Do Not Disturb is a work for Guitar and Voice that was written for the 2021 24-Hour Concert at Butler University. This concert is a fun frenzy for its composers, who pick their performers at random exactly 24 hours before the concert starts, and have the remaining time to write, rehearse, and ultimately have their piece premiered live in concert.

Do Not Disturb is a ballad composed by Alex McGrath about the alarming amount of useless or bizarre notifications that quite often clog one's phone with random information and silly news stories. This premiere was recorded live at the Eidson Duckwall Recital Hall on October 30th, 2021.

Preston Fox - Electric Guitar
Cameron Wilson - Voice

Do Not Disturb

Five Modular Etudes

1. Reich, Riley & Townsend Mini Storage
2. Deckard's Vacation Modular
3. 2 Fast 2 Danz
4. (D) Press On (2)
5. Man Eye Zeke

Each of these modular synth studies were conceived to explore a small Eurorack system, as well as compose a set of short works that used as many of the modules as possible in one live setting at a time.

Each piece is recorded from a live performance with no overdubs, and then only modified with a 'house/ambient' reverb and some small mastering EQ.  All dynamics, motion, pitch and harmonic content were derived through CV or human knob-twisting, and all sounds (minus the recording of church bells) were made using this Eurorack system.

An interesting challenge!

Five Modular Etudes

Tying Knots With Noodles

A composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Alex McGrath is an ambitious musician who has dipped his hands in many different styles of writing. Since picking up the violin at age five, Alex has added French horn, trumpet, bass guitar, and piano to his collection of musical instruments. Alex has dabbled in many different styles of composition, from Romantic symphonic overtures to minimalist chamber works, ultimately aspiring to write music for movies, games, and television shows. Alex is currently studying Music Composition with Dr’s. Michael Schelle and Frank Felice at Butler University, while also working towards a double major in Computer Science.

Do Not Disturb

Alex McGrath

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