Disquiet Junto Project 0615: Introspective Failure
The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose.

Thanks to Junto member XHG (aka Alex) for having proposed this week’s project.

The goal of this project is to purposefully produce an unsatisfactory piece of music in a systematic way, in the hope of potentially learning from the experience. Your approach should be introspective and technical but also lighthearted and humorous.

Step 1: Think about a piece of music you have produced that you were not satisfied with.

Step 2: Try to analyze why this was the case. Is it possible to identify a main reason — like the concept, the process, the instrumentation, or simply the outcome?

Step 3: Take a break and let these thoughts simmer for a while.

Step 4: Try to produce a different unsatisfactory piece of music than you analyzed in Step 2, purposefully replicating the failure. (It might be sensible to keep it short so as to torment yourself not too much.)

Note: Before you start the process, plan something fun and gratifying to do after you finish your piece of music, in case the process lowers your mood.

. . .

Deadline: This project’s deadline is the end of the day Monday, October 12, 2023, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted on Thursday, October 16, 2023.


. . .

Thanks to Junto member XHG (aka Alex) for having proposed this week’s project.

More on this 615th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Introspective Failure (The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose), at: https://disquiet.com/0615/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0615-introspective-failure/

Disquiet Junto Project 0615: Introspective Failure

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Fantaisie track (courte) series no. 408

creation: 2023/10/31

These tracks were uploaded to SC between 08/2023 and 10/2023,
except for the following, older ones:
. . .

[TO BE COMPLETED]

Happy listening!

* Soundcloud time: 1 year = 12 - 23 months.

hk_fantaisies_tracks_408

Gabado durante las mañanas de octubre 2019. Huasca Hgo. México.
arpa microtonal electroacústica.

Maña Nacida 03

sound art series based on the poetry collection "Stories Untold"

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people were falling in the streets
shivering in agony, for what they saw would hit them
like a bolt, scalding them from within,
the Great War was now inside them

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I am buried
with you, and the others
in the trenches of shame, all piled up
& covered with sickening laughter.
Our eyeballs are rubbed with injustices,
ears deafen by rumble of terror,
hearts numbed with trepidation,
limbs soaked in repugnant lies,
minds bleached by virtual ordure.
They murder, they rape, they rob.
They bury. Me, you,
and the others.
++++++ +
++ +
+
+ ++ + +
++ ++++ +
+
++

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

this 21-minute long sound work is a forest tale about war, re-imagined from the perspective of the land that witnessed centuries of socio-cultural turmoil. tamed nature versus wilderness, contaminated versus protected land, the Iron Curtain belt saw some significant changes – from being a brutal barrier between East and West strewn with mine fields, to becoming a highly protected European natural heritage.

the somewhat tense, suffocating and dark-sounding atmosphere of this piece reflects my feelings on possible relations between former and present conflicts, and alludes to the harsh consequences necro-politics of the past are imposing on contemporary society.

the stunning forest microbiome researched in this work is now part of the European Green Belt, formerly the Iron Curtain borderlands between Austria and Czech Republic. 

released September 14, 2023

sounds gathered during SHAPE+ musikprotokoll residency, July 2023, kindly hosted by Kulturzentrum – Garage Druzba, Harrachstal.

all sounds recorded, edited & composed by Manja Ristić
hydrophone built by Jez riley French
mastering La Plant Studio

Bandcamp

for what they saw would hit them like a bolt

Sorry!! Too boingey, noisey and random!! Sounds like a broken arcade game ...

Thanks to Junto member XHG (aka Alex) for having proposed this week’s project.

More on this 615th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Introspective Failure (The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose), at: https://disquiet.com/0615/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0615-introspective-failure/

more halF unusuaL

halF failurE [disquiet0615]

Disquiet Junto 0615: Fall short, this time on purpose.

I desperately want to make strings work in my music. Like, "real" strings. They fit the epic moodiness and cinematic nature of all the big feelings I'm often playing with. But I'm terrible at it! I have no formal training nor do I practice. I have a cheap violin I impulsively bought on sale that doesn't hold it's tuning. I can't quite figure out how to rosin or tighten my bow adequately...so I rely on effects and very short flourishes, if you can even call them flourishes. 

Sometimes it's worked out (though I'm always nervous it's incredibly obvious how terrible a player I am), other times I give up and use midi strings or ditch the strings or do a super simplified version of what's in my mind. It's such a bummer, the amount of times I've tried and failed at something I know I want (but not enough to commit to learning how to play well because I have too many other hobbies and interests).

So for this week's Junto, "Fall short again, this time on purpose", I'm going all in on violin. But keeping it short so we can recover from the trauma. 

Actually, I don't think it sounds 100% terrible. In the right horror movie it might work.

abrasion (disquiet0615)

This is linked to my track from last week, in both of which I intend to create changing rhythmic patterns. I made a couple of tracks similar to this one but was not entirely satisfied with some of the uneven & glitchy sounds, which were not exactly what I was aiming for. Of course, this is only my opinion & I am probably not the best judge of my own work. At least, although not exactly humorous, it is quite jaunty & light-hearted.

More on this 615th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Introspective Failure (The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose), at: https://disquiet.com/0615/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0615-introspective-failure/

Not Quite Right (disquiet0615)

I chose to replicate my failed submission for Disquiet 0612, which was a chaotic Tambourine disaster. The track failed because of much too dense original recordings that should have left space for some additions (but didn’t). Another reason was an unwillingness to admit failure early on and to start again (or the stubborn will/wish to develop any idea into something at least semi decent).

To replicate this, I chose a recording I made some days ago at the beach. I snipped a piece out of it where a disco beat is audible. I then added another beat, a bass-line and some chopping effects to the recording, to maximalist effect, then went back to the original. I tried to keep it as listenable as possible but because of the chaotic nature and sonic quality of the original, the result is pretty much a mess. Maybe with much more effort, this could have gotten better but it would have probably been more fun to just ditch this early on and start anew.

