Recording 1-15

A set of 4 music compositions created from photographs taken at neolithic sites on Orkney in 2024

These music pieces have been 'composed visually' from photos taken at the sites using 'The TrancePorter' - a software tool that transforms the moving image into music. It offers a new approach to music composition allowing the composer to create music by shaping visual narratives.

Unstan - Cairn - V24 - MASTERmix

Skara - Brae - V2 - MASTERmix

Ring - Of - Brodgar - V3 - MASTERmix

Shake it loose - urban expression #01

The Tranceporter is a software musical instrument that turns photographic images in to musical soundtracks.

At first (in my Neolithic Orkney collection) I strived to create stuff that sounded like genuine music, to kind of prove the instrument's ability... I'm a little more confident in that now, so here I embark on creating tracks that fit more with my punk-DIY ethic; ie. something a little bit more unhinged.

The starting image is a building in Bow (London). I guess most will see it as dilapidated. I saw it as beautiful. The broken windows and abundant graffiti spoke to me of 'urban reclamation' - standing in the face of London's sweeping tide of gentrification; community given true voice. Yes, it IS dilapidated, but all creation springs from destruction. Such 'vandalism' is pure uncensored, unsanctioned, expression. I wanted to give voice to that struggle between State and Community, a rallying call to SHAKE IT LOOSE. Take it back, mark it, claim it, own it.

Shake It Loose

In my Urban Expressions series I'm using The TrancePorter to turn my photographs from London into (what I hope are) dance-oriented music tracks.

Gentrification was a big part of my experience while performing round South London, so I wanted to include this image of the Save Brixton Arches campaign. I don't think they were saved, but what's important isn't that we 'win' (there are no winners in a capitalist system) but only that we fight.

Underbelly

Latest compositionin the Urban Exporessions series form The TrancePorter

The High Society

A music track generated from original digital image by Ant Smith using The TrancePorter software musical instrument played by images instead of keys, stick, string etc...

The Standing Stones of Stenness

Samples of Patrick Henry from The LIbrary of Congress, 1913
I first read this speech in Revolver (200AD offshoot) back in the 80's and it has all stayed with me. So yeah, Give me liberty - Or Give Me Death!!!

Give Me Liberty

I made this from Philip Raymond Goodman's call-to-action:
"One of the many extraordinary things i found in the treasure chest that the illustrious and dearly departed Tina Hibbins called a flat was these two sound effects cd's, a manner of thing which i have always found slightly inexplicable, but i have decided that a use must be found for them and that you all of her friends and aquaintances and just anyone interested will help with it, if you are in, then i will choose you a number at random and send you the track corresponding to it and you will then create a piece of music or sound work around it, you can edit it, morph it, scratch it vandelise it warp it tork it change the shape of it, anything you see fit, be experimental, be mainstream, be whatever you think best, tina could make noise wioth the best (and worst) of them but she could also do balads, and and and whatever else took her fancy so you can too, all the best, lets enjoy this one in her honour, be hedonistic you miscreants!"

Let Me In

Photographer and Programmer, I'm currently building a software musical instrument that lets me use my digital photography to generate musical tracks - a kind of visual composer.

See more of my work on my website: antsmith.net
or contact via: me@antsmith.net

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