a fan, they discuss the mechanics of different firearms and how to bring responsibility and accountability to gun ownership, as well as gun violence, misconceptions, beliefs, and opinions around this hot-button topic.


    When scoring this documentary, I wanted to capture sentiments and avoid the politics. So I oscillated between creating ambiance and building up emotions to support the severity of the topics. Jake and his cousin pit the 2nd amendment against some complex social issues. In a scene where his cousin plays with his children, the interview overlays his sentiments about gun violence at schools. I wanted to do his cousin justice and show an NRA member/ a responsible gun owner can still grieve with the victims of gun violence. The two are not mutually exclusive.


    Creating emotion in music is something I love to do with my stream-of-consciousness style of playing and Jake allowed free reign. So I layered in a simple two-track melody that would make a metronome blush, but Jake only felt the emotion. Here's a sneak peek:

    Conclusion

    Since the beginning, we have always tried to capture our passions and distill them into art and music. Music naturally blends math, physics, and art all together into something that has the power to evoke powerful emotions from almost everyone. With the advancements of technology, artists now have access to tools that can make songs mathematically 'perfect.' However, something is being lost in the structure.


    Proof that audiences can feel the difference? Full orchestras are still being hired for film scores, string quartets are still being hauled in for weddings, people still go to concerts and watch bands in sticky bars. Because of the ambiance? Sure. But there is a quality that can only be achieved by humans' fallibility. Those drags and pulls here and there with notes and time creates expression, emotion and a deeper bond with the music. Humanity in its imperfection is what creates beauty and uniqueness, and music is no exception. Emotions and connections can all be captured in slightly mathematically imperfect flutters. Take that, metronomes.


    #Music #MusicStudio #Composer #Composing #FilmComposer #MediaComposer #Score #Scoring #MusicComposer #Audio #homestudio #Mathematics #EmotionalMusic #Documentary #emotions #Expressions #TimeSignature #Meter #BPM #Larghissimo #Adagio #Moderato #Allegro #Prestissimo #Darude #Sia #Imperfections #Rhythm

    • Rosie Record
      • 5 min read

    Your Film is Picture Locked... Now What the F*ck Do You Do?

    By Rosie Record


    The film is picture locked and a solid relationship is forming between director and composer. Both roles have discussed expectations for the film and music...

    Now What?

    After higher-level discussions, the composer and director will want to do a spotting session. The spotting session occurs prior to any composing- it's when both the director and composer watch the project to decide on music placement and what the music needs to achieve. During this process, the corresponding spotting notes or music summary document will be developed. The resulting document can be configured as a Word doc, but an Excel spreadsheet is ideal for keeping everything meticulously organized.


    Now, this is the ideal spotting session, however, if schedules are hard to align and the director is organized enough, he/she can supply the composer with the essential information. This article provides that information and some important questions you should ask to help create the best spotting notes/ music summary document for your composer.


    To read about the higher-level musical tactics you can use, read my article on 5 Approaches to a Film Score.

    Some Information That Should Be Included:
    • Cue #: Depending on how long and complex the project is, the numbering system may change. For instance, a TV Show might be broken into Season, Episode, Scene: S1E2S1

    • Cue Title: This could be something like “opening credits” or “Will exits the barn.” This can include a clip of dialog or anything that is an additional identifying element

    • SMTPE In: This denotes when the music starts. It needs to be broken into Hours/ Minutes/ Seconds/ Frames (H/M/S/F)

    • SMTPE Out: This denotes when the music ends. It needs to be broken into H/M/S/F

    • Duration: This is the total measurement of music needed for that corresponding cue. It needs to be broken into H/M/S/F

    • Description of Scene: This can be a more in-depth description of the scene and may include notes about motivation or action that drives the music choice

    • SFX or Music: Identify if the specified area needs composed music or something else including SFX, diegetic music, or another sound design element

    • Music description: This describes the type of music needed for the corresponding cue in terms that were discussed and agreed upon

    Here's an example of some spotting notes from the film Wild Men; a hilarious parody of Finding Big Foot.

    A traditional spotting session did not occur for this project. After in-depth conversations about music expectations over phone and email, the director for Wild Men only needed to provide the composer with timestamps, descriptions of scenes, and a handful of comments. Additional notes were maintained by the composer. However, the more details within the spotting notes, the better. Having a detailed document cuts down on the potential for miscommunications and missed expectations.


    Seriously, next movie night with friends, buy a six-pack of Narragansett and check this odd little gem out here!

