FA 3730   Sp '06  

Assignment #5
First Construction (In Wilhelm Scream)

Part 2b: Planning your part in depth.

On the server in my Public folder are two folders entitled:

1. Wilhelm Screams.  Inside this folder is a folder entitled first construction.  Inside this folder are pdfs of the score by John Cage entitled First Construction and a aiff file of a performance of First Construction (In Metal).  In class you were assigned a part, from 1 through 6.  This is your editing diagram. All parts have several instruments.  All instruments will use one or more clips/ depending on how many notes there are for you instrument in the score.

2. Wilhelm clips/categories.  Inside this folder are the clips the class gathered and organized into players and categories.  Use the folder that is named for your assigned part.  It contains folders for each instrument in you part.  In these instrument folders are the clips you can use.

You need to make an edit plan. To determine how to treat your clips so they are true to your instruments (like piano, or thundersheet. etc.).

There is a webpage designed to help you read the music of your part. Click here for that link.

Our Tempo is that each measure (Bar) is 2 seconds long. 
1. Each whole note or rest is 2 seconds long-60 frames.
2. Each half note or rest is 1 second-30 frames
3. Each quarter note or rest is .5 second- 15 frames, etc.

The "Wilhems" are around one second long even though the clip may be longer. 

Let's be consistent as a class and start each note approximately one frame before the scream starts on all clips.  Every time a note is used,  start from the same point (approximately one frame before the scream starts).  How you deal with the notes that extend beyond the length of the scream is up to you.

Do several test edit sections of each instrument. They need to be true to the instruments. Click here for a web site with lists of some Percussion Instruments and their audio examples. Try to come up with several different ways to deal with each instrument. But remember we want to hear the "Wilhelm" and be able to identify it as a "Wilhelm".

1. Use the clips on the server for each instrument.

2. Assign clips to specific notes (for example assign the Batman clip to the middle A, every time the middle A appears on the score use the Batman clip).

3. You may decide to add audio filters or video filters to help distinguish between different instruments.  For example you could use the Reverberation audio filter on you "Thundersheet" to separate, a little bit, its sound from your other instruments.

Pay close attention to the Dynamics of the score.

1. Test how much you can increase your volume of each clip before it over peaks (keep an eye on the VU meter).  Then set that as you loudest level you have in the score (fff) .

2. Set up a consistent system to adjust the level for each dynamic marking. For instance if the loudest level ( ffff ) is set at by raising the audio level by +4 db and the quietest level the "Wilhelm" can still be heard at is  at -41 db (ppp),  then set up a system for all of the  dynamic markings needed, like: fff=+4, ff=0, ..., m=-4, ppp=-33, pppp=-41.

3. For Gradual Dynamics (increasing or decreasing the volume of an area of notes) you may find it makes it easier to move that section of clips into a new Sequence (just group the clips and copy them, open a new sequence and paste) and then move this new sequence back into your main sequence to replace the group of notes. It is usually easier to fade up or down a single unit than all the notes individually.

Have Fun!

Edit at least a couple of minutes of test sections of the score.  Make sure you test every instrument.  We will look at your test in class and discuss any problems.   Export your test(s) as a DVntsc Quicktime movie.  We also may want to look at projects if you are working in Final Cut.

Due: Wednesday, April 5 (you don't need to drop these, just have them in class).

Parts Assigned

1

ANGELL,ZACH

1

2

BILLS,IZEK JOSEPH

2

3

BLUNDELL,SAM

3



5

COX,DEBORAH

6

6

ETTINGER,SHERRY

5

7

EWERT,CHARLIE

3

8

HIRSCHI,JACE

5

9

HOLTKAMP,TYSON

4

10

JENSEN,STEELE

6

11

JENSEN,TAYLOR

4

12

KISSELL,ZACH

1

13

LAYER,ROB

3

14

LORZ,ARMAN

2

15

MCNABB,SARAH

2

16

OGROGAN,CASSADY

1