OVERVIEW
The Final Project for CPSC 035 that I completed alongside Ethan Kopf, my partner, is a 3 and a half minute song using MIDI, samples, and even a SuperCollider-generated .wav sample that culminate in a song with lyrics I wrote. It was actually much easier to collaborate on a Waveform project than I thought, being able to email or text the ZIP file whenever necessary. We also tried following the requirements of Waveform Project 2 when creating this song, in order to ensure that we made full use of all we learned about frequency filters and effects plug-ins, along with concepts like gain, mixing, and mastering.
BEGINNING THE PROJECT
We started out by consulting on what type of song we wanted to create, and I had an idea of some kind of base for lyrics we could use in the song. A few days later, I typed them up on a Google Doc. Here they are:
Lyrics
VERSE 1:
When you were falling down, I was there for you, I was there for you
When you were at your lowest point, who was there to guide you back home?
And now, when I’m in the same place, falling down in this deep abyss
Are you gonna be there for me? Are you gonna be there for me?
BRIDGE:
Tired of this trick,
I’m just a doormat to you, I see it now
Tired of being a fool,
When you don’t care about me like that
Why-why-why
Couldn’t you just say that you don’t care about me like that
I’m tired of being a fool, thinking I could get you to love me back
CHORUS:
Instead of leading me on
You don’t return my frequency
All that I gave, there’s nothing to receive
Why do I keep going back when there’s nothing here for me?
I should just move on
From this one-sided love (one-sided love!)
One-sided love (one-sided love)
I’m moving on from this one-sided love
VERSE 2:
I see how you look at the others
I know you would never see me
In that same way
Just tell me what I’m doing wrong
Tell me what I’m doing wrong
What should I change for you? To put me at their level
Oh I don’t know I don’t care anymore
But why do you still make me feel this way?
The song included two verses, one bridge, and one chorus.
GROUP PROJECT WORK
The Waveform project was started with a starting track that was more of a chilled, laid-back vibe, which Ethan put together really well. He sent it to me and I got to work adding a Drum Sample MIDI along with a step clip, something I loved using in Waveform project 2. Ethan had a lot of samples on his computer that he was able to load into the project, which sounded really good together. This first 40 second “demo” was then extended by both of us on Waveform with MIDI and effects to create the 3 minute 30 second song that it is now.
For the drum sampler, I tweaked the envelopes and the length of the kick and snare in order to make it not reach the higher frequencies and be delivered with more of an “oomph.” The step clip was really helpful in also doing similar tweaks to the maracas of the drum sampler used, and I was able to make a fun intro supplemented by percussion with three maraca shakes that progress to a full rhythmic beat throughout the sound. For the MIDIs, the chords were decided by Ethan and went together really well, and he later added a more high-pitched “alien-like” MIDI that I used the Phaser plug-in on to drive that effect more. Reverb was used on so many tracks. The reverb I used on the drums, especially messing around with room size and dampness to expand the hit of the drums, and using the 4-band equalizer to emphasize the snare drums of the percussion.
I also made an intro vox meant to be quiet and blend in with the background but provide an “intro” to the song. It was coupled with the chorus effect to add that “background” rather than “lead” feel to this particular vox.
In the middle, using an SCD file heavily influenced by PSET 3 and the recording code of PSET 2 in SuperCollider, I generated the .wav file “HighAccompaniment.wav” using MIDICPS and a sine wave oscillator synth, and the tempoclock of 1 that uses the measure system to start at measure 1. Pbinds and Pfx were used to create an “echo” effect in the code as well. It repeated 4 times and played 4 different notes at a slightly off-putting beat to the song, so that the other synths mask its sound but it is able to carry throughout the transition of the verse 1 to the bridge. I liked how it sounded with the rest of the Waveform track, and this aspect of the song was able to show the interdisciplinarity of computer music and all that we learned in this class.
Furthermore, when doing the final mix, I included a lot of compressors, especially on the vocals which needed EQ and compressing in order to make the vocals stand out but not clip the sound. Ethan and I had actually recorded our parts separately, but using the drum beat as a metronome guide when recording. We did close-mouth recording. The 4-band equaliser was helpful in emphasizing the lower notes and cutting off the sometimes “loudness” of high notes when people sing. This was important, especially when the Reverb plug-in was applied to the vox. All of these effect plug-ins were really important to make sure the song was soft around the edges and also worked. The fade out and mastering was done by Ethan.
The MP3 is here:
I really like the vibe of this song! The beginning reminded me a little bit of Troye Sivan. Overall, I thought that each part was well-balanced. My one comment is that the voice felt like it cut out/dynamics felt a little uneven at some points (esp. at the beginning), maybe due to how the effects were applied? I would add more clarity and reverb to the vocals, but otherwise, great job!
Love the spacey atmosphere that those pads create, and that infectious hat pattern in the pre-chorus. Can also tell the work you put into the dynamics filtering – sounds very clean, especially given how difficult mixing with vocals can be. On that note, both of you absolutely nailed the vocals, I thought there was a nice contrast with the registers. My only potential critique is in the structure; the verses and chorus aren’t *super* discernible based on instrumentation/texture, so I would have loved to see a little more variation there (i.e certain elements being stripped away, something like a new lead specifically used in the chorus).
Anjali and Ethan – I gotta say that on its own this is a great song that you guys have written, and you guys clearly put a lot of work into making sure that your vocals mixed well with your electronic and synthesized sounds. And your voices are great, especially in contrast with each other! My only suggestion would be to add more variation in texture or timbre in your instrumentation. As it stands, it’s a really dreamy, airy soundscape, but to make a distinction between transitions to different parts of your song, such as from the verse to chorus, or to create more of a climax, I would’ve mixed it up a little more by switching a plug-in, or by introducing a new instrumental track, etc. Great work overall!