First full arrangement – 6th June 2010

I’ve added a couple of new sounds and put together an arrangement. Need to leave this for a couple of days, let the ears recover and work on the mix later in the week. Doesn’t seem like too much is out of place, but tired ears mean I may not be hearing everything. (Over to Pure Tone for analysis.)

Track #6 Arrangement #1 by Kieron James

With some revisions – 30 May 2010

Track #6-98-bars by kieronjames

First upload

Track #6 by kieronjames

This is what I have so far. Time to walk the dog and see what ideas come to mind.

[See post to listen to audio]

Dog walking complete and it all seems to have turned a bit dub. (Just drums as that bass line was too reminiscent of something I think Mass of Moments?)

[See post to listen to audio]

And after tea, a little bit more. Playing around with a couple of sequences in Massive and SubBoomBass which work quite nicely with the break beat.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 4 – After a week away

Worked on the bass line and some of the drum sounds. I think I have enough to turn this into a track now. (And I’m really pleased with how it’s shaping up.)

Four (20100305) by kieronjames

Update 5 – Fun with SBB and PSP Nitro

Whatever becomes of this track, gotta say, I’m having great fun putting it together!

Four (20100306) by kieronjames

Update 3: 21/02/2010

Here’s the first arrangement. Some of the transitions definitely need improving. I’ve been on this for a big chunk of the day, so I suspect I’m completely burned out. If levels are all over the place, apologies. I’ll sort it tomorrow night when my ears are fresh again.

It’s interesting the way that this piece has developed. The original upload – just the percussion – reminded me of Devo (not any particular track I can recall, just the “flavour” of Devo). As I’ve progressed, it’s evolved into a completely different sound and as I mentioned over at Last.fm, for me it has ended up tipping a nod to much of the stuff I was listening to at college in the late 80s.

In particular – and I’m not entirely sure why – Prefab Sprout comes to mind, so for this reason it has been named “Johnny” (main lyrical theme of their Goodbye Lucille #1).

The most recent arrangement (below – 22/02/2010) still needs a lot of work.

Update 3: 22/02/2010

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 2: 20/02/2010

Was a joy working on this with the new machine tonight. Gets the job done so quickly, though I must confess that I still have regular crashes with Audio Damage plugins – even after a fresh install on a brand new OS. There’s something wrong. Anyway, here’s a bit more – with a bass line which I’ll open up (VCF/envelope) somewhere in the track.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 1: 18/02/2010

Seems to have taken a slightly different direction than I was expecting. Still playing around with sounds at this stage – little else:

[See post to listen to audio]

First Upload: 15/02/2010

[See post to listen to audio]

I posted a few days ago about my plan to release four albums this year and this week I started on the first track (not necessarily in terms of running order) for Four, which will be released under my own name. As mentioned in the last post, the other three will be produced under the Somió, Half-BIT and Blue Omen projects / collaborations.

So, here are twenty bars laying out some of the ideas I’ve been exploring for Four Track #1 (as yet untitled).

Once the track is complete, I’ll also post four bar samples of each of the stem files and select one sound for each of the “sibling” tracks on the other three albums.

Update: 22/01/2010

Hard to believe I spent three to four hours getting the sound on these four words and I’ve still not mixed or EQ’d the vocal track! Anyway, @groovecriminals was curious about what had taken me so long and whilst I’m sure it’ll be a disappointment, may as well put that work into the context of the piece:

Organised Sound (work in progress) by kieronjames

Update: 21/01/2010

Got a little more time on this. Have some doubts, but I’ll sit on it for a day and see what I think tomorrow / Saturday.

Four Track One (work in progress) by kieronjames

Update: 17/01/2010

Uploading the second update via Soundcloud as I’ve no FTP access today. May continue to do this as it makes it easier to annotate files. Might even consider upgrading to a paid Soundcloud account. Anyway, not had much time for this as I’ve been working on a track for Gavin Fisher (aka @bootslam. Added a bit of guitar (new melody) and some effects using PSP Nitro.

