Random ramblings or something like that...

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Assignment 09 – MUSIC!

My girlfriend and I just finished the BattleStar Galactica series (One I really enjoyed and wanted her to watch) and I really liked the version of ”All Along The Watchtowers” composer Bear McCeary did for the show, and this version seemed to really lend itself to being mixed and played around with. I had also re-watched A Scanner Darkly recently and wanted to use some of the writing with my project as well.

I used Audacity for the project. I had been using this program since it first came out many years ago and was very familiar with it, so it seemed the proper choice. I started with McCeary’s song, and left it alone. I liked it the way it was. Then added the reading is of something the character Bob Arctor (played by Keanu Reeves) says. This is not Keanu’s voice, but mine dropped to in pitch to #E. Not a major change but I wanted a deeper effect. I didn’t want to remove any of the song because I really, really love the song so I had to come up with something else to add in. After some editing and spacing out of some of the spoken phrases, I played with the reading adding some light effects to it and placed some bits of it over the span of the song. I also added a static track to the front to allow my reading to flow more seamlessly into the song and give it more of a creepy, ghost radio feel. Yay – the required 3 tracks!

I really didn’t encounter a problem except in two instances: 1. I could think of what to make for the project until the last minute. (Apparently, close deadlines = creative spark for me) 2. Once I thought I was done, I don’t let it sit. Some minor, seemingly small things kept annoying me and I have to keep changing them. I finally had to fore myself to put it down and be happy with it…or else I could possibly STILL be working on it. I want to put more into it!

All-in-all I am very happy with the final project. I think it could use some more work, but like I said, I’d never be finally happy with it. Seems that way with ANY music I work with. I think this is one of my strong suits of creativity, so after I finally got past the inspiration hurdle, it was easy.

Tracks used:

Bear McCeary – “All Along The Watchtowers (Kara Remembers)”

Me reading from the script of “A Scanner Darkly” (2006)

Recorded Radio Static I found on the internet.

Here is a copy of what the reading is:

“The pain, so unexpected and undeserved had for some reason cleared away the cobwebs. I realized I didn’t hate the cabinet door, I hated my life… My house, my family, my backyard. Nothing would ever change; nothing new could ever be expected. It had to end, and it did. Now in the dark world where I dwell, ugly things, and surprising things, and sometimes little wondrous things, spill out in me constantly, and I can count on nothing.”