Music 220a - Final Project: Ad Astra Per Aspera

Chuck Files

Sound Files

Generated Wave File

Description

For my final project, I decided to do a 4-channel performance, similar to the radioplay from HW2. However, my voice was pretty shot because I've been sick, so I opted not to actually do any poetic reading. Instead, I found some cool clips from the Apollo Program - specifically, JFK announcing the plans to go to the moon, Apollo 8 astronauts reading the begninning of the Genesis, and Neil Armstrong's famous quote from the surface of the moon during Apollo 11. I thought that could make a cool backdrop for some space music. For the backgrounds, I used a combination of SinOscs, one for each channel, that are gradually added to give the illusion of greater and greater space and presence. Random generators provide random octaves for the notes to play in, which I think greatly added to the feel of the piece. In addition, a bass line is added using a tri osc, and some light touches are later added with other oscs. The project is designed to just be sort of ambient and evoke the idea of space and space travel in the listener. Also, I made two versions of the piece - one for 4-channel playback, and one for stereo playback. Both are attached, and the final wav is a simple stereo recording (rather than a binaural). Hope you enjoy this piece!