What I will to take away from this is maybe try to be a little less process oriented, less stubborn (in the sense of “I know this idea is bad but…”) and think about the desired outcome (e.g. “something fun”) earlier in the process.

More on this 615th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Introspective Failure (The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose), at: https://disquiet.com/0615/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0615-introspective-failure/

Disquiet0615 - Doomed Beach Disco

Disquiet Junto Project 0615: Introspective Failure
The Assignment: Fall short again, this time on purpose.

Thanks to Junto member XHG (aka Alex) for having proposed this week’s project.

The goal of this project is to purposefully produce an unsatisfactory piece of music in a systematic way, in the hope of potentially learning from the experience. Your approach should be introspective and technical but also lighthearted and humorous.

Step 1: Think about a piece of music you have produced that you were not satisfied with.

Step 2: Try to analyze why this was the case. Is it possible to identify a main reason — like the concept, the process, the instrumentation, or simply the outcome?

Step 3: Take a break and let these thoughts simmer for a while.

Step 4: Try to produce a different unsatisfactory piece of music than you analyzed in Step 2, purposefully replicating the failure. (It might be sensible to keep it short so as to torment yourself not too much.)

Note: Before you start the process, plan something fun and gratifying to do after you finish your piece of music, in case the process lowers your mood.

Eight Important Steps When Your Track Is Done:

Step 1: Include “disquiet0615” (no spaces or quotation marks) in the name of your tracks.

Step 2: If your audio-hosting platform allows for tags, be sure to also include the project tag “disquiet0615” (no spaces or quotation marks). If you’re posting on SoundCloud in particular, this is essential to subsequent location of tracks for the creation of a project playlist.

Step 3: Upload your tracks. It is helpful but not essential that you use SoundCloud to host your tracks.

Step 4: Post your track in the following discussion thread at llllllll.co:

https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0615-introspective-failure/

Step 5: Annotate your track with a brief explanation of your approach and process.

Step 6: If posting on social media, please consider using the hashtag #DisquietJunto so fellow participants are more likely to locate your communication.

Step 7: Then listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.

Step 8: Also join in the discussion on the Disquiet Junto Slack. Send your email address to marc@disquiet.com for Slack inclusion.

Note: Please post one track for this weekly Junto project. If you choose to post more than one, and do so on SoundCloud, please let me know which you’d like added to the playlist. Thanks.

Additional Details:

Length: The length is up to you.

Deadline: This project’s deadline is the end of the day Monday, October 12, 2023, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted on Thursday, October 16, 2023.

Upload: When participating in this project, be sure to include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto. Photos, video, and lists of equipment are always appreciated.

Download: It is always best to set your track as downloadable and allowing for attributed remixing (i.e., a Creative Commons license permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution, allowing for derivatives).

For context, when posting the track online, please be sure to include this following information:

Thanks to Junto member XHG (aka Alex) for having proposed this week’s project.

Just another introspective failure - disquiet0615

I wrote this violin sonata around New Years in early 2023, and much of it was written while traveling. I'm proud of how it came out and hope you enjoy it!

The third movement is sort of scherzo-inspired, set in a sort of a joke/stunt time signature, but also still hopefully sort of fun and playful, at least that was the goal.

Home for Now

Violin Sonata In B Major - 3

I wrote this violin sonata around New Years in early 2023, and much of it was written while traveling. I'm proud of how it came out and hope you enjoy it!

The slow movement is a reimagining of a solo piano sonata I wrote the previous year that didn't quite come out right. With the addition of violin it felt a lot "fuller" and am happy with how it came out in this iteration.

Violin Sonata In B Major - 2

I wrote this violin sonata around New Years in early 2023, and much of it was written while traveling. I'm proud of how it came out and hope you enjoy it!

The first movement is in sonata form.

Violin Sonata In B Major - 1

**Production Notes**

My favorite musical instrument? Hm. What first came to mind was my computer. I dig the possibility of „painting with sound“; and the computer makes the task so much easier for me. I adore good instrumentalists, but that‘s just not me. Also, my computer continues to surprise me, especially when I let go of the control on a digital musical system (such as Reaktor, MAX / MSP etc). 

The ensemble I chose was Reaktors „Metaphysical Instrument“. Set up some sine waves as an atmosphere, then a voice sings „Der Mond ist aufgegangen“ (backwards) - an traditional german lullaby, which has vaguely to do with the assignment. 

Next night I’ll record my computer while I’m sleeping. Maybe it makes funny noises. 

* * * 

**Disquiet Junto Project 0181: Instrumental Dream**

Imagine your favorite instrument is dreaming while it sleeps — what does it sound like?

Step 1: Focus on your favorite instrument.

Step 2: Imagine that your instrument sleeps.

Step 3: Imagine that your instrument dreams.

Step 4: What does it sound in your instrument’s dreams?

Step 5: Record what it sounds like.

Step 6: Upload your completed track to the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud.

Step 7: Then listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.

Deadline: This assignment was made in the early evening, California time, on Thursday, June 18, 2015, with a deadline of 11:59pm wherever you are on Monday, June 22, 2015.

Length: The length of your finished work is up to you, but between one minute and four minutes is probably best in this context.

(…) 

More on this 181st Disquiet Junto project (“Imagine your favorite instrument is dreaming while it sleeps — what does it sound like?”) at:

http://disquiet.com/2015/06/18/disquiet0181-instrumentaldream/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto/

Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:

http://disquiet.com/forums/

Image associated with this project by Tim Patterson used thanks to a Creative Commons license:

https://flic.kr/p/7bhwdM

Just another introspective failure - disquiet0615

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