My Logic Pro project for "The Midi World" assignment at Stafford College.

The Midi World Speech (Charlie Chaplin - A Jazzy Djent)

For the Audio World assignment. Made in Logic Pro.

Audio World - Sandwich

For the Audio World assignment. Made in Cubase. Thanks to Luna and Joel for helping with the name and gif/image <3 :P

This is awful...

SuperCabbagisticExistentialCrisis’ structure is as follows:

Intro, Chorus, Verse, Bridge, Chorus, Solo, Bridge, Chorus, Outro
Or
A, B, C, D, B, E, D, B, F

The structure closely resembles a Rondo form, although the repeating theme is the second section (section B) of the song, rather than the first, and it doesn’t return immediately after each section. Between each repeat of section B/the chorus is two other sections. However, the first section of the two between each chorus always differs. The second section between each chorus is always the same however.

The first two choruses are identical, however, the third differs. The lead guitar now plays a lead melody (instead of playing the same chords as the rhythm guitar) mostly based off of the solo melody with slight variation to that melody with a lot more decoration. For example, the third and fourth notes of the melody in the final chorus are of a higher pitch than those played in the solo.

The compositions has contrasting a few changes in texture, dynamics and tempo. The thinnest part of the song is the intro in which only the drums play until the very end where the bass joins in, leading into the chorus, which is the thickest part of the song, especially for the first two times it plays, as the lead guitar plays the same chords as the rhythm guitar, doubling the chords and thickening the texture a lot. This section is also very loud as the guitars are distorted and not palm muted. The verse is the second thinnest section of the song. The bass and lead guitar play very few notes and the rhythm guitar is palm muted. The bridge is rather thin as well, but the bass and lead guitar play long notes filling out the texture more and the drums make use of the toms. This helps lead into the thicker chorus as it points towards the thickening of the texture and helps build it up. This makes this section dynamically quieter than the other sections and thinner. The solo features a tempo change, in which the song becomes faster and more energetic. After this solo the song slows down again and the chorus is more active melodically but thinner as the power chords aren’t played by two instruments.

Audio World - SuperCabbagisticExistentialCrisis

Repetition Starting Point

A track I made using Ableton Live.

Voices’ structure is as follows:

Intro A, Intro B (Drum Intro), Verse, Chorus, Breakdown, Bridge, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Breakdown, Bass solo, Outro A, Outro B (Choir Outro)

Or
A, B, C, D, E, B, C, E, D, F, G, H

Voices shares some characteristics of a Verse – Chorus structure. For example, after the intro sections, the verse plays and is proceeded by the chorus. After a few other sections (the breakdown and bridge) the verse and chorus repeat. The main bulk of the structure – the Verse, Chorus, Breakdown and Bridge – repeats once after its initial play through, loosely similar to how more classical pieces may feature a Da Capo. However, there is a slight contrast in the order of structure between the first time these parts are played and the second. The second play through swaps the order of the breakdown and bridge around. This makes the piece feel as if it is progressing more quickly as there is no contrasting thin textured gap between the Chorus and Bridge, but ultimately slows it’s progression down again before introducing a bass solo which is a variation of the repeating melody of the verses with the first half of the chord progression of the chorus beneath it.

Throughout the verses of this song, this song uses rather canon-like/round-like techniques, a very repetitive main melody (a riff or ostinato) is played by an electronic keyboard, and that melody is then played identically by another synth in unison with the electronic keyboard. This thickens the texture as the melody has been doubled. This helps build up to and lead into the harmonically dramatic, thinner chorus. Additionally, for a large chunk of the first verse the bass just repetitively plays the root note "A" for harmony. However, at some parts it plays its own repetitive and more energetic melody. In the second verse, it plays the melody much more often. This bass melody acts as a counter-melody to the main melody. The bass solo later also acts as a counter-melody to the main melody. I’ve also made use of accidentals in the bridge melody to add tension to the piece as the notes sound somewhat out of place. However, as the only other note being played by any other instrument is the A note (which is being played really quickly in short bursts, with rests between) by the bass, the accidentals fit more nicely and don’t clash with other notes. These out of place sounding moments are then resolved by using notes and dyads within the key of the song (A Minor).

