The
DVD
contains
all
individual
tracks, materials and parameters used in the creation of
these soundscape pieces, plus their structural design,
background information and documentation of all of the
digital synthesis and signal processing techniques used,
with numerous sound examples and spectrograms, in a
format suitable for classes and advanced study. The
presentation of soundscape composition surveys the
techniques used in this type of work with extensive
examples drawn from tracks by the World Soundscape
Project, the author and other composers whose work has
been featured on the Cambridge Street Records label.
In addition, a presentation on the concept of Acoustic
Space draws on examples from acoustics, psychoacoustics,
environmental acoustics, acoustic ecology, and
multi-channel diffusion systems.
Note: these research topics are now freely available on
the WSP Database and include the sound examples that
were on this DVD (approximately
7 hours of audio material).
Contact Barry (truax@sfu.ca) for a guest password.
NEW:
The WSP Database now includes an HTML5 Audio option
where the soundfiles are embedded on the same page when
using the Mac Safari and Firefox browsers.
See also:
DVD-ROM #1, Granular Synthesis and
Granulation (including Riverrun and The Shaman Ascending),
and
DVD-ROM #3, Text-Based Composition.
What the
reviewers say:
"The
second DVD-ROM begins with an explanation of
soundscape composition and its relationship to R.
Murray Schafer’s World Soundscape Project. The guiding
principles of soundscape composition include the
listener’s ability to recognize the source material
and that sound invokes the listener’s knowledge of an
environmental and psychological context. Additionally,
the composer’s knowledge of environmental and
psychological contexts shapes the micro-and
macro-formal elements of the composition. Lastly,
soundscape composition enhances our understanding of
the world and influences our daily perceptual habits.
At a time when our environment is threatened by
pollution, this approach to composition exalts human
creativity to passionate environmental activism.
"The analyses of the compositions provide a thorough
and cogent exhibition of Mr. Truax’s compositional
process and include a wealth of supporting
documentation including program notes, a structural
overview, accompanying spectrograms with temporal
references, description of source materials,
production notes, reviews, and references. These
sections of the second DVD-ROM are priceless snapshots
of the composer’s creative and technological
prowess." M. Simoni & K. Fosdick, Computer Music Journal,
34(2), 2010, pp. 96-98.