Four #1 by kieronjames

First Upload: 07/01/2010

[See post to listen to audio]

OK, by James Fahy’s standards, 48 tracks isn’t even vaguely prolific. It’d probably take ambienteer a couple of months but it will represent more than three times my total output this year. So how on earth do I expect to achieve this? Well, there is some method in my madness.

My aim is to produce four albums, each containing 12 tracks. These will be released under the following artist / project names and two of them are collaborative, so the work will be shared:

• Kieron James
• Half-BIT
• Blue Omen
• Somió

The first will be an instrumental album entitled Four and at least one element – however filtered, glitched and twisted – from each track will make its presence felt in its counterpart on each of the other three albums. Some of these tracks may share more than one sound or idea from the original. They may even extend to full-blown remixes, but because these musical projects are so different, I imagine the foundation track will bring very little to bear on its sibling.

I’ve talked in broad terms about the project with Shadi, my collaborator in Blue Omen, but I haven’t had the opportunity to discuss this with Fernando Fonseca, the other half of Half-BIT as he’s taking a well-earned rest and I really don’t want to disturb him. I’m just hoping that Fernando is as “up for this” as he has been with our other work together. If he isn’t, I’ll need to find another collaborator, because the idea is really starting to resonate with me!

I didn’t really know what it was, though I’ve heard @ambienteer and @fjfonseca refer to it a good deal on Twitter. So I thought I’d satisfy my curiosity whilst the price was low.

Much to @dustmotes‘ doubtless incredulity, I have managed to hook it up to Cubase (without any sticky-backed plastic) and here’s my first upload. I’ve been messing around with the drum sequencer “Massive”, using some of the on board samples. To this I’ve added some Audio Damage Automaton FX and a quick and dirty bass line using Rob Papen’s SubBoomBass.

I can see that this is going to be fun

Update 7: 03/01/2010

Here’s one that somehow never really gelled, but I’ve been so backwards and forwards with it that I’ve run out of steam.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 6: 22/12/2009

I’ve been really on and off with this track for way too long. I’m at the point where I might just ditch it. I’m uploading 48 bars and as you can see, I’ve been pulled in lots of different directions with it. In truth, it’s all over the place. I’m not sure I can salvage anything, so I might bin it (or park it at least) and start with something new.

But I think I’m done for 2009. Time for a break and return in the New Year with a fresh direction.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 5: 10/12/2009

A glitch too far? Very probably. Still screwing around with this to see what falls out. Creating some wah wah effects from Monday’s brass stabs. Still some bits I like and others which will go. Not the quickest track to come together, but I think it’ll get there in the end. May work on something else for a while and come back to this.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 4: 07/12/2009

Last night, Doyle suggested some brass stabs – an idea supported by Linda. They both got me thinking and I couldn’t wait to have a play. It takes the track in an entirely different direction from the idea I’d loosely formulated, but hey!

I’ve not got very far – just toying around with some ideas, but is this the kind of sound we were all thinking of?

(Needless to say, there’s very little chance the brass will stay this “straight” throughout the track. It’ll need to be treated, glitched and generally bent out of shape, but I may keep the odd 4 bars here and there quite conventional.)

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 3: 06/12/2009

I’ve been a bit blocked – and I think it’s this track in particular. Really happy with the drum part and some of the other bits. I’ll add lots of incidental percussion – little fills here and there – once it’s complete, but it’s not coming together quickly. Then again, what’s the rush?

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 2: 01/12/2009

Starting to develop some parts, but still no arrangement to speak of. Again, not mixed or anything yet so levels are probably all over the place.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update 1: 29/11/2009

Had a bit of a play with this today. Added some elements which I like and some I’m not so sure about. I’ll leave it for a couple of days and see what stays and what goes. Also need to start thinking about a lead part.

As usual, there’s no arrangement here, not even an introduction – so prepare yourself as you hit play! The drum loop I’ve created is also pretty raw. The bass drum triplets, whilst powerful, are clearly repeating too frequently. I’ll pull these in probably once every 8 or even 16 bars once the piece is further on.

Not sure at all about the funky wah wah guitar type synth sound. I suspect that will die. Only bit I’m really happy with at the moment is the repetitive bass line and the drums (once the BD triplet frequency has been reduced.

