SI18

Documentology

Release 01

mitsa and erica

title:
"no birds in field recordings"

duration:
5:16

description:
An audio track with parts of mitsa's and erica's conversations, one evening at nordplein. It is composed as two parallel monologues. On the left speaker is mostly erica's voice and on the right side mostly mitsa's. Talkin mostly about public space, field recording in public spaces, the position of the one that records and the one that is being recorded, the difference between soundscape and pure library sounds, how to choose what is urgent to be published, while the sounscape of nord plein is present

score:
start recording in a public space while we have a free conversation.

input [raw material]:
field recordings

tools [used but not seen/heard everything /from tools to software/ used to obtain the material and modify the material]:
zoom recorder, reaper for editing.

process log [steps, process, curation]:
1. meet at nord plein 2. record the soundscape while discussing 3. choice of the material and edit

output [public outcome]:
[1]

Release 02

title
Schooling Shoaling

duration
9:52

description
An exploration of pattern entrances and exits

score
Listen and adapt to the other players' rhythm

input
Audio file

tools
- Water bottles: 2 made of metal, 1 made of plastic
- Wooden branches
- Microphone
- Audacity

process log
1. Outside, at Spoorsingel. It's sunny and feels like summer
2. Read notes on the pad about uneven patterns
3. Discuss (keywords: inside-outside, entering-leaving patterns, constantly moving pattern(s), schooling and shoaling)
4. Drink water
5. Realize that everyone is drinking water
6. Realize that the water bottle is a common instrument
7. Gather branches
8. Hit record
9. Hit branches against water bottles
10. Sync energies and synergies
11. Swim with or against schools and shoals (and schoals)
12. Enter or leave as desired

output
schoolshoal.mp3

Release 04

The jingle board Parliament

pad here: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/SI18_four

Al & Mitsa

[title] Getting Political: Re-making Anthems & Money Talks

[duration] 6 short snippets with length between 0:14 and 0:38 min

[description] Re-enacting quotes from 3 bulgarian politicians and re-mixing the Sound of Happiness, Te Deum and the greek, the bulgarian and the duth national anthem

[score]

[input] Alex recorded the quotes with OS' Spoken Content option. Mitsa recorded guitar, voice and synth and processed one percussive sample

[tools] OS' Spoken Content, Audacity, Reaper, electric guitar, keybord synth

[process log] our process pad is here. We started by drafting ideas and what was most interesting for us at the moment, was focusing on some political contexts. Mitsa was experimenting with remixing national anthems already and Alex was having fun with exploring some iconic quotes of the Bulgarian statesmen over the past 35 years of Bulgaria's transition to democracy and market economy. Our common topic is "Getting Political" and then each of us focused on creating 3 snippets on our sub-topics - anthems & quotes. During the process, we were sharing the work on each step with each other and getting feedback.
▶Alex's process the first quote I selected was Zhivkov's one about money. Then, I was mainly looking for other quotes that are tackling the topic of money. When the politicians were saying those things, they were speaking in a vernacular manner, not using any high and official language. Zhivkov and Borisov's quotes are also recorded on video. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's quote is from a newspaper. I translated their quotes in English and then recorded them with my Mac's Spoken Content option using the voice of Daniel. Then, added some applause at the end. We were conserned about copyrights, that is why the pieces are re-created by us and not taken from the internet.
▶ Mitsa's process I was thinking of the current importance of nationalism for states and then had the idea of underlining that by messing around andremaking several anthems with a more pop sound. I remade the Eurovision anthem, the melody of Happiness and an anthem combining lyrics from the Greek, the Bulgarian and the Dutch. There are several ideas related to that gesture. First, by taking out the symphonic and classical sound of the anthems, they lose some of their glamor connected to the high and important musical past.Then by experimenting with contemporary conical elements, I underline how nationalism is present in today's systems and how power can be echoed through music. (tan tan tan, pretty big things). It was also really playful for me to mess around.

[output] Mitsa's Getting Political: Contemporary Anthems Anthem of Tolerrant Europe, First Robot Congressman, and National Anthem & Alex's Getting Political: Money Talks
▶ Todor Zhivkov: original quote vs. the recording
▶ "The Tsar" Simeon Borisov von Saxe-Coburg-Gotha: the recording
▶ Boyko Borisov: original quote vs. the recording

[who?] Alex & Mitsa

Caretakers: Grgr, Miri, Mitsa

Release 05

Miri & Mitsa

[title] MiMi

[duration] 4:34

[description] Two texts performed as spoken word with the same guitar loop as a basis and a different editing approach

[input] audio recording of our voices; looped guitar ; beat edot

[tools] mobile phone recorder, mini microphone, Ableton, Reaper, ambient effects, pitch effect

[process log]

1. Both of us wrote a text that later we would perform [2]
2. We made a guitar loop with some effects, which became a basis for the music part
3. Mitsa recorded their part and used the pitch effect for detuning both the voice and the guitar
4. Miri....
5. We merged the two tracks to 1

[output] audio text

[who] Miriam + Mitsa