Pianogram in C Major: Thoughts
This week I made a Live Takes track Pianogram in C Major that uses generative composition techniques. I thought this would be a fun one to write about to show you how easy it can be to create variation with these techniques. I break it down quite literally for education purposes.
The vision for the piece was to have simple motifs that were combined with generative elements. It was decided to use a synthesised piano timbre for a striking clarity and ease for the audience to resonate with the piece. There is a long history of generative piano pieces, that I longed to get involved with again. Some drums were added for variation, consistency when chaos was added and overall build for the work. The main idea of this track is an explored A/B motif structure.
As for the generative aspects and technical information: There are two layers of single piano synth notes with random +/- 10% pitch variation all within the scale of C Major. Along with the two main motifs. There are four layers that move between each other. The work has a total of seven sequences of differing layers that move between either of the motifs, one or both of the generative tracks and the drums on/off to varying levels. These sequences are put together in the Squarp Pyramid’s song mode. This is a great way to make sure the base layers are present, whilst keeping the generative effects live and unaffected. Overall I think there is the right level of chaos to the piece. It is my opinion that there can be times that generative effects in music becomes to obtuse to the ears, and affects the feeling of the piece. While sometimes I want that (see some of my previous Live Takes for example), I wanted this to remain a stepping off point into the realm of chaos.
The main timbre is a single piano sound with other ominous synth backings. It is a Korg WaveState preset that uses the following samples: flutterscape, piano FF and guru random pad. These sounds combined to have the right level of ambience and interest, whilst keeping the piano in the foreground. The Arturia DrumBrute uses high and low toms, and reverb laden closed hi-hats.
I as the artist decided not to be in the video for the work, to let it speak for itself. The choice of the glitchy pixellation effect was to create interest and convey to the audience that something was wrong with the current state o the piano.
Enjoy.