    Now, while the list of information needed for your spotting notes/ music summary document is straightforward, making those decisions for your project can be daunting. So it helps to know some of the right questions to ask.

    Approach Each Scene Within Your Film & Ask:
    • What style of music do you want for the scene? Orchestral surges? Maybe a quirky combination of instruments like banjos and music box strings? Frantic Strings to build tension, or smooth piano to build a sense of romance? What fits the imagery, characters, theme, emotions of the scene?

    • What is the time period of the film? Do you want to honor any sense of history? Have historically accurate instruments to fit the visuals, or do you want to clash against the time period to make a statement like in A Knight’s Tale?

    • What is the emotional state of the characters within the scene? Do you want the music to enhance the acting, or go even deeper? Music has the power to add a different emotion or thought-provoking layer to an already compelling scene.

    • A more practical question you should ask is if you are contending with dialog or FX sounds. You will want to discuss how you want the music to interact with dialog and/or FX, or if no music might be the best approach. Silence can be a powerful tool.

    • One element that should be meticulously planned out is timing. Do you need to hit any cuts? Do you want the music to hit each cut to add drama and impact, or do you want the music to wash over the scene to create a sense of connectivity?

    • An interesting question you can ask is, who is your demographic? Who is this film geared toward? This line of thinking might point you down a slightly different path and help the film be more impactful for the intended audience.

    Musical development is incredibly important. Obviously, each scene and the overall film will evolve. These visual developments need to be paralleled with music. You will want to determine how each scene and experience needs to unfold.

    • What scenes need musical transitions?

    • Does the music need to shift slowly, or should there be a hard shift?

    • Do you want to maintain the melody, but tweak emotions with a key change?

    • Do you want to transition by melting in a secondary melody?

    Once the scenes are broken down, the director and composer should look at the bigger picture. Continuity with instruments, melodies, or even glimmers of themes makes the overall project more cohesive. While the audience may or may not be aware of the power a score has over the total experience, they will subconsciously be picking up on the collection of musical ideas working synergistically with the visuals. Even if you have a musical element that is a departure from the rest of the film, if you attempt a nod to that somewhere later on, it will create a sense of home for the audience.

    Example

    Broken Arrow is one of Han Zimmer’s babies from '96. The soundtrack is all over the place and delightfully schizophrenic. There is a sexy western guitar theme song for Travolta's character, a twinkly light melody, your typical action surges, a harmonica, and at one point some Asian vibes that, if likened to fashion, could be described as power-clashing. I'm sure that was a nod to John Woo. However, Zimmer brings most of his melodies and instruments back at least one other time to create an odd conglomerate of musical ideas. And damn it, I love it. It sticks in your mind. Not one of his most cohesive scores, but still weirdly sexy and effective.

    Fun note: the French sub-title on this Youtube clip reads "Préparez-vous à être soufflé" which translates into "Prepare To Be Blown" LOL


    Shoulda read: "Préparez-vous à avoir votre esprit soufflé"


    Ah, when things get lost in translation :)


    Conclusion

    The take away from this article should be knowing the importance of detailed spotting notes/ a music summary document. This document ensures both the director and composer have one master source to pull from with precise SMTPE in and out and descriptions of what the music should be accomplishing. Having a clear and descriptive document allows the complex process of composing an effective score to go more smoothly. And who wouldn't want that?


    #filmcomposer #mediacomposer #musiccomposer #composer #composing #film #filmscore #SMTPE #cue #SFX #WildMen #BrokenArrow #Zimmer #HansZimmer #howto #listarticle #Narragansett #director, #featureFilm #filmcomposition #media #movie #music #postproduction #production #score #soundtrack #spottingsession

    • Rosie Record
      • 7 min read

    Kit Your Music Studio: 5 Basic Essentials Needed to Get Started

    By Rosie Record


    When presented with the incredible opportunity to compose an all-original score, I ended up embarking on a career change. The film was "The Loyalist," an award-winning short film about the Revolutionary War. This stunning period piece explores the emergence of espionage and the birth of the Culper Ring in Long Island, New York.


    For me, networking and sussing out opportunities always seemed really random, making it hard to know when to cram my toe into the door of opportunity. However, when my partner was in the process of making a film, I immediately asked if I could be involved in the scoring process. The plan went from collaborating with another composer on melody to writing the end credit sheet music, then from composing the opening song in Logic Pro X to doing the entire score; all while building up my own music studio. I am not a gear-head, and like John Snow I knew nothing, so throughout the 5-month process I leaned on my contacts and the internet to kit my music studio. From my personal experience, I’ve compiled a list of 5 basics needed to set yourself up as a media composer or solo artist.