[See post to listen to audio]

First upload: 27/11/2009

[See post to listen to audio]

I’m not going to add too much content to my own blog, since it’s being covered in detail over at Half-BIT.com, but I will take a moment just to add a brief description of what Fernando and I are working on.

It started with a tweet from @AudioPornTwitz about a Little Boots remix contest. The Earthquake stems were posted online so I DM’d Fernando to see if he was interested in having a play with them for our follow up to Separate.

Earthquake – GAP RMX by Half-BIT

Well, Mr Fonseca and I require your help again. Our newly formed collaboration, Half-BIT will be providing an art sound installation at Netaudio’s EXPANDING 09 Festival on 14 November in Barcelona.

Half-BIT is all about collaboration. It’s our raison d’être. It’s how the whole project was kicked off. And we want it to be global. Our first track started life as a wonderful IDM piece from Alka’s Dog Lost in the Woods album. It was remixed by Fernando Fonseca, then remixed again by me. None of us have actually met. Alka is based in New Jersey, Fernando kicks around Barcelona and I inhabit the far less urban-cool, though equally chic Cheshire, UK.

What we need from you

Just like Cosecha, Fernando has asked me to seek parameters to create a new source file for him to glitch the hell out of for a sound installation on 14 November (when I’ll be tucked up in front of Faithless at Manchester’s Warehouse Project). And we need YOU to help with those parameters.

This time, I intend to use two of my favourite VSTs: Ohm Force’s Symptohm and BigSeq2 from Audio Damage. I’ll request some parameter values to create the sound (e.g. send me a number between 1 and 5000) and you’ll tweet back with your number. Just like Cosecha, I’m not going to disclose which values are being requested, but unlike Cosecha, I anticipate far fewer requests being made of the contributors. (Promise!)

Once I’ve handed our sound over to Fernando, he’s going to work even more collaborative magic to create a very special piece for Barcelona.

Play your part by adding a comment below with your Twitter username, or tweet us up with #halfbitbarcelona in your tweet.

We’ll keep you informed of progress via our favourite collaborative social networking wonder-drug: Twitter.

The Contributors

The following people / organisations have volunteered to respond to data requests.

@_alka
@BlueEydGlambert
@dust_bunnies
@fbish
@groovecriminals
@heuristicmusic
@HipGnosis23
@leeconnolly
@LucidAcid
@madebyrobot
@publicspaceslab
@pure_tone
@retorta
@ronsens

Sound 1 – Ohm Force Symptohm Output [30/10/2009]

Thank you to all the contributors for providing numbers today. Below you’ll find a SoundCloud player which previews the three bar loop your numbers have generated. Don’t get too excited just yet. There’s a second stage to the process where we mash this up using Audio Damage’s BigSeq2.

The table below illustrates how the sound was generated from the numbers supplied:

None of the contributors was aware of the parameter for which they were submitting a value. The request simply read (for example), “Please send me a number between 1 and 4000 (inclusive). Thanks.”

Phase 1

Here’s how the loop was generated:

The first four contributors provided the notes for the loop. I preselected C major scale and with 12 notes in an octave we have a pattern of E, E, C, D.

Parameter 5 governs whether the pattern should then repeat or reverse (0 for repeat, 1 for reverse). So the second four notes are D, C, E, E.

Parameter 6 establishes the tempo of the loop: 123bpm. Parameter 7 sets the note length: 2 being a minim, 4 a crotchet, 8 a quaver and 16 a semiquaver. The loop length was established as 3 bars by Lee Connolly. The sample preset from Symptohm is 72 (literally counting through the sample files in the Symptohm library!) and the remaining four parameters establish the filters applied.

Loop 1 – Symptohm

Symptohm (Half-BIT #Netaudio) by Half-BIT

More to come! Stage 2 will be the mash up and sequencing in Audio Damage’s BigSeq2.

Phase 2

Here’s how the loop was generated:

Phase 2 of our Netaudio project applied a VST plugin named BigSeq2 from Audio Damage to the source file above. Once again, the values were requested without conveying to the contributors which parameters they governed. The table below illustrates how the values were applied:

Loop 2 – Symptohm plus BigSeq2

Symptohm BigSeq2 by Half-BIT

Thank you to all the contributors. That’s my bit done. Now it’s over to you, F.

