2/19/03

This piece is constructed of sixteen audio samples, twelve of which are based roughly on a similar tempo (though certainly not strictly) and four of which do not conform remotely to the timing of the others. Six of the samples are primarily rhythmic, and the other samples vary in their rigidity of rhythm and harmony. Some beat out an easily identifiable pattern while others are pure tones and noise. The difference between the audio samples is not visually defined, but must be revealed through user interaction as he or she clicks on each unidentified square. Once activated, a sample will repeat ten times (all sounds can be reset at the bottom of the piece). The technical limitations of the technology also stand as an impedement to the user gainaing complete and tangible "control." Flash naturally inserts a short break between loops (I discovered this as I was working on the project), disrupting any possible rhythmic flow.

The concept behind the piece was one that I arrived upon after making the decision to develop a project that was, above all else, audio-based. I had previously seen quite a few websites that had used Flash to let users "construct" their own songs from a sample bank and I decided to use the model set by these sites as a basis for my own project, but in translation little semblence of user control remains fully intact. The user will find it difficult to synchronize the audio samples, and will find that few of the samples logically correspond to one another. The two main purposes of designing the project in such a manner are to encourage the user to willingly give up more obvious means of control (synchronisation, etc.) and to more freely create pattern-based sound that does not conform to a strict time signature or sense of harmony, but is rather in a state of constant change (as samples fall in and out of synchronisation and harmony). If the practical inspiration for the project comes from mix-based websites, then the theoretical inspiration comes from various twentieth century composers in the lineage of Stockhausen through Reich (and pop experimenters including anyone from This Heat to The Beatles or any number of cacophonous no wave bands). Above all else however, the project is intended to be fun. The user should feel free to associate sounds at will with no great concern for standard aesthetic judgements.

Project Link (940K)

Ideas, Sketchbook/Exercieses, Midterm, Final, Home