Music Production, Technology, and Innovation

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  The Chronophobia Project

  Eli Major-Wright
  2021

  Since the fall of physical sales and the rise of streaming, Musicians and Artists no longer profit in feasible ways and often lose money from the content they create. This project seeks to explore and analyze factors that contribute to this widespread issue within the industry: namely, the high, increasing amount of content required to satisfy audiences since the creation of on- demand interaction with music, and software companies’ current business model that relies on Artists’ continual investment in creative tools, regardless of whether they can afford to. Recognizing that these factors create an impossible environment for artists to adequately participate in the industry, this project aims to explore and provide methods by which Artists can utilize free and open-source coding resources to significantly reduce expenses for the creation of content - by using those resources in the creation of an artistic concept that includes music, visuals, and an interactive component for audiences. While this project is focused primarily on solutions for Artists, it also explores the benefits of an industry model that embraces the community of free and open-sourced software for creative use and focuses on interactive experiences for audiences.

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  The Sound of Soul: Biofeedback Controlled Music Generation and Sound Design

  Calvin McCormack
  2021

  The aim of this project is to develop a system that allows biofeedback to be used as a creative musical tool through music generation and sound design. This system uses brainwave data from an electroencephalogram, as well as electromyography muscle activity. This biofeedback is then interpreted by a machine learning neural network which can be trained to classify the user’s psychological or physiological state. This determination will then be used to control a generative Artificial Intelligent MIDI generator or other MIDI Continuous Controller signals. The raw biofeedback, averaged brainwave amplitudes, and Fast Fourier Transform of the EEG signal can also be used to control MIDI generation and Digital Audio Workstation parameters directly, and for synthesizer generation and timbral control.

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  I Hate It Here: A Multi-dimensional Album

  Quinn McGovern
  2021

  This project aims to incorporate collaboration, multi-genre experimentation, and live performance into the final production of an LP to be delivered to Kro Records in Los Angeles, CA in 2021. The LP consists of ten tracks with pre-production starting during a six-month quarantine at the onset of Covid-19 in March of 2020. The goals for this project include: a) incorporating remote and non-remote collaboration among different musicians and styles; b) developing multi-genre representation across ten tracks; c) forming a group in Valencia, Spain to perform and record a “Live from Valencia” version of the LP; d) employing both professional and DIY techniques, and; e) delivering the LP and performance to Kro Records with audiovisuals and electronic remixes. Central to the purview of this project is the overcoming of isolation and separation in order to produce a unique LP that thematically explores these obstacles within the turmoil of 2020.

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  Creating a Chromesthetic World: Auditory Painting with Light

  Sophia Metcalfe
  2021

  The aim of this project is to create an interactive space in which the audience can partake in an artistic experience, as well as immerse themselves in the creative process of composing music. This project is important in creating a link between multiple artistic realms, with the goal being to have an installation that can function as both an interactive drawing experience, and for participants to further understand the link between musical keys signatures and their effect on colour interpretations. The scope of the project includes the creation of a circuit that contains a collection of sensors that can be programmed with a range of keys signatures that can correlate with different colours in the colour wheel, thereby delivering an interactive sound art installation. Using light-dependent resistors (LDR’s) set up in a circuit with an Arduino Leonardo, light is detected and sent to Max/MSP; allowing both music and colour to be produced when drawing within the air, directed at the camera. Undertaking this project, has also created a learning curve in how to provide an interactive experience whilst also maintaining social distancing. The aim is that this will be beneficial to installations that may take place in the future.

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  INO CON 2021: Production and Technical Manager

  Guillermo Montalvan
  2021

  This project aims to learn all the aspects involved with the production of a cutting-edge multi-day music event and concert and concurrent music industry conference, both by leading the technical team that organized INOCON and through the collaboration with BV production department, in INOCON and in the Commencement Concert. Ensuring that all audiovisual assets are organized and meet high-quality standards, choosing a streaming platform that offers the best conditions for a high-quality event, and the coordination of the production team during and after the event are the key tasks for this project. This event will be streamed globally and will feature lectures, workshops, multimedia performances and networking opportunities. The production team needs to provide a high-quality virtual experience for each of the mentioned features. It is worth mentioning that this event will provide an opportunity for artists aiming to grow their careers and gain recognition from their performances.

