A strange one

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AlChuck

AlChuck

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A couple of issues back in Electronic Musician magazine there was an short article about using a feature in Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge audio editing software called Acoustic Mirror. Acoustic Mirror allows you to transform a recorded sound so that it sounds as if it were recorded in some specific place (e.g., in a barn, in Carnegie Hall, in a stairway, in a grain silo, out in a field, etc.) by using a mathematical process called convolution. All you need is an impulse file made by recording a particular reference sound in that actual space, and you can convolve what you have recorded with it and the end result sounds like you recorded it there rather than wherever you really did.

Anyway, that's the normal way that you use Acoustic Mirror. But there's nothing stopping you from using any sound as if it were an impulse file. The article suggests convolving a guitar with a birdcall, for example.

My curiousity piqued, I spent an evening recording some misccellaneous guitar bits -- distorted and clean guitar chords, arpeggios, and phrases, and also some funny noises made by raking the pick across the strings on the other sides of the bridge and nut, tapping my fingers randomly on the fretboard, and scraping the side of a pick on the lowest string.

Then I started arbitrarily choosing things to convolve them with, including the suggested birdcalls, recordings of my kids talking or singing, other guitar parts, etc. The results were unpredictable, often ugly and bizarre, but often strange and beautiful.

When I was finished, I had a grab-bag of sonic elements. I then used ACID to set up a strange rhythmic loop as a backdrop, and started dropping my convolved sound snippets here and there to taste.

"Erase My Head" is the result:

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1548&alid=-1

I gave it that name because the feeling I got from some of the sounds in this context reminded me of the David Lynch film Eraserhead for some reason...
 
Great stuff, AlChuck:cool:

Everybody do a test: Turn on a national Geographic Special, turn the sound off, put on AlChuck's tune. Yeah Baby, fit's really well.

Have a nice vacation my friend:)
 
Man, this is totally knocked out. I closed my eyes for the listen and pictured all kinds of things going on...dinosaurs, kid bouncing a basketball, strange creatures suddenly flying by (startled me every time that happened).
Also brought to mind the sound/feel of Remain in Light.
Excellent!

Mark
 
Thanks, guys! It is a bit different than my usual schtick...
 
Different for sure AlChuck!

Interesting though, not something I'd listen to over and over, but as a soundtrack or some such thing, it would work for sure.

I thought you could easily throw some 7 measures in there, here and there, last measure of certain parts of the song, break it up a bit.

Cool!

Weird!
 
Hey man...interesting. I downloaded it because my 2 year old is dancing like crazy to it. He freakin' LOVES it.

I have no idea how you made the "from cello --> distorted" morph thing happen, but this is admirable.

Did I mention that my 2 year old likes this better than anything I've ever recorded?

-chris
 
If this mp3 were a joint, I'd smoke it with eager abandon!!

Time well spent Al. I used to get some of the coolest elements and ideas from using/abusing certain gear. Somewhere along the line of time, I got all stuffy and proper. You've reminded me of the rewards of reckless experimentation!!

Thanks, I needed that:)

Peace,
Theron.
 
Cool stuff!

Sounds like it should be in a movie about modern day Africa.
Really good production.

Best to you,
Pete
 
Thanks, everyone... I'm glad you all found it intriguing.
 
I'll get the negative stuff out of the way: I might pull the triangle back to center a little.

Great Stuff!! I had a nice little trip there. I wonder if it'll sound differently tomorrow morning when I am no longer under the influence of < insert illicit substance here > .:D

Thanks for posting this one,
Denis
 
Whoa ... this is gnarly stuff.

A total mood piece ...

Almost reminded me of something I might hear in a movie.

Very cool sound effects that really set the mood. Were there voices at the beginning? It kind of sounded like it mixed in with something else...

Very strange and cool sound...makes ya' feel kind of spacey...I could listen to a whole CD of this stuff.

Nice work!
 
I can definitely pick up a David Lynch presence on this one. I don't know how to describe it but it would be similar to the "Dancing midget/jabberwocky" scene from twin peaks. Weird enough so that you keep asking yourself WTF is going on, yet cool enough that you stick around soak it in.

I have nothing to add to the above comments. Interesting tune, and an intriguing concept.
 
Very cool - definitely sci-fi soundtrack material - would fit nicely with Alien or Aliens. Interesting

Cheers

Alastair
 
You just can't imagine how much I like stuff like this. Man.........just sit back, close my eyes and trip out. ;)
I'm not sure I understand what you did but it's definitely a success. I love it!
 
Oh, definately a movie sound track. Pretty creative Sir!:cool:
 
Maybe I should stick to this kind of stuff instead of actual guitar playing...

At least it's good to know that when I get too old and my fingers are too arthritic to play an instrumnent, I can still do this stuff with a computer and have an outlet of some kind...

boydrj asked
Were there voices at the beginning? It kind of sounded like it mixed in with something else...

The beginning? I don't think so. But I did not keep any documentation of which sounds I convolved with which. There is one in there a minute or so in, when the rhythm part first changes, I think, that sounds very eerie and you can sort of make out a child's voice...
 
AlChuck, this is great! I'm probably coming in late on this, but I love it! I'd say the options for visual media applications are abundant...Reminded me a bit of Cronos Quartet in such a great way. Nice experiment man!

Tom
 
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