Disquiet Junto Project 0570: Key Change
The Assignment: Make music that changes keys

Step 1: There’s been news of how, in the past decade, the newest most popular music doesn’t change keys as often as the most popular music used to. (I’m being cautious by being specific that this is about the most popular music, because the data relates specifically to No. 1 singles.) Read about it here:

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139232684/why-the-key-change-has-disappeared-from-top-charting-tunes

https://tedium.co/2022/11/09/the-death-of-the-key-change

Step 2: Record a piece of music that does change keys. (Don’t feel required to record music that aspires to mass popularity.)

. . .

Deadline: This project’s deadline is the end of the day Monday, December 5, 2022, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted on Thursday, December 1, 2022.

. . .

More on this 570th weekly Disquiet Junto project — Key Change (The Assignment: Make music that changes keys) — at: https://disquiet.com/0570/

More on the Disquiet Junto at: https://disquiet.com/junto/

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

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0570-key-change/

The cover image for this project is from DALL·E 2, where “key change into another key” was the prompt.

Disquiet Junto Project 0570: Key Change

my tracks for the diquiet junto group/project.

photo by james blackledge

More on the Disquiet Junto at:
http://disquiet.com/junto/

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

disquiet junto projects

More on this 570th weekly Disquiet Junto project – Key Change (The Assignment: Make music that changes keys) – at: https://disquiet.com/0570/

More on the Disquiet Junto at: https://disquiet.com/junto/

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

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0570-key-change/

The cover image for this project is from DALL·E 2, where “key change into another key” was the prompt.

Flora & Jam (disquiet0570)

Step 1: There’s been news of how, in the past decade, the newest most popular music doesn’t change keys as often as the most popular music used to. (I’m being cautious by being specific that this is about the most popular music, because the data relates specifically to No. 1 singles.) Read about it here:

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/25/1139232684/why-the-key-change-has-disappeared-from-top-charting-tunes 1

https://tedium.co/2022/11/09/the-death-of-the-key-change

Step 2: Record a piece of music that does change keys. (Don’t feel required to record music that aspires to mass popularity.)

==============

Track notes: It's been a long, long year so I thought I'd have a whole lot of silly fun with this. Of course - as always - it all started out quite serious.

For some reason, Stereolab's middle-to-late recorded era came to mind (Cobra, Sound Dust) which consists of a heap of tunes that take all kinds of unexpected left turns with key changes. Then I thought of Bowie..then I thought of Eno's nonsense melodies and lyrics..then it became this.

My rationale was to compact the semblance of a catchy song into two minutes with interesting development and shift between the keys of E to Bb to C and D in a relatively brief span of time. The lyrics are simply what came into my head at the time, but the reference to the leaking pipe under the sink is autobiographical. By far the silliest thing I've recorded for the Junto but it was a great deal of fun to knock together.

[Disquiet_Junto_0570] "Step Away"

" Record a piece of music that does change keys"

This one I'm sharing is a track I've been working on since July 2022, eventually a week ago I decided to drop this take and start all over with a solo piano version. It has some key changes, not really sections but there's a permanent "unstable key" feel throughout.

Piano
Classical guitar
Drums (brushes)
Acoustic bass guitar
Wine glasses (background sequence)
Celesta (from sample library)
Synth pad
Key changes go like this:
1st bar E minor 
4th bar A minor
5th bar F# minor
8th bar B minor
9th bar G major
and then back to E minor for the coda.
All repeated twice in this version, with an extended coda.

Photo by DD, Carilo, Argentina.

For this @disquiet junto, December 2nd, 2022
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0570-key-change/


Second version, January 2023 here:
https://soundcloud.com/daniel-diaz/silencio-version-2

Silencio (first demo version) - disquiet0570

Key Change

The Euclidean Chromaticon | Key Change - disquiet0570

Electronic composition, sounds created in Pure Data.

Shifting Sands (disquiet0570)

Disquiet 0244
This is a remix proposed @ Disquiet Junto Project 0244: Euro Mixin
The Assignment: Combine tracks from three different European netlabels (Portugal, Spain, Switzerland) into one sonic union.
Source tracks (20 first seconds each)
 “The Station and the Underclass,” performed by the Phonetic Orchestra, released on the Insub. netlabel based in Geneva:
“Cloud Scissors” composed by Lo Wei; performed by Cristián Alvear, Santiago Astaburuaga, Gudinni Cortina, and Rolando Hernández, released on the Impulsive Habitat netlabel based in Portugal:
“Zraerza,” performed by Geeksha Beka and Berio Molina, released on the Alg-a netlabel based in Galicia

hard-disquiet0244 by DD
September 2nd 2016; Paris, France.