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  Traditionally Modern: Acoustic & Electronic Fusion

  William A. Nieves Rodríguez
  2021

  The purpose of this project is to develop an album where the author will mainly play the role of a music producer for the artist Jesús Pineda, from composition and arrangement, to mixing and mastering. The main objective of this project is for the author to gain experience as a music producer, as well as to provide portfolio content of songs the author has produced. The project consists of eight songs where the artist Jesús Pineda and the author, producer William Nieves (Billy Nieves), will collaborate from start to finish, combining elements of traditionally acoustic music styles like Latin American music with modern electronic production in terms of arrangement, instrumentation, and overall sonic quality.

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  Anthology of Non-Male Stories Through Electronic Music

  Alai Ormazabal
  2021

  This creative project aims to create an album that explores the collective experience of being a non-male person through sonic landscapes and gathered testimonies. The idea comes from the desire to bring up situations involving microaggressions and toxic masculinity that every non-male lives. For this, the project wants to translate the feelings those situations create into sonic landscapes for the listener to enter the experience together with some reflections in testimonies as interludes. This idea is carried out by trying to find the middle ground between the sound design of a scene and a musical piece that would be delivered in the form of an LP. The musical elements in this project are produced electronically although not tied to a specific genre as the sounds are at the service of creating a scene portraying specific feelings.

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  The Invisible Carnival: An Ecosystem of Custom Laser Controlled Devices - Final Paper

  Juan Pablo Gomez
  2021

  The project aims to create a visual ecosystem of analogue devices that will be used by Fortuno (the artistic name of the author) in live performances and during production. Through the development of two MIDI laser controlled devices, the artist will be able to use lasers to control various parameters of the sound. The project also aims to demonstrate Fortuno’s capabilities as a sound designer, an artist, a sound engineer, and a live engineer. Hence, he will use these devices for his electronic production and then utilize the sounds in his set. An Arduino microchip will be used to program the laser response for each device. The laser MIDI controller will be created mainly through the use of programing using C++/Arduino. Each device will be molded separately with different types of casings used. Each device will be tested and then implemented in the sound and image of Fortuno. Ultimately, making him stand out as a unique Dj and musician.

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  Across Borders: An EP and Business Preparation Project

  Christian Pardo Bernal
  2021

  Christian Pardo Bernal’s CE project is an R&B, Latin Trap, and Dancehall infused EP. The EP will consist of six tracks that will be utilizing production techniques and several production elements within the Latin R&B music genre. Through cross-national collaborations with producers and artists from Colombia, the United States, and Europe, this EP will show a unique yet familiar sound to all of the music mentioned above markets and tell six different emotions that say to the story behind the Artist Emoción. Moreover, the languages Spanish and English will be incorporated into each track consistently as bilingual lyrics. The mission to educate his audience will be introduced as one core value of Emocion’s artist Identity. Further, the goal of this project is to learn the best practices of artists and producers in the Latin R&B Genre and showcase an EP that introduces a unique yet familiar sound but also takes the lead in the new area of bilingual Artists like Paloma Mami.

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  Learning Effects: The Next Stage of Audio Effects Education

  Nicholas Daniel Phang Wei Li
  2021

  Modern-day music education has changed drastically in the past decade. Globally, music education syllabi have started to include the use of technology in music, covering topics on recording and electronic music production through programs like Ableton Live. There is an increasing need to equip music-tech educators at every level with a set of tools that will aid in teaching various concepts within the software. This project aims to produce a set of customised Max MSP devices specifically tailored to aid educators in teaching the concept of audio effects within Live, hence providing a more standardised set of teaching materials at the disposal of the educator. The Max for Live (M4L) devices were designed with the needs of the students and educators in mind, helping to provide intuitive teaching material that boosts the overall learning experience. Covering such a large array of topics at varying levels of understanding proved to be difficult. Future cooperation and collaboration with Ableton and its Certified Trainer community will prove useful in bringing this project to its fullest potential. It is intended for this project to inspire innovation in music education and further integration of music technology in modern-day music education.