    #1: DAW
    DAWs: Where your musical genius is articulated

    First thing needed, a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Some more recognizable names are Ableton Live, Logic Pro X, and Pro Tools. Essentially, these DAWs are software programs that enable live recording, midi, mixing, and overall composing and producing. These programs allow you to bring in melodies, choose instruments, layer and create your personal sound. Now, all DAWs enable you to make music, but differ in features, workflow, and cost, making it essential to establish musical goals and price points before deciding on the best fit. Will you be recording live instruments? Are you composing with midi? Are you remixing for other artists? Depending on your answers, your workflow will vary and impact your final decision.


    According to Hans Zimmer’s Master Class, he uses Cubase. Several articles list Skrillex, Diplo and Deadmau5 as users of Ableton Live. I personally use Logic Pro X because, despite the handful of late-night Google searches and yelling at my computer screen, I found it was fairly intuitive and it fit my budget at $199.99. Logic Pro X is one of the more affordable options, plus it’s beginner-friendly, has virtually every editing feature, built-in plugins, and video syncing. Logic Pro X also offers a 10-day free trial, allowing you to test it before deciding. However, recently I started using Pro Tools because it is the industry standard for film composers.


    Pro Tools, developed by Avid Technology, is accessible on either Microsoft Windows or macOS. It’s excellent for mixing and editing up to 128 audio tracks, 512 instrument tracks, and 1,024 midi tracks. This program provides editing features like changing tempo, editing notes, trimming clips, fading, or even pitch correcting with Elastic Pitch. It is available via monthly or annual subscriptions or a perpetual license. There is also a cloud feature, making it easier to store, share, and collaborate with other artists. With Avid Cloud Collaboration, you can work with up to 10 others on a single project, which is an excellent feature if you’re composing scores for films.


    Your choice of DAW will be foundational to your studio. Although there are free applications out there, such as Audacity and GarageBand, if the end goal is a career, it's worth the investment to get one of the top DAWs.

    #2: PLUGINS
    Plugins put all instruments and sounds at your fingertips

    I can only play the piano, so discovering I could take my piano skills and translate them into any instrument imaginable was incredibly exciting. Thanks to midi technology, melodies and ideas can be captured within DAWs and brought to life with instruments/plugins. Plugins are self-contained programs operating as effects such as compressors and distortion filters, or instruments. These virtual instruments can be sampled, acoustic, synthesized or electronic. Sampled plugins are created from live recordings of musicians, while electronic instruments are computer-synthesized for a completely unique sound.


    Diversity and complexity of sounds come from plugins and building out a comprehensive library. From classical orchestral instruments, to alien-sounding whines, to drum loops, there is an abundance of libraries for purchase. All range in quality, price, features, etc., but with so many fun and interesting options out there your music library will most likely be an ongoing expense.


    If you want to start slow, Output has a 30-day free trial that delivers new content daily within the plugin. This is a great option to explore what Output has to offer and to get a feel for what can be accomplished with different instruments and effects. Additionally, Output is known for providing incredible instruments with tools that allow you to transform and customize your sound. Output also provides engines, effects and expansion packs in a non-subscription option. These bundles include Portal, Analog Brass and Wind, Analog Strings, Substance, Movement, Exhale, Rev X-Loops, Signal, Rev.


    Native Instruments Komplete 12 has an incredible instrument and effect bundle, with over 60 products and 25,000+ sounds. With such a comprehensive bundle, you can create virtually anything. When composing The Loyalist's score, I needed to maintain a sense of historical integrity, so I chose traditional instruments such as pianos, violins, drums, and flutes. Consequently, the main plugins I worked with were Session Strings, Session Horns, Una Corda, and Kontakt Factory Instruments; all contained in the Native Instruments Komplete 11 Unlimited bundle now listed at $449. It was a big purchase, but absolutely indispensable. Plugins are completely essential to a music studio, however, it will be a sliding investment dependent upon music goals, needs, and budget.

    #3: MIDI CONTROLLER
    Music is a language... how will you translate your voice?

