phase #3: sound/mediations/systems

critiques/comments

Personally coming from a music major’s position I really enjoyed this project. There was an array of variation presented in class but a few that caught my attention and made lasting impressions are the ones that follow.

Louis St-Amour

FACS 2930 - Phase 3

Guess which is which?

This one fooled me and impressed both while listening to it, and also after when they devices used where explained. The first one I thought was a construct due to the odd interaction of sounds and laughing/talking. The touch screen sequencer Louis used to create makes it sound perfectly normal if you know what is going on. The idea behind such a device has inspired me in my personal projects and is something I am continuing to explore.

The 2^nd piece, the slowed down theme of avatar, although in retrospect clearly sounds like a constructed sound source, I was too captivated by the first audio clip to evaluate it properly in class. It is a good manipulation of sound, as opposed to just edited found sounds together took a clearly composed piece and distorted it to a point of no recognition. The logic behind recording people’s interactions with a sequencer for the first video though is one of my favorites presented in class. The idea of creating an interactive piece or art and using this scenario, the audio of this relationship as another final product I think is very strong, and adds more layers to the idea of an audio soundscape.

Quincy Cheung 1 2

I appreciate pieces that take the time to create a relationship between as a diptych of the two audio sources. This one is a clear juxtaposition between stormy and clam. I unfortunately cannot remember which one is the capture and what is the construct, which although some may argue defeats the point of the exercise I can still appreciate the final product. It has mad a balance by contrasting two ideas of nature and made it indistinguishable which one was create and what was recorded. Part of this is due to the nature sounds used, the both sound like they have been taken from sample library and they both sound constructed. As far as I am concerned I do not believe this is the case but still presents a coherent two part audio soudscape.

Raveesh

The Importance Of Sound

First off all, this piece has a great presentation, tricky to maneuver in but appreciated. The change in the middle of the piece is distinguishable, although very subtle you can hear a difference, this is not a negative critique but a mere comment if the intention was to create a seamless transition. However, it is still hard to decipher which is the construct and which is the recording. Going with the approach of mimicking the talking computer and again having an overarching theme of the chaos of the world from a computers perspective. The way it is presented is ironic because a computer cannot comprehend chaos or the stresses of the drive to be famous and receive recognition. I think it is a really smart presentation, and final product and I enjoy the fact he did not create two tracks but blend them together. I think it works well with the theme and overall idea of the piece creating a very coherent presentation in the end.

Angus Chan 0 1

This one I appreciate on a few levels, one I am a drummer and enjoy the two different takes on the digital vs. analogue drumming techniques and how the two are almost indistinguishable, and also how in a way they both are digitized. If my memory serves me correctly the first one is a recording from the room of while playing on an electric kit, the sound of the sticks on the rubber skin and sensors. While the other is part digitized; the data from this performance and then enhanced with layered effects and what not. Essential it’s the same drumming just analogue on a digital kit, and then the pure digital data. I think it is really interesting how the creator managed the analogue capture audio recording to sound so electronic in a sense, there are at times still the sound of wood stick on stick, but other times an odd effect created on the pads that sounds enhanced in a way one would assume was a digital drum kit.