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  The Architecture of Musical Expression

  Jesús A. Pineda Barrientos
  2021

  This project aims to explore the inherent relationship that exists between music and architecture. From the design of concert halls to how architecture can shape itself to sound as a means of reflecting space, this cross-disciplinary approach aims to investigate beyond the interweaving similarities between the two in terms of proportion and underlying rhythms. Apart from the circumscribed aesthetics and acoustics, this project will delve into music and architecture as an immersive experience by interconnecting directly the design of a space with a composition of music and research the experiential quality of inhabiting a space. Through audiovisual elements and 3D modelling tools, each piece of music presented here will have an ‘architectural space’ that has been created specifically from the same elements presented in the music, to not only showcase the final product of making the ‘architecture of music’ but also the process by which it can a spatial experience can be achieved.

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  We All Freakz: A Transformative Sound Journey to Encourage Self-Reflection, Challenge Perceptions and Inspire Transcendence

  Angel Rose Schroder
  2021

  The multimedia, interactive and live-stream performance We All Freakz session wove together the broad topics of non-duality, intimacy, community, creation and healing. The focus of this session was to provide participants with a space to reflect, to connect and to observe universal connective strands within all beings. Through a January 2020 Q & A research conducted by this author (who is also the artist), disconnection, isolation and the unknown were the dominant, self-reported fears. Through the intentional use of sound design, video production and live-stream technology, this series enveloped the audience in a vibrant, flowing and reverent space. Strings, synths, vocals, sound design and percussion were the main instrumentation as they elicited a dreamy atmosphere. The aim of the We All Freakz session was for the participants to have an opportunity in the digital realm to solidify their authentic connection to themselves and to the world at large. This series gave hope to the philosophy that we can maintain a deep sense of connection and intimacy despite ever-changing personal and world circumstances.

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  “Time Is Not Real”: Revitalizing Vintage Recording Techniques for the Here and Now

  Samuel C. Ruff
  2021

  This project aims to revitalize vintage recording techniques in the contemporary hybrid model of music production. Modern popular music has become increasingly electronic. While the current trend is to do everything “in the box”, this project seeks to find the best balance between analog and digital. Two full length albums will be recorded and mixed focusing on blending old and new. The coloration of tape machines, analog consoles, and vintage outboard gear will collide with modern immersive audio techniques and digital editing within ProTools and Ableton Live. The first album is a 13 song collection of jazz fusion compositions performed live in studio with the MarcO Poingt Trio and was recorded on a vintage Neve console. The second album is a 9 song psychedelic rock odyssey under the name Cloudgazer, which was initially mixed in the box but finalized through a 24 track tape machine, SSL console, and various hardware compressors. The author performed on, engineered, and mixed both albums and also produced one music video to accompany one song on the Cloudgazer album. Hopefully this project will inspire fellow musicians to look back in time to find new inspiration.

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  Sancocho. Sampling Traditional Colombian Culture

  Sergio Felipe Ruiz Morales
  2021

  The culminating experience is based in exploring in depth the world of recording engineering and its possibilities to build an innovative bundle (sample pack) that showcases Colombian culture. The main idea behind the bundle musical wise: Provide tools to beat makers and producers that are unique and interesting but that also showcase the beauty and cultural traditions of Colombia. Engineering wise is for it to be very intuitive and that any person new or experienced in beatmaking can make good use of it. Designed to be a very musical pack, the samples will work with each other, this with the purpose of making the creation process more effective without losing the musicality. The pack will be divided in the following categories: One Shots, Loops, Kontakt Instruments, digital synthesizer presets and an audio effect rack. This way it would be possible to play the instruments on all the octaves of your MIDI Keyboard and to change certain dynamic and modulation parameters to taste. After the release, an EP will be composed using the bundle, featuring talents from Berklee in an attempt to promote collectivity during these COVID- 19 times.