This is VERY early in its development. Shadi hasn’t even heard it as I upload this, but I’ll drop her a DM on Twitter in a moment and keep my fingers crossed. Right now (as usual) there’s no thought been given to arrangement or mixing. This is simply a preview of some of the instruments and the overall theme of the track. Brain dumping indeed.

Update: [25/11/2009]

Took on board Fernando’s comments below and added a filter and sequence to the opening bass line to give it a little more groove. Responding to Doyle by lifting the vocals and EQ-ing some of the instruments to give them more room. Also glitched up the percussion track and generally remixed (levels / EQ / some compression on one of the other bass lines).

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [24/11/2009]

Now mixed with vocals (thank you Shadi!!!). MP3 below is not mastered. Any feedback very gratefully received. Would love to hear from you so post a comment below. Do it!

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [27/09/2009 Arrangement 1]

I’ve added drums, worked on a couple of extra layers and put together the first arrangement. It’s a preliminary mix and in terms of levels / EQ, I’m going to leave it pretty much as is until the raw vocals are back. I want to hand over to Shadi now for her input.

Shadi: Keep in mind that the mix / arrangement is still very fluid and can be amended in way you like.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [18/09/2009]

Not a huge amount been modified since Wednesday’s update and since I’ve been full of a cold, I suspect the mix might be very weird. Feels like my head is stuffed with cotton wool!

I was inclined to agree with Fernando’s comments about the piano, so for now, I’ve deleted it. Sounded a bit Happy Mondays to me and changed the feel quite a lot.

Still just a collection of ideas and with the Great North Run on Sunday, I don’t think I’ll be moving this one on much until next week now. (Sorry Shadi!)

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [16/09/2009]

I’ve lifted the tempo by 6bpm to help this one groove, but it still isn’t gelling for me (yet). I’ve got confidence in the track and I’m sure it’ll pull together, but right now, it’s just not happening. Being full of a cold and having had a couple of very intense days at work, guess I can’t really expect to be in the most creative of moods. Probably best to leave it for now.

As per previous posts, should point out that this is still not an arrangement. Just some of the possible themes for the final piece. Zero attention has been given to the mix (levels or EQ).

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [13/09/2009]

Uploading a couple of additional parts, though must stress that this is NOT an arrangement at all. The piano is unlikely to kick this track off (but who knows!) and some of the synth sounds still need lots of work (EQ too). What’s more, this is a VERY rough mix. Levels are all over the place. Drums are toppy (but expect to hear another drum part too, this is mainly percussion for texture). Definitely needs a lot more sub/bottom end and bigger drums. I can hear the SBB sequencer drifting slightly out of time too. Loads to fix!

The feel of the piece has changed quite a lot over the weekend. It feels much brighter and lighter now. I’m not sure that’s entirely the direction I had planned, but I do kind of like it. Let’s see where it takes me next!

[See post to listen to audio]

First Upload: [11/09/2009]

[See post to listen to audio]

To celebrate, I’ve begun work on the Music For Freedom project kicked off by @fjfonseca and PublicSpaces netlabel. You can read much more about the project on PublicSpaces’ website. I feel very proud to play a small part in the Indaba and Soundcloud music sessions. The response from musicians has been inspirational.

My starting point is to listen to the various uploads at Indaba and select one or two samples to work with. I have already uploaded some drum loops to the session and some of the vocal samples have caught my attention.

Although there are parallels between this and the Baha’i track which I did for @thomasraukamp, I’m keen for this to be much more traditional – roots in the music of the region. With that in mind, I’m downloading the Persian melodies from Fernando Fonseca and will kick things off with those.

The finished piece can be heard here.

Summer holidays have played havoc with progress on this track, so just a quick update to let people know that it isn’t forgotten. I’m hoping to receive vocals before too long. In the meantime, here’s the very latest mix of the instrumental.

[See post to listen to audio]

Not too many changes since 22nd July update below. Just a little more work on the bass sequence, changed one oscillator and increased the level of the other. Also brightened up the “slams” in the backing to Verse 2 by tweaking the EQ.