    When first starting out, I only had a Yamaha keyboard tucked into my apartment. However, for composing I needed a midi controller. Midi (musical instrument digital interface) controllers are hardware that transmits musical information to your DAW; populating colorful rectangles on the screen, rather than an audio wavelength. Midi also allows you to paint notes with your pointer, adjust the length, placement, and velocity.


    After much research, I chose the M-Audio Hammer 88-Key USB/Midi Keyboard Controller at $459. I preferred the fully weighted keys because it replicates the feeling of playing a real piano. Also, the velocity-sensitive hammer-action key feature was important because it translates the light or hard touches of playing into soft or loud midi inputs; making the instruments dynamic and expressive. Additionally, I purchased the Nektar NP-2 Universal Piano-Style Metal Foot Switch Pedal so I could manipulate the midi controller keyboard just like I would a real piano.


    Although it is not necessary to know music theory, how to read and write music, or even how to play an instrument, it does help. Being a piano player was instrumental to the composition process and it defined my personal workflow. I play the piano in an almost stream-of-consciousness style, so I wanted to hit record and have everything I played be captured as midi notes. Afterward, I would go back and edit, quantize, adjust, etc., making the full-sized keyboard midi controller perfect for me. However, there are different options such as mini keyboards, pad controllers or a hybrid of both. Workflow, style, preference, and budget will all contribute to your choice of controller.

    #4: HARD DRIVE
    Redundant hard drives are essential

    One thing to note, because libraries contain massive amounts of information, you will also need to have a separate hard drive. For example, Komplete 11 required a minimum of 170 GB free disk space and my music projects took up varying MBs of space as well. It’s really important to have a hard drive and a back-up hard drive with optimal capacity and speed. At $69.95 each, I purchased two G-Technology 2TB G-Drive because they are compact, reliable, Microsoft Windows and macOS compatible, and have data transfer speeds up to 130 MB a second. Although drives operating at 7200 RPMs may have shorter lifespans, be noisier, and generate heat, they allow for quicker read and write speeds.


    Hard drive folder organization and redundancy is also really important. There are articles on this topic, but for me personally, I save all music files directly on the hard drive, if I haven’t decided on the final name, I name my music with descriptions, making it easily searchable. Then I’ll rename the project and all corresponding files once I’ve decided on a name. When exporting audio files, I use versioning naming conventions and store all with the corresponding original project folder.


    Quality hard drives are absolutely essential to your studio set up, and if compromised, could be devastating, so be sure to purchase a high caliber product and a backup.

    #5: SPEAKERS & Misc
    Multiple audio output sources inform your mixes

    Once I stacked my two pianos and placed my laptop on a stand, it started to look like a music studio. Since I work with a laptop, I found the Pyle Pro DJ Laptop stand a really affordable and helpful purchase; it’s essentially a small desk or work station. The tripod stand is light-weight, easily adjusts to heights of 29” to 52” enabling you to sit or stand, and has an adjustable workstation tray to angle for ergonomic comfort.


    I purchased the M-Audio BX-5 speakers so I could engulf myself in sound. At $149.95 each, they are an affordable set of quality speakers that deliver a frequency response of 56 Hz to 22 kHz with a signal-to-noise ratio of 100 dB. While they are great for home studio recording and mixing, it is important to listen on multiple speaker systems and even cheap earbuds, so you can adjust, optimize, and ensure your mix sounds good on a variety of output sources. Ideally, your song will be playing on the best quality speakers or high-end headphones, but that’s not always reality. Using multiple output sources will allow you to identify potential problem areas, open up your mix, EQ, compress, and etc.; ensuring a clean and powerful song.


    Lastly, I was gifted a Big Knob. This is a studio monitor controller that allows you to toggle between two audio sources and two monitor pairs. It’s used to adjust volume easily and more gradually during the mixing process, instead of scrambling for your laptop volume key. Plus, it looks cool.

    Conclusion

    All of these products were invaluable for scoring and mixing within my workflow. However, everyone’s product list will alter according to style, preferences, and overall project needs. So with this guide and some research, you can start building your dream home studio and begin creating!


    #RCRecord #LogicProX #ProTools #DAW #Plugins #NativeInstruments #Kontakt #Komplete #Output #MIDI #HardDrive #Gtech #Gtechnology #MAudio #Speakers #MusicStudio #Composer #Composing #AudioMixing #Composing #FilmComposer #MediaComposer #MusicComposer #ElectronicArtist #SoloArtist #Audio #AudioEquipment #homestudio #Music #HowTo #ListArticle


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    ©2022 by Rosie Record