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  Surmayi: Creation of an Audio-Visual Extended Play

  Kanishk Seth
  2021

  The basis of this project is to compose and produce an EP (extended play) of three songs that is an amalgamation of Indian classical and electronic music. Each song is accompanied by a music video. Every song is different poetically and hence, is complemented by music videos that will have distinct audiovisual concepts/ styles. However, to ensure coherence within the project and maintain synergy, all videos are in black and white. By tackling personal challenges like audio engineering and video production as well as experimenting with music production styles and approaches, the artist wants to push the boundaries of his own skillset and of the genre. The artist (an independent musician) hopes that this project (that is a fusion of Indian classical and electronic music) helps the genre become more mainstream.

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  Quantum Entanglement

  Yatharth Sharma
  2021

  This project was created to to showcase the psychology behind the artist’s music and in particular, the sounds used to create the EP using custom synth presets, custom wavetables and a collection of custom high quality processed sample recordings. This project was designed to be focused on sound design to achieve unique sounds that fit the requirements of the 4 track EP which will be created using custom sounds specifically. The main creative idea behind this project was derived from the concept of “Quantum Entanglement”from the field of Quantum Physics which is a physical phenomenon that occurs when a pair or group of particles is generated, interact, or share spatial proximity in a way such that the quantum state of each particle of the pair or group cannot be described independently of the state of the others, including when the particles are separated by a large distance. The artist being from an Indian Classical Music background tends to inculcate rhythms and melodies from the music form blending with electronic sound elements. This project thrives solely on the kind and variety of sounds applied into complex rhythmic structures and melodies to make Experimental Indie-Electronic tracks which simply explain the idea of Quantum Entanglement by depicting the uniqueness of all the sounds which may seem far from each other but still come together to form renditions which are one in themselves and hold in unity.

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  REvive: A Livestream Performance

  Paige Shephard
  2021

  This creative project takes live performance methods and techniques often found in electronic music and applies them to genres where it’s not usually seen, namely, soul, funk and gospel music. Further, it incorporates live and prerecorded elements into the performance in an engaging way as a result of social distance measures. In order to execute this project properly, further skill development will have to occur in the artist taking on multiple roles of creative director, playback engineer, producer, music director, and performer. The scope of the project includes becoming fluent in Pro Tools, achieving a live stream setup that works on an individual basis, producing writing and arranging songs, assembling a band or choir, rehearsing, putting on a live performance, and having that be captured and shared in high quality. There is much to gain in learning about what goes into a live performance, recording/streaming of performances, and the identity of the musician themselves. Future iterations include continuing to record performances and upload them to social media as well as apply production and engineering skills to others’ concerts.

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  Projection Lights and Electronic Digital Performance: Combining Modern Electronic Performance Mediums

  Ryan Tram
  2021

  This project aims to combine skills from digital media and music production into a cohesive live performance that uses an electronic digital instrument fused with projection mapping to create motion graphic animations and Launchpad lightshows. These two visual mediums will use simultaneous MIDI message triggering in Ableton Live, and Resolume Arena, creating lightshows onto an installation as well as from a multiple Launchpad setup. The scope of the project includes learning new production techniques for music made for the show, as well as building and creating installations for the performance. Projection mapping and VJing are new skills that will help further augment the performance and act as the bridge between multimedia prowess and music. This project will explore new interactivity with sound and visuals and bring awareness to the modern EDI (Electronic Digital Instrument) musician.

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  MAGNETISM: MY FIRST EP

  Guillem Vila Borràs
  2021

  The purpose of this Project is to write, record, produce, mix and master the first EP (Extended Play) released by Williaw (my artistic persona) which includes 5 songs that are influenced by his favorite music genres: House, Dance, EDM, Pop and Reggaeton. The songs arise from collaborating with two singer-songwriters that he met during his journey at Berklee. Apart from offering an auditory experience, this project wants to offer a visual experience that will consist of two lyric videos and a unique experience with the packaging. The release plan of the Extended Play consists on releasing a lead single available on every streaming service, its music video on YouTube and a post on every social media platform announcing the release date of the EP. It will be available to stream and purchase digitally and physically, being released on CD format. The lyric videos will be uploaded to the artist’s YouTube Channel.