Until the vocals are added, I really am going to leave this alone now.

[See post to listen to audio]

Did a little more work on this last night. Beefed up the bass with a new sound from SubBoomBass, worked on the EQ for the celeste, string instruments and djembe (removed some lower frequencies from the latter so that it wouldn’t fight with the bass as much) and extended the middle verse by twelve bars to make room for the extra text.

Listened to this as it’s uploading and not so sure I like the second oscillator on the SubBoomBass track. I think I’ll swap this out later for a Half Sine (it’s the higher frequency patch which answers the lower frequency one).

Also, bass is fighting with other instruments rhythmically in some sections of the track – which it didn’t seem to on earlier versions. Feel as though I’m getting too close to this and my tweaks are sending it in the wrong direction.

Very excited about hearing the vocals and looking forward to being in a position to put a final mix together. Will work a little more on that bass line tonight. It’s strange because in 12 July update I really liked the bass!

[See post to listen to audio]

Download .WAV file [155Mb]

I probably should wait until tomorrow before uploading this for two reasons:

• I’ve been mixing all day using two pairs of headphones and haven’t heard it on any speakers at all, let alone reference monitors which I don’t possess.
• I should give it twenty four hours to listen again with fresh ears having spent some time today working with the file.

Anyway, despite the fact that it will probably change again a few times before it’s mastered, I think it’s now time to hand over to Shahryar Saberfakhr for the vocals.

I’ve left spaces in the track for the three verses of The Wind Will Take Us by Forugh Farrokhzad which will be sung in Farsi by Shahryar Saberfakhr:

The Wind Will Take Us

In my small night, ah
the wind has a date with the leaves of the trees
in my small night there is agony of destruction
listen
do you hear the darkness blowing?
I look upon this bliss as a stranger
I am addicted to my despair.

listen do you hear the darkness blowing?
something is passing in the night
the moon is restless and red
and over this rooftop
where crumbling is a constant fear
clouds, like a procession of mourners
seem to be waiting for the moment of rain.
a moment
and then nothing
night shudders beyond this window
and the earth winds to a halt
beyond this window
something unknown is watching you and me.

O green from head to foot
place your hands like a burning memory
in my loving hands
give your lips to the caresses
of my loving lips
like the warm perception of being
the wind will take us
the wind will take us.

Forugh Farrokhzad
Translated by Ahmad Karimi Hakkak

The spots in the track I had in mind for the three verses are:

1’55″ -> 2’19″
2’44″ -> 3’08″
3’58″ -> 4’22″

I’m really not sure if these will be long enough (particularly for the second longer verse) and I don’t want to be prescriptive at all. If vocals fit elsewhere in the track (e.g. during the introduction) that’s fine too!

[See post to listen to audio]

Download .WAV file [150Mb]

Update: [15 July '09]

Had planned to work on this track last night – and wished I had trusted my instincts and left well alone. Given that I wasn’t feeling too inspired, I thought I’d do some “admin” on the Cubase file – organising tracks into folders, creating marker and arranger tracks and starting to consider structure and arrangement.

I had a few other questions to consider too:

• How long should the introduction be?
• Which instruments and effects would feature in the intro and final sections of the piece?
• How and where should the vocals be incorporated?
• Should I create a bridge?

The so-called “admin” (tidying rather than organising) is one part of the process which I find anything but creative, but since I wasn’t feeling too musically inspired, it seemed a good opportunity to take care of it. So an hour into moving things around, track and part labelling and considering the overall structure, I was horrified when Cubase froze.

I’ve set up the iMac to create backups every so often, but had neglected to do this with the MacBook, so all was lost. Thankfully, I had created a new file before I started, so the fact that I’d inadvertently deleted the entire third part of the riff (every instrument) during my rearrangement tasks was not as horrendous as it might otherwise have been.

Software crashes are a fact of life with digital musical creation, but that doesn’t make them any easier to bear! So I’m no further on with the arrangement and all the parts below are STILL playing in unison!

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [12 July '09]

Didn’t get very long to work on this tonight as I was unexpectedly required to drive Dad’s Taxi. Tonight’s pick up: Three rowdy teenagers (including my highly charged 13 year old daughter) from ten pin bowling in Rochdale.

