TRIPLE SYNTHESIS by Stephen Lucas A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MUSIC YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO APRIL 2014 © STEPHEN LUCAS 2014 ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my thesis supervisors and committee members Professor Michael Coghlan and Professor Alan Henderson, for their guidance and support in the development of this thesis. I must also thank committee member Professor Holly Small for her generous input and support. In addition, I wish to thank my graduate studies Professors Dorothy de Val, Pat Bradley and David Mott for their advice and expert instruction in my coursework at York University. iii Abstract This thesis investigates the result of merging three musical approaches (jazz fusion, breakbeat/IDM and Electronic Dance Music) and their respective methodologies as applied to music composition. It is presented in a progressive manner. Chapters two to four identify and discuss each of the three styles separately in terms of the research undertaken in the preparation of this thesis. Chapter 2 discusses, through a close examination of selected compositions and recordings, both Weather Report and Herbie Hancock as representing source material for research and compositional study in terms of melody, harmony and orchestration from the 1970s jazz-fusion genre. Chapter 3 examines breakbeat and Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) drum rhythm programming through both technique and musical application. Chapter 4 presents an examination of selected contemporary Electronic Dance Music (EDM) techniques and discusses their importance in current electronic music styles. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 each present an original composition based on the application and synthesis of the styles and techniques explored in the previous three chapters, with each composition defined by proportions of influence from each of the three styles as in the Venn diagram shown in the introduction. Since the musical context of the original compositions is software oriented, diagrams and computer screenshots are used in addition to conventional score notation in order to highlight details of musical examples and techniques. The final chapter discusses the conclusions made through the thesis research and result of this ―synthesis‖ style of composition. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... ii Abstract .................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ........................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ........................................................................................................ viii Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Thesis Outline .................................................................................................................. 1 2 Jazz Fusion Composers........................................................................................ 3 2.1 Overview and Rationale ................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Weather Report ................................................................................................................. 4 2.3 Compositional Characteristics ......................................................................................... 4 2.4 Herbie Hancock .............................................................................................................. 16 2.5 Compositional Characteristics ....................................................................................... 18 3 Breakbeats and IDM Drum Rhythm Programming ..........................................27 3.1 Breakbeats - Overview ................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Influential breakbeats ..................................................................................................... 31 3.3 IDM Drum Rhythm Programming: breakbeat slicing and re-sequencing, groove mapping, and drum programming using sequencing software ................................................ 37 4 Electronic Dance Music Techniques .................................................................46 4.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 46 4.2 Effects Routing ............................................................................................................... 47 v 4.3 Gating Techniques .......................................................................................................... 48 4.4 Compression Techniques ................................................................................................ 51 4.5 Low Frequency Oscillator Modulation Mapping ........................................................... 57 4.6 Equalization and Filtering .............................................................................................. 60 4.7 Delay and Reverb ........................................................................................................... 63 4.8 Sound effects (SFX) ....................................................................................................... 65 4.9 Special Routing Procedures ........................................................................................... 66 5 ―Solar Neutrino‖: Original Composition ...........................................................68 5.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 68 5.2 Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 68 6 ―Bernal Sphere‖: Original Composition ............................................................73 6.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 73 6.2 Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 73 7 ―Tulpa‖: Original Composition .........................................................................79 7.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 79 7.2 Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 79 8 Conclusions ........................................................................................................85 8.1 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 85 8.2 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 90 9 Bibliography .....................................................................................................91 10 Discography ....................................................................................................95 11 Software ..........................................................................................................97 vi 12 List of supplementary files .............................................................................98 12.1 SolarNeutrino_MusicScore_SLucas.PDF .................................................................. 98 12.2 BernalSphere_MusicScore_SLucas.PDF ................................................................... 98 12.3 Tulpa_MusicScore_SLucas.PDF ................................................................................ 98 vii List of Tables Table 1: Influential breakbeats ...................................................................................................... 31 Table 2: Gate audio processing functions .................................................................................... 49 Table 3: Compressor audio processing functions ......................................................................... 53 Table 4: Common filter types ....................................................................................................... 61 viii List of Figures Figure 1: A Venn diagram representation of musical ―Synthesis‖ ................................................ 2 Figure 2: ―Black Market‖ melodic theme excerpt ......................................................................... 5 Figure 3: ―Black Market‖ opening bass vamp ................................................................................ 5 Figure 4: ―Volcano for Hire‖ - melodic theme example ................................................................ 6 Figure 5: ―Man in the Green Shirt‖ - opening keyboard figure's extracted melody ...................... 7 Figure 6: ―Man in the Green Shirt‖ - opening keyboard figure with modal harmonization .......... 7 Figure 7: ―Man in the Green Shirt‖ – 10 bar bridge chord/melody excerpt .................................. 8 Figure 8: ―Havona‖ – extracted introduction