00:00 zraerza + ebow Strato solo
00:24 zraerza + ebow Strato solo + vox continental (organ) drone
01:04 cloud scissors, + gradually zraerza + ebow Strato solo
01:47 The Station and the Underclass + vox continental (organ) drone 
02:07 zraerza + ebow start solo
02:20 zraerza + ebow start solo + cloud scissors
03:20 I’m done
 
FX used : delay, reverb, filter, comrpession

More on this 244th weekly Disquiet Junto project — “Combine tracks from three different European netlabels (Portugal, Spain, Switzerland) into one sonic union” — at:

http://disquiet.com/0244/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here:

http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:

http://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0244-euro-mixin/4361

There’s also on a Junto Slack. Send your email address to twitter.com/disquiet for Slack inclusion.

Image associated with this project is by Thomas, used via Flickr and a Creative Commons license:

flic.kr/p/92xKFZ


Hard - disquiet0244

disquiet 0245
Disquiet Junto Project 0245: Practical Music
Write a piece of music for getting things done, suitable for playing on repeat.

Clean up, routine, tiding up....that leads me to repetitive stuff.
I played a simple riff on my “diaz custom5”  drake bass guitar, very repetitive and yet variations going from A to D to D/E with no real structure.
Added a synth bass drone, and a Wurlitzer A200 electric piano improvising a bit.
Then some repetitive voices (tah-tah-tah-tah...) in four part harmony/
My usual rhythmic delays played a big role, here in 1/8th and 1/4th notes.
You can loop this, there’s no lead in or lead off.
Love
DD
Recorded in Paris, France September 9th  2016.

More on this 245th weekly Disquiet Junto project — “Write a piece of music for getting things done, suitable for playing on repeat” — at:

http://disquiet.com/0245/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here:

http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:

http://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0243-synth-trial/4288

There’s also on a Junto Slack. Send your email address to twitter.com/disquiet for Slack inclusion.

Image associated with this project is by jurek d. and is used thanks to Flicker and a Creative Commons license:

http://flic.kr/p/npLwcU

clean it and loop it - disquiet0245

Disquiet Junto Project 0246: Double, Quadruple, Sextuple
Compose a piece of music that increases speed in stages as it proceeds.

Steve Reich meet Western Spaghetti !
Mostly repetitive and simple guitar parts, nod to Electric Counterpoint perhaps?
Martin J15 acoustic and Schecter 1985 Stratocaster
I added an organ (Arturia’s Vox Continental) to glue everything, perhaps not a good idea?
Time (and you fellas) will tell.

I didn’t quite follow the increase speed in terms of overall tempo but in terms beat subdivision. Both in performance and delay rhythms:

70BPM throughout, always the same little motif: Ab-C-G-Ab-F 
So you have 70 motif notes per minute at the beginning and we reach 420 per minute in the finale.

1st part  is plain 1/4th   notes melody with a large 4 beats delay.
2nd melody enters with delay in 1/8th notes
3rd 4th and 5th parts switches progressively to 1/16th notes delays over the same basic motif performed in quarter and eight notes simultaneously.
6th is performed in 8th notes but delays become triplets (1/8th notes triplets)
7th part is the melody performed in 1/8th notes with delays in 1/8th note triplets.
8th part  is the melody performed in 1/8th note triplets with  delays in 1/16th note triplets (thus multiplying tempo by 6, ie 420BPM on those staccato notes)
9th is the “grand finale” with every delay in 1/16th notes triplets and one Martin and 3 Strats playing simultaneously different versions of the 5 note motif + 2 Matin guitars playing simple chords.

Instrumentation:
00:00 Martin 1 + Strat washes.
00:42 Martin 2 & Martin 3 (left-right) + Strat melody
01:13 Martin 1 + Martin 2 & Martin 3 chords (left-right) + Strat 1 melody + Start 2 staccato.
01:40 Martin 1  + Strat 1 staccato + Start 2 staccato.
02:08 Martin 1 + Martin 2 & Martin 3 (left-right) + Strat 1 melody + Start 2 staccato + Strat 3 staccato
02:35 Triplets: Martin 1 + Strat 1 chords + Start 2 staccato 
03:03 Martin 2 & Martin 3 (left-right) + Strat 1 staccato
03:27 Finale (tutti)

More on this 246th weekly Disquiet Junto project — “Compose a piece of music that increases speed in stages as it proceeds.” — at:

http://disquiet.com/0246/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here:

http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:

http://llllllll.co/t/double-quadruple-sextuple-music-disquiet-junto-project-0246/4549

Western Multipliers - disquiet0246

Waltz Definitely (La Boite A Musique) disquiet 0247

This one was so obvious to me, the illustration reminds me of a silly game we do with my kids, (game that they still love really) where I paint faces on our fingertips with a Sharpie, weird faces, happy faces, angry, surprised faces, etc) and we play roles and fake stories with our finger-tip-marionettes.
That’s the illustration alright, no doubt for me.

