For this assignment I spent quite a good bit of time in the recording phase. My thought was the better my sounds were to begin with, the less time I would have to spend manipulating them with software to make them interesting. However, since part of the assignment involved using filters to shape the spectrum of our sounds, I tended to choose objects to record that already behaved somewhat like filters. Some of my source objects included a role of duct tape, a string instrument that Bjorn Erlach was constructing in the Maxlab, an extendible dryer venting tube, an empty water jug, and water dripping on a hydrophone. I also recorded many other sounds, most of which did not make it into the final piece.

The title of the piece (which I came up with after finishing) is a not-so-subtle reference to the term SpectroMorphology, which refers to the way a sound spectrum changes over time. Additionally, in listening to the piece I became aware of how organic some parts of it sounded. Specifically, it reminded me of bugs chewing, crawling, shedding their exoskeletons, being smooshed, and generally transitioning between different phases of life.


InsectroMorphology

Download InsectroMorphology.wav or listen:


Selected Audio Recordings

Below, I've provided sample raw audio files from many of the categories of sounds I used. As I made multiple recordings of each object, this is only a small selection. (For example, I have at least 6 files in the 'Tape' category, and 4 in the 'Tube' category, etc.)


Example SPEAR Output File

This audio file was produced with SPEAR by using the file BjornString.wav, above.


Selected Chuck Code Files


Selected Chuck Output Files

These three audio files were produced by using the three ChucK files above to process the files BjornSines.wav, TubeTwister.wav, and DripStream.wav, respectively, all listed above. These finished sounds all made it into the final piece.