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  The M.A.F. Machine: A Solution for Live Performance in Changing Systems of Equal Division of Octave

  Samuel Vincent
  2021

  Though many applications for microtonality exist, few allow for the flexible changing of systems of microtonality during live performance. This project implements the M.A.F. Machine, a hardware controller implementation designed to facilitate live performance in arbitrary, and changing, systems of equal temperament. The hardware is a 3D-printed casing containing circuitry programmed to detect how many plastic blocks, or “keys,” have been placed in a single octave of the unit. This data is then sent to the software application using MIDI retuning algorithms, and the software application uses the information about which “keys” are in which slots to determine the system of equal temperament. Finally, the project explores compositional techniques and systems of notation for microtonality, culminating in the composition and performance of original music using this instrument along with percussion, fretless instruments, and other instruments that are compatible with microtonality.

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  Gazing Through the World - A 5 Tracks Album about the Sound Around the World

  Zhaoqing Yin
  2021

  This project aims to combine modern music with various elements to show the new possibilities of musical storytelling of the world we are living in. Within five tracks of pieces written in different styles and themes breaking and blending among genres into one album, this project tests the boundary of the capacity of music and sound, discussing human and nature, light and darkness, philosophy and logic, time and space, all through her lenses of seeing the world. The album is creates with the artist’s skills of songwriting, digital producing, hybrid recordings, and mixing with sampling and live recording, immersive audio mixing. Features genres cross contemporary music, electronic music, futurism, minimalism, pop, rock, and various ethnic and world music styles.

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  Foundation of a Purpose: Self-Sufficiency in the Contemporary Musical Landscape

  Ricky Young
  2021

  This project seeks to lay the foundations for a career in online content creation. Throughout the course of the coming year, each week will result in two YouTube videos related to music production, songwriting, and audio engineering. In addition to the main YouTube channel, an instagram, website, and other social media platforms will be created to direct traffic towards the content. By the end of the program, this project seeks to fulfill all requirements for monetization on YouTube, earn 1,000 subscribers, and produce a moderate monthly income stream. This paper describes the journey through developing an online content creation platform, as well as the challenges and future prospects for said platform. This paper will outline the struggles with content optimization, content scalability, personal health and mental development through the lense of content creation.

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  Complicated: An Exploration of the Bounds of Subjectivity

  Nasir AlBashir
  2020

  “Complicated” is a pop album produced with genre fluidity in mind. The album provides a window into the artist’s psyche, comprised of seven songs exploring concepts such as love, fantasy, identity and self-doubt. The ultimate goal of the album was the production, mix, and master of a pop album that retains a central and unquestionable identity, while also exploring a number of genres and influences. The album was composed and produced in Ableton, and then mixed and mastered using Pro Tools. The album will be released under Berklee label Disrupcion’s subsidiary imprint – TALA records. The biggest challenge in producing the album was attempting to create a web that centered the different music throughout the album, and allowed the songs to be reminiscent of one another, while also taking risks in the explorations of musical style.

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  Elementos: A celebration of earth and human emotions

  Mónica Andrade
  2020

  The purpose of this project was to create and produce the first album for the author’s music and find her artistic style and uniqueness through the process. The concept of it is oriented to celebrate human emotions, arts, and earth, as well as addressing climate change issues in the journey to create awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution because this is one of the artist’s main concerns. The first step was the production of eight songs, each named after one element of nature, followed by the design of the cover art. For the sound design and style, this album mixes tropical beach vibes, warm rhythms, fun pop melodies and electronic synths mixed with organic sounds recorded using recycled waste for example plastic and glass. The author hopes this album will deliver a message of wellness and inspire people to take action against global warming through small changes in their daily life.

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  JOEY ANGUS: AN ARTIST

  Joey Angus
  2020

  This project from the artist is a springboard into the professional world of music and an establishment of a tangible online presence that is both professional and engaging, as well as provide a complete livestreamed concert, via YouTube Premier, in addition to the artists first EP release. By using a multitude of different platforms within the digital world, the artist has created a solid network for his work to be displayed and enjoyed by a growing fanbase, while using the concert to launch all channels. Despite various obstacles, the artist has been able to organize, curate and release content to the public through outlets such as Instagram and YouTube, as well as a website for a central hub. This project is perfect for the artist as it can always continue to grow.