COMPUTING SYNESTHESIA

Speaking of visual and conceptual relationships, I’ve been enjoying some strange trips from using a unique software called RGB MusicLab. It was cleverly designed by Kenji Kojima who explains it quite well by saying,

RGB MusicLab converts RGB (Red, Green and Blue) value of an image to chromatic scale sounds. The program reads RGB value of pixels from the top left to the bottom right of an image. One pixel makes a harmony of three note of RGB value, and the length of note is determined by brightness of the pixel. RGB value 120 or 121 is the center C, and RGB value 122 or 123 is added a half steps of the scale that is C#. Pure black that is R=0, G=0, B=0 is no sounds.

It is not an impression of paintings or photographs of a composer. It reads a score from an image data directly.

So, as l recall one of the most influential exhibits I’ve ever experienced, here a few pieces I’ve come up with.

Duration: 0:30
Tempo: 183
Instrumentation: 2 electronic kits (right and left channels), 1 saw wave (center)

hmm…an interesting start

Duration: 2:09
Tempo: 440
Instrumentation: Choir (left), atmosphere (center), orchestral harp (right)

notice how dark the image is in relation to the pitch

Duration: 1:05
Tempo: 470
Instrumentation: celesta (left), pizzicato strings (center), slap bass (right)

this one moves quite quick but is full of color

Duration: 1:15
Tempo: 190
Instrumentation: music box (left), guitar harmonics (center), woodblock (right)

similar color throughout, crazy ending(?)

Duration: 2:02
Tempo: 600
Instrumentation: harpsichord

Keep in mind, this is Bach’s seal in which he signed his music

Duration: 3:51
Tempo: 137
Instrumentation: Electric Piano (left), Car Engine (center), Electric Piano (right)

Spastic, yet rich and full

Duration: 0:29
Tempo: 80
Instrumentation: Tubular Bells (left), Rain (center), Tubular Bells (right)

The fluidity of this picture seems to bring out an actual “song”

Duration: 0:31
Tempo: 600
Instrumentation: Celesta (left), Dulcimer (center), Celesta (right)

I absolutely love this interpretation, it is mad and fits the mood completely

Duration: 1:27
Tempo: 309
Instrumentation: Timpani (left), Reverse Cymbal (center), Electric Piano (right)

Totally rad and conveniently weird – a true stare.

Duration: 1:20
Tempo: 151
Instrumentation: Percussive Organ (left), Contrabass (center), Bottle Blow (right)

Reminds me of the moth and it’s journey

THE SIOUX CITY SYMPHONY

Although completed in the spring of 2007, I have yet to show my first large-scale symphonic work, The Sioux City Symphony, to a wide audience. I worked on it for about a year, originally as a self-commissioned goal of submitting it to the 2007 APU Composition Competition and lately, still without feedback, I have been revisiting the piece to hear how my ear has changed, for better or worse. A lot of time has passed since I finished it and I had to take a big step back and let the work ferment. I still remember going mad in my room with excitement and frustration, often working on it for hours late into the early morning and leaving my eyes strained and the mark of headphones embedded into my hair.

I realize there is a lot I could tell you about each movement, let alone the work as a whole. A statement of sorts. This is something that I’ve been wrestling with ever since I started. Addressing that now, all I can say is that for the time being I‘m not going to can’t say anything more than I already have. I will say that I’d like to share my feelings, as tedious and boring as they might be, about different sections and movements, melodic lines, ideas, influences, etc. in the future. I hope you understand.

I don’t expect a lot of feedback and, to me, that is completely justified. It is hardly accessible¹ in many aspects, but I must show it to you! I must give it away! Keeping it hidden² would be much much worse, and selfish. So I now present to you…

1st Movement: Adagio (3:44)
[audio:http://existentialmedia.org/thehop/files/thehop/2007/11/03/1st%20Movement_%20Adagio.mp3%5D

2nd Movement: Allegretto (2:31)
[audio:http://existentialmedia.org/thehop/files/thehop/2007/11/03/2nd%20Movement_%20Allegretto.mp3%5D

3rd Movement: Andante con moto (3:59)
[audio:http://existentialmedia.org/thehop/files/thehop/2007/11/03/3rd%20Movement_%20Andante%20con%20moto.mp3%5D

¹ I apologize for the MIDI rendition and hope it is not too much of a distraction. What you’ll hear has very little to do with the sound. It’s all about the notes.
²Feel free to download a copy of the full score as well. (1st Movement – 2nd Movement – 3rd Movement) For me, reading scores has become very enjoyable as well as a way to observe many more details and articulations.