Waltz maybe? The idea was to perform a silly waltz with this mechanical toy piano I bought for my kids (but ended up squatted in my studio and finding its way to some major productions, little bastard!)
The piano is the one on the photo I took for this post. Who can resist a red piano?


So I went for a bunch of tracks I recorded with that piano previously and found that 90% where actually waltzes. I choose this one, so I am cheating (am I?) cause this is an existing recording, but couldn’t resist. Sorry.

The music it’s a proper composer’s composition, with chords, melodies, and all that old school stuff I like. 
Structure is A (major)-A (major)-A (major)-B (Major/Minor) - A (major)

But it is performed as if it was a Music Box. 

Now: trying to reproduce the issues, pranks and casualties you find in music boxes with an actual performance was a threat! And a whole lot of fun honestly. Those ridiculous tempo shifts and weird phrasing, took me hours lol.
One toy piano, a microphone and a drunken tempo, this is the antidote for any click based techno music overdose.

Hope you dig it. Love DD


More on this 247th weekly Disquiet Junto project — “Interpret as a graphic score an illustration drawn upon waking by Lark Pien” — at:

http://disquiet.com/0247/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here:

http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:

llllllll.co/t/a-cartoon-graphic-score-disquiet-junto-project-0247/4647

There’s also on a Junto Slack. Send your email address to twitter.com/disquiet for Slack inclusion.

Image associated with this project is the (unintended, but used with approval) graphic score by Lark Pien.

Waltz Definitely (La Boite A Musique) disquiet0247

disquiet 0248
Celebrate the new celestial holiday in music.

Here’s my angry chaotic interstellar trip to this birthday party far out there. A one minute and-a-half journey.

I took some of NASA’s free downloadable files I’ve got( from their Soundcloud account most probably) and that I use a lot.

Here, 16 first seconds of the track is full NASA sounds, including the low stabs in F that set the tonal centre and the amazing 5/8 groove that plays throughout. And astronaut’s (and Houston's) voices and a Saturn noise pad that glues everything, that's all NASA shares..

Then added some synths, played a F minor sequence , translated the 5/8 NASA groove to a distorted to hell midi drum track, and that’s it.

More on this 248th weekly Disquiet Junto project — “Celebrate the new celestial holiday in music” — at:
http://disquiet.com/0248/
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
http://disquiet.com/junto/
Subscribe to project announcements here:
http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/
Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:
llllllll.co/t/music-for-the-galactic-tick-disquiet-junto-project-0248/4744
There’s also on a Junto Slack. Send your email address to twitter.com/disquiet for Slack inclusion.

Vortex Me, Please - disquiet0248

multi-instrumentalist & composer.
Genre fluid music for images / instrumental / contemporary post-fusion / experimental jazz / electro acoustic ambient / melodic noise / neoclassical / naive hard core / cosmopolitan world music.

bio here:
http://dedeland.com/daniel-diaz-bio/


In some words:
Composer, arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist. Born in Argentina,
I studied music in Buenos Aires, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Paris.

For 20 years, I developed an important career as a session and backing musician in Argentina and Europe, playing, among other instruments, the bass, touring and recording with many jazz, rock, fusion, world, Latin and tango bands.

At the same time, I worked as an arranger, producer and musical director with many projects and artists in the USA, Argentina and Europe.

From 1992 to 1997, I performed my compositions live with my own band in Buenos Aires and began a solo recording career with the worldwide release of my first album "The Years Alone" on the North American label Green Linnet/Xenophile. On this album I arranged and performed 11 of my songs written between 1986 and 1993. I played most of the instruments, but included guest appearances by some great South American players.

My recording career continued with "Segundo Ciclo" (1997), released worldwide by Timeless Records, and 12 more albums released between 2000 and 2016.

Currently, I work as an on-demand film/TV composer while continuing to play live and produce.

Silencio (first demo version) - disquiet0570

Daniel Diaz