Spent some time later working on a bass line with Rob Papen’s excellent “SubBoomBass” and I’m uploading a small section here, first solo, then with one of the drum kits (no percussion) and an additional synth part. After the second time through, I add one of the melody instruments, just so you can hear how it fits together.

I know I must seem to labour this point, but this isn’t an arrangement and it isn’t mixed at all. Call it a preview of some of the instruments which may (or may not) make it to the finished track.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [10 July '09]

Pleased with how this is beginning to take shape. I’ve added another synth track – the one which opens this teaser – and some other instruments playing the lead melody. At the moment, they’re all playing in unison, which won’t happen in the final mix, except perhaps at the end.

Other than a bass (SubBoomBass from Rob Papen looks to be likely VST) and a main drum kit, which I’m still unsure as to whether I’ll add, think I have all the ducks (or camels) in a row now, so it’s time to start work on the arrangement.

I’m starting to hear this build – Ravel’s “Bolero” style – to a loud and rhythmic climax.

[See post to listen to audio]

Update: [9 July '09]

Spent a little more time on this last night. Worked a lot on the percussion and was able to make substantial (still early days) changes to the sound by replacing the instruments used in the melody – thanks to import of a copy of the Persian midi file which Fernando emailed me.

I also dropped the tempo by around 4bpm. I want the rhythm to “groove” and with it being predominantly based around sixteenths, I think it has more chance of doing this at a slightly slower pace.

My favourite part is still the two notes played on the FXpansion Orca (“Beating” preset) with BigSeq2 plugin effects and REVerence (Cubase 5) reverb. Simple.

There’s still no arrangement or mixing here. These are just elements I’m planning to incorporate. And I’m convinced there are a couple of bum notes in that midi file at around 0’57″.

[See post to listen to audio]

First upload: [8 July '09]

I only spent an hour or so last night, using the traditional_melody file uploaded by Fernando and a short drum loop of my own. I’ve added a couple of notes using Orca (FXpansion) and my favourite VST from AudioDamage, BigSeq2.

I’m uploading an eight bar teaser, but this has a LONG way to go yet!

[See post to listen to audio]

I’m trying to create a loose downtempo funk mood to reflect my highly relaxed state of mind at the time. These eight bars (repeated with some heavily edited Balinese Bells in the second eight) should give an early indication of how well I’m reaching the intended goal.

Clearly not mixed at all. These are early days.

Thoughts?

San Feliz Teaser (Update 2: 28/05/2009)

[See post to listen to audio]

San Feliz Teaser

[See post to listen to audio]

Oh, and here’s San Feliz:

View Larger Map

I think it’s time to see if I can develop this into a track. Not sure about the arpeggios, but I really love the simplicity of the melody.

[See post to listen to audio]

That certainly wasn’t my intention when starting this track. It took a left turn towards electro-pop somewhere around the high arpeggios and by the time I’d added the opening bass riff (which has taken over from the melody which appears much later to become the dominant theme), it was game over.

This won’t be the final arrangement (a bit of a give away in the rather abrupt ending) and I was monitoring again with earbuds last night – you know the rest.

Just to reiterate, this isn’t finished at all, but I would welcome any thoughts. It’s a collection of ideas, not a coherent piece. Some will stay. Some won’t. The sweeping synth appears too frequently for my liking. Need to delete some instances of that.

All in all, I kind of liked it. Now I’m not so sure.

[See post to listen to audio]

Not much to say about this really. I suspect I’ll ditch it but salvage on or two elements for another tune, so this is just brain dumping again really. As so often in this category, it hasn’t been mixed so not only will there be lots of EQ glitches, the levels are probably all over the place too! And the pitch bend is an assault on the ears. Apologies over. Here you go:

[See post to listen to audio]

At this stage it’s unmixed, but the kind of kit I keep trying to avoid makes its entrance at bar seventeen.

I guess it’s a part of the “heritage” that I’ll always struggle to shake off. I can’t help it, I do love a thumping drum sound.

Q: Should it stay or should it go?

[See post to listen to audio]