Xanthippe2| Putting the 'Art' in Artemis
Putting the 'Art' in Artemis
Artemis Generation
Summary
Processing NASA sounds to create a rhythmic soundscape, I will perform an inspiring electroacoustic composition about the Artemis Generation on a Malletkat.
How I Addressed This Challenge
In the midst of the pandemic, hope reigns in finding our place in the galaxy. Not only this, but women will be an integral part of this journey to the Moon and Mars. We need hope. We need to see beyond the media and chaos of our world. Exploration forces humanity to see beyond their provincial space.
Please watch VLOG 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0obujluq1Y
As the choir sings, I will create a soundscape using a Malletkat (a xylophone-like MIDI controller) , synthesizers, and other instruments. In the end I hope to have an inspiring musical tribute to the Artemis Mission.
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SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE
PLEASE WATCH SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XW_ggG4tM8
I decided to create a virtual performance with the music I created yesterday instead of a choral soundscape. The disembodied voices were beautiful but many performing musicians like myself have found that opportunities like festivals, community concerts, professional concerts, etc. are on hiatus indefinitely until the pandemic ends. I thought it might be more enjoyable for the viewer to watch a performance instead. The tenacity of performers worldwide to continue to create new art in the light of a global pandemic reminds me of the tenacity of moving forward to the moon and mars. We are a bold species. Even when all seems lost we reach for the impossible and overcome.
I have played percussion for 30 years and I wanted to incorporate the Malletkat (and electronic MIDI controller based on mallet percussion like the xylophone). I am spending this morning setting up a space for virtual performance and then will record the virtual concert later this afternoon.
I hope this makes for an enjoyable and engaging experience.
Watch Dress Rehearsal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubUASCfb0ec
Had a slight interruption while practicing!
Compositionally speaking I chose a harmonic soundscape that focused on major chords and cluster chords. This simplicity harmonic structure allows for more freedom of expression and improvisation in performance. It also gives the composition an uplifting feel and a lush sound full of hope. And isn't that what we all need today? Hope?
I incorporated the harmonies of the processed NASA audio as a guide for the choral work. And while I did program the choir to sing specific text (see above), I did not make that the focus. Instead I decided that a live performance, the human aspect, made more sense.
I practiced all morning with the usual interruptions. My children loved watching each step of the process. Here, the littlest one tries to "drum like mom".
I performed on the Malletkat live, syncing the video in Final Cut Pro with the finished audio track.This involved setting up lighting and a blackscreen. I had to change around my studio space, which was set up for writing. After spending ninety minutes setting up and playing with lighting, I recorded the video...forgetting to hit RECORD!
I recorded again. Usually I would use multiple takes, but this time I just took the second take in its entirety to save on time. I imported this into Final Cut X and played with colors and lighting to give it a fun look.
"Artemis Generation" gives the viewer a much-needed musical escape in our pandemic laden world. It demonstrates how we as a specie attempt to use tools and technology to achieve our vision whether its a sonic landscape virtual performance or going to Mars . This is where the importance of Artemis Generation lies - in ingenuity - in wanting to bring inspiration, music, and hope to an audience although trapped in a house during a global pandemic.
We can still inspire. We can still hope. We can still achieve and learn. We can strive for success and fight the odds despite the overwhelming challenges.
We are the Artemis Generation. Tenacious. Bold. And full of Hope.
How I Developed This Project
TOOLS: LOGIC X, Malletkat, East West Virtual Choir, Synthesizers, NASA Audio clips, Final Cut X, Quicktime, Lighting equipment, scrim kit
I am composing using a combination of tools, including Logic X Studio (an Apple based Digital Audio Workstation), synthesizers within Logic, East West Symphonic Choirs - Virtual Choir, and other instruments and samples.
SATURDAY 10AM: As I mentioned in my first VLOG time is the challenge. I squeeze in art between teaching my children, my work, family obligations. An hour here, a few hours there, interrupted by kids and even the dog. My daughter came in, wishing me GOOD MORNING MOM! I told her I was writing a song for the NASA Space Apps Challenge. She spent the next five minutes exclaiming "NASA! NASA! NASA" (She is a big fan, we began her kindergarten education years ago with nothing but a heavy dose of astronomy and cosmology).
Because of this, I had to be laser focused when working, and even then distractions from work and family makes the challenge that much more difficult.
Although I have a variety of writing tools at my disposal, I always, always choose pen and paper first -- whether for a composition, film, or multimedia project. There is something incredibly soothing about ink flowing as you press down on paper.
sketched out some simple words. The virtual choir does not have excellent diction. It is one of the severe drawbacks. Sometimes one has to really tweak and play with the engine to make words work well. That will be the next challenge. I decided to add narration on top of the virtual choir. I found that would give direction to the piece. I need to record that in the next hour, even though my kids play --- LOUDLY -- outside my home studio.
This is the first draft of the narration. I will pull lyrics for the Virtual Choir from this text. It's more poetry than anything, but sometimes simplicity is the crux of storytelling. I decided "The Artemis Generation" worked best. After all, the teams that will explore Mars will be the same that survived a global pandemic, economic collapse, climate crisis and a myriad of catastrophes. This is our new Greatest Generation.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE:
I decided to change the focus from a virtual choir concert to a virtual performance. Because of Covid 19 the performing arts has had to experience the challenge of survival without live performance. I am excited to share this virtual performance. I believe that humanity will survive and even thrive after the pandemic, the arts included.
I wanted to incorporate the tenacity of musicians with the tenacity of hope in these times.
Let's see how it goes! This morning I am converting my space for the live performance which means lighting, a backdrop, and other technical concerns. Then I hope to record this afternoon.
The space is now finished with blackscreen set up. I have a few different lighting options. Practicing with my preschooler watching, or at least trying to.
After practicing the malletkat part I recorded the video live and with the mix playing in Final Cut X using Quicktime.
Then I imported the video and synced the audio track and the video track. I applied a few effects. I had added in some lighting for a fun look then incorporated that into the final performance video.
I had to work with the audio and video for sync. I added a star background and added movement to the stars so they move slowly as the performance continues. After doing some more minor tweaks in Final Cut X, I exported the virtual performance.
How I Used Space Agency Data in This Project
I will be using Audio samples from NASA provide for the Space Apps challenge. I will import the audio and use a combination of effects processing to morph the sounds into a soundscape to accompany the choir. Additionally, some sounds may be used rhythmically or as narration.
VLOG 2: To see the audio processing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSewCxYkIxM
I imported NASA audio clips. I used a variety of sound processes to transform the audio into both a rhythmic track and a synthesizer track. The "CroppedDinks" audio was used to create a subtle rhythm. I used the "Apps Mars Sound" track as a synth, changing its pitch until it fit into a mostly tonal chromatic scale. I will use this synth track to inform the writing for the virtual choir.
Project Demo
Data & Resources
NASA AUDIO: 09-APSS-Mars_sound1a_2m_x100.wav
NASA AUDIO: 20190819-Sol-98-SEIS-Spatialized-reflective.wav
NASA AUDIO: Cropped-Dinks-and-Donks-sample.wav