Brent Faulkner
MUS 384: Electronic Music, Projects
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MIDI/Sequencing/Recording Projects                 Notation Projects                    Web Design Project(s)
                    Garage Band      Audacity       Digital Performer            Sibelius       Finale                       Nvu
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MIDI/Sequencing/Recording Projects:

Garage Band Projects:  
Project 1:
30 - second soundwipe (with voice over)


           
My first Garage Band project was an R&B-funk influenced 30 second sound-wipe serving as a theme song to either a daytime talk-show or a syndicated comedy sitcom.  Adding vocals to my original project, the vocals don't so much advertise the talk-show as they serve as a catchy theme song that sells itself.  Tracks featured were a grand piano (which I played myself), funky guitar, R&B Horns, Thump Bass, and funky drums.  This was my first project and I truly didn't have any major problems using Garage Band.  Saying that, I've had prior experiences with recording software so I believe most of my knowledge transferred from other programs I've used. 
Project 2:
3-minute composition



My second Garage Band project, my three-minute Garage Band composition is in pop-song format (AAB) with a couple of alterations.  The three-minute composition could be described as a crossover project with aspects of fusion-jazz, progressive rock and rhythm and blues.  The project has numerous tracks including a horn track, "Hollywood" strings, electric piano, organ, synthesized-bass and beat track that I played into Garage Band myself. I used loops for the other tracks which include a barroom lead guitar, funky drums, tambourine, and an R&B beat track. Describing the pop-song form (with alterations), it starts out with an introduction (which is the "B" section or refrain as the piece progresses) that is 8 bars in length.  It is followed by the first official "A" section which is 8 bars as well.  A second "A" section proceeds after the first, also 8 bars.  The "B" section is 8 bars and the "AA" sequence repeats itself.  Following the second "A", a four-bar vamp/tag (that could potentially have been expanded more) is inserted, followed by a final "B" section that fades out at the three minute mark. 

Project 3:
Podcast/movie

My final project, a podcast entitled "Party Like a Rock*" showcases random rock and roll stars from the past and present.  I chose not to import a rock song from my iPod, but rather to use a jingle and add a couple of my own tracks (played in via keyboard) to the mix.  I used a jingle entitled "undercover" because it had a rock and roll/ jazz feel to it.  I then used a lead guitar track and improvised guitar licks using the M-Audio controller.  I did the same to create chordal backgrounds with horns giving the podcast a rock and roll/70s jazz crossover feel which I found appropriate for the podcast.  I used iMovie to create the actual podcast utilizing transitions and movie effects.  The photos of the rock stars were taken from various internet sites utilizing the Mac's flexibility with dragging and adding photos to the desktop.  My biggest difficulty with this project was working with the transitions within iMovie; with more time, I would've mastered more of iMovie's concepts.  Adding the iMovie movie into Garage Band where the audio was created was incredibly easy given the Mac's flawless drop and drag features.  


Overall, I didn't have many problems operating Garage Band.  One thing I've yet to understand with the application is how you join two pieces of audio together without one replacing the other (overlapping audio as opposed to overdubbing).  It wasn't a major issue, but it did affect my progress occasionally within my 3 minute composition.  Mostly, I learned things from Garage Band as opposed to struggled with it.  I found it much easier to use than programs Cubase and Cakewalk that I've used in the past as well as more sophisticated than Sony Acid Pro.  The recording aspect was very simple, even when recording vocals.  Concepts I learned about included the quantization of midi, a problem IÕve had when synchronizing live recorded parts with software loops with my personal recording equipment.  It is a program that makes me wish I owned a Mac. 

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Audacity Project:
Project:
Vocal Round - "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
On this single audacity project, the assignment was to create a three to four part vocal round using a familiar tune adding different studio effects to it.  Here, I use echo, pitch shift,  and reverb effects along with one voice being dry (no effects).
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Digital Performer Projects :

Project 1:
MIDI Keyboard Round: Frere Jacques



My first Digital Performer project served as a practice project for the major Digital Performer project due.  This project employs the tune "Frere Jacques" with four different manipulations of the basic tune.  It is a four part canon with each different statement of the melody using different controllers.  The controllers utilized are vibrato (modulation),  pitch bend (used twice), and volume.  I used strings as the patches (pizzicato, violin, viola, and cello).

Project 2:
Final-extended digital performer project: "Canario"*



For my second and final Digital Performer project, I had to input the accompaniment to a guitar piece entitled "Canario" into Digital Performer. The use of patches other than grand piano would've been inappropriate considering this piece is orginally set for classical guitar and piano.  The piece is in a fast 6/8 (in 2), and required me to slow the tempo down drammatically in order to successful input it into DP.  Within this project, I learned how DP can help the non-pianist successfully input accompaniments and help the producer input parts for his/her productions.  *NOTE: There are 8 blank measures at the beginning of the MIDI file, so the recording will take a couple of seconds to kick in.  Also, there are a couple of instances where there are blank measures throughout.  
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Notation Software Projects:

Sibelius Projects:

Project 1:
Duke Ellington, "Cottontail" Excerpt


Project 2:
Gustav Mahler, "Kindertotenlieder" excerpt


Finale Project:

Project:
Gustav Mahler, excerpt

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Web Design Projects:

Nvu Project(s):

Project 1:
Web Evaluation Page

My web evaluation page is a webpage featuring my evaluation of twenty websites based upon the criteria of content, navigability, load-speed, and graphics.  My topic of choice for evaluating various websites was digital keyboards and studio equipment.  I evaluated the websites of Yamaha, M-Audio, Kurzweill, Roland, and Rhodes, just to name a few.  I assigned each website a grade on a scale out of 10 including 1/2 scores and a letter grade ranging from 'A' to 'F'.  

Project 2:
Professional Page

This second project was an optional project that serves as a professional page detailing myself.  It includes a brief biography about myself, a list of my classical composition(s), as well as my education.