Additionally, I have made use of contrasts in dynamics and between the timbre of the electronic piano throughout the main portion of the song and after the bass solo. When the electronic piano begins to play again after the bass solo, reverb has been added to it causing it to sound more atmospheric, mellower and softer, which helps lead to the softer choir outro of the song. The choir outro is a lot of softer and atmospheric than the rest of the song. The choir virtual instruments already had a reverb effect on them and this reverb effect ultimately thickens the texture as it sounds like the sound waves are bouncing off of the walls of a building such as a church. The choir is a lot quieter and softer than the rest of the instruments in the song and so this outro contrasts dynamically with the majority of the rest of the song. Furthermore, the intro A is dynamically a lot more forceful than the rest of the song, albeit short, and arguably one of the thickest parts of the song. This section features many unintelligible voices talking over one another creating a thick texture and the reversed guitar builds up from a few quiet notes to a loud cut-off as the drums are introduced. Additionally, the bass solo varies dynamically far more than the main melody, featuring some slap bass contrasting with quieter notes.

Voices

Retrograde Inversions Starting Point

Couldn't find a Harpsichord in Logic Pro so I chose a Hammered Dulcimer and threw some delay on their because I wanted to see what I could produce by putting delay on an earlier instrument of that percussion-string family. Left the velocity constant as I wanted it to be a little closer sounding to a harpsichord. I also used the "reverse" pitch function in Logic Pro and adjusted a few notes to create some interesting although somewhat out of place high register parts.

Hammered Dulcimer Delay Starting Point

SuperCabbagisticExistentialCrisis Starting Point

Flight Starting Point

My mix of our bands ("Cherry Bomb") cover of Paint It Black with help from Niamh.

Drums - Isaac Hall
Bass Guitar - Reece Frid
Rhythm Guitar & Vocals - Joel Campbell
Lead Guitar - Laurence Knott

Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones - Cherry Bomb (Cover)

This is an acoustic guitar cover of What A Wonderful World, by Bob Thiele, George David Weiss and Louis Armstrong, featuring MIDI string instruments, that I recorded in Pro Tools First following the sudden passing of my mother on the 4th March 2017. What A Wonderful World was one of her favourite songs, so this cover was recorded by myself and played at her funeral, as a tribute.

What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong - Laurence Knott (Acoustic Guitar Cover)

This is an unfinished, work-in-progress, of my cover of Still Remembering by As It Is. I've had it unfinished and untouched for a good few months now, due to seriously unfortunate circumstances and due to being incredibly pre-occupied, but I've returned to work on it and hope to finish it soon(ish). I thought I'd upload it as sort of a milestone in how far it is to being finished. Also, it contains the acoustic guitar parts which someone could use to play along with if they so wished. Additionally, it contains some of the piano parts (I haven't got around to finishing it yet) with what I believe to be the correct chords.

As It Is - Still Remembering - Laurence Knott (W.I.P, Cover)

EDIT: Two years on from starting this profile, and less than a year after getting my D*D*D* in BTEC Level 3 Music Performance, I look back at the tracks on here and can see how so many of these would not meet the standard I have today. I've not uploaded or released anything in a long while, but what I am currently working on certainly sound a lot better than most of these! They were fun to make though!

I am a BTEC Level 3 Music Performance student and guitarist, from the United Kingdom, with a small collection of original works and covers. I enjoy writing and playing music both alone and as part of a group. 

I learnt to play guitar from books and sources off of the internet, and also had some help from my younger brother who has been playing the guitar for longer than I have. I also have basic keyboard skills and theory skills but do not possess any certificates that prove I possess a specific standard of instrumental or musical skills and knowledge (e.g. Grades). College education, college tutors, books, websites and my father and grandfather have helped me with my understanding and education of music theory and keyboard playing.

I also have basic DAW, recording and mixing skills and consistently strive to learn more about the function of equipment, hardware, software and music in general. My college tutors, college education and various websites are where I've gained most of my knowledge of equipment and DAWs.

Laurence Knott

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