CC1 Week 3

The CC class blew me away with what you can do with computers and audio manipulation. We truly are living in a world where anything is possible and, in the context of Music Technology, every sound is possible. But with innovations like pitch shifting programs, does it make music, and music talent, cheap if all sounds can be synthesised. Apart from these issues, the task at hand was quite a bit of fun. Using the original paper sounds recorded for the previous week's task, i created a whole new set of samples that could be used in the years to come.

The first sound I used was a simple crackled twist of the paper. The original image looked like this. After looking at the short duration of the file, i decided it needed stretching.

As you can see, the amount of different frequencies are much more dense at the beginning and thin out over the time span. Towards the end this creates a really digital, synthesised sound. Very similar to a modem logging on to the Internet. (in know use this analogy frequently, but it truly is the best description i can come up with).

The next alteration I made was removing frequencies from parts of the audio wave.
As you will hear in the final audio file, the frequencies shift up and down according to the diagram. In the end most of the most prominent frequencies are present however is a watered down version of the original audio sample. To me it almost sounds like a very digitised chime.

Check it out in the widget section, its called Paper sound 1 FFT.mp3

The second sound I sampled was from scrunching the paper. I immediately after decreased the speed and increased the pitch.

The next alteration was removal of certain frequencies for a short period of time, increasing the removed frequency over time. As seen in the middle section of the audio sample.

The final change I made was to stretch the whole frequency range of the first section into the beginning of the second and extend the frequencies in the 3000 to 4000 Hz a second after the end of the sample.

Have a listen to the sound. Look at the widget called Paper sound 2 FFT

The third sample i created was using a ripping paper sound. This time i analysed the file at 159 Hz instead of 40Hz. This created a much clearer and crisper sound and image. The next thing i did was amplify a selected section between 500Hz and 200Hz by 40dB.

The next thing I did was significantly decrease the speed and extend a frequency line way past the end of the sample. This extended line of slight frequency change sounds something very similar to a Theremin and the slow speed helps create this sound.

Check out the sound in the widget section. Its called Paper sound 3 FFT.

The fourth sample used a fast twisting of the paper, it almost has a rhythm to it.

All I did was stretch the wave and it created a whole range of samples that i could use. The pulsating of the scrunching creates an almost underwater thumping sound.

Check out the widget called Paper sound 5 FFT.

The fifth sample was of rubbing paper. Again a rhythmic sound and has the most frequency amplitude in the higher ranges.

The first alteration was removal of certain frequencies over time, moving down then up the frequency scale. The next thing I altered was the speed, which I only decreased slightly.

The final alteration was to amplify a middle section between the ranges of 3500Hz and 1400Hz.

The combination of the two alterations creates an interesting sweeping sound that I will defiantly be able to use in future compositions.

Check out the widget Paper sound 7

The sixth and final sound was a combination of scrunching and rubbing the paper. This sample offers many interesting dynamics and timbre.

What I did with the file was amplify a sweeping selected section, increase the speed three times and decrease the pitch down 4 semitones.

The sound it created was like a motor speeding up and slowing down at incredible speed. With a small amount of alteration in the future, i could use this sample for something very similar to this.

Check out the widget Paper sound 8

Overall, most of the sounds are similar, but the exercise showed me the unlimited possibilities of audio and how simple sounds such as paper can create such diverse samples. This exercise also showed another aspect of audio, this being frequency.