Theorizing the augmented reality orchestra: a reflexive analysis of an original film score for chamber orchestra and electronic effects

Abstract

My thesis explores the relationship between orchestral instruments and digital sound processing in a film scoring context, with particular emphasis on the analysis and development of composition and orchestration techniques. I analyze the results of various electronic effects, when applied to acoustic instruments of the orchestra, both individually and in ensembles. My project incorporates the composition of an original film score that utilizes orchestral instruments being processed through digital effects to create a unique sonic landscape. I have named the concept ‘The Augmented Reality Orchestra’, and much of my study analyzes Augmented Reality Orchestration Theory, which identifies the impact of digital sound processing on traditional orchestration practices, and ways in which it can eliminate limitations and expand the expressive scope of the ensemble. My experiment explores processing the effects in real time, as they are being played and recorded with a microphone, as well as adding digital effects to virtual instruments. The ensemble will be used to write and record film music, a field undergoing changes from a notation-based approach to a DAW-based approach, exploring expanded tonal and performance opportunities. The first phase of my methodology involves testing individual instruments through a variety of effects, and documenting the results. I then experiment with the effected sounds in a creative, compositional context, eventually leading to the development of composition and orchestration techniques. I begin small, writing for solo instruments, then duets, quartets, quintets, a chamber ensemble, then finally score a film with the techniques that I have collected. The primary goal of the study is to reinterpret and recontextualize the instrumental palette of the orchestra, in the age of digital technology.

My verhandeling ondersoek die verhouding tussen orkesinstrumente en digitale klankverwerking in ʼn filmkomponeringkonteks, met klem op die ontleding en ontwikkeling van komposisie en instrumentasietegnieke. Ek ontleed die resultate van verskeie elektroniese effekte wanneer dit op akoestiese orkesinstrumente toegepas word, beide individueel en in ensembles. My projek het die komposisie van oorspronklike filmmusiek behels wat orkesinstrumente deur digitale effekte verwerk het om ʼn unieke klanklandskap te skep. Ek het die konsep The Augmented Reality Orchestra (die aangevulde realiteitsorkes) genoem en baie van my studie ontleed die teorie van aangevulde realiteitinstrumentasie, wat die impak van digitale klankverwerking op tradisionele instrumentasiepraktyke identifiseer, en maniere waarop dit beperkings kan uitskakel en die uitdruklike omvang van die ensemble kan uitbrei. My eksperiment ondersoek die intydse verwerking van die effekte soos wat dit met ʼn mikrofoon gespeel en opgeneem word, asook die byvoeging van digitale effekte na virtuele instrumente. Die ensemble sal gebruik word om filmmusiek te komponeer en op te neem, ʼn veld wat verandering van 'n ideegebaseerde benadering na ʼn digitale oudiowerkstasie-benadering ondergaan, en uitgebreide tonaliteit- en uitvoeringgeleenthede ondersoek. Die eerste fase van my metodologie behels die toetsing van individuele instrumente deur ʼn verskeidenheid effekte en dokumentering van die resultate. Ek het daarna in ʼn kreatiewe, kompositoriese konteks met die effekte klanke geëksperimenteer, wat uiteindelik tot die ontwikkeling van komposisie- en instrumentasietegnieke gelei het. Ek begin klein deur vir soloinstrumente te komponeer, dan duette, kwartette, kwintette, ʼn kamerensemble, en uiteindelik filmmusiek deur die tegnieke wat ek versamel het. Die primêre doel van die studie is om die instrumentale palet van die orkes in die tyd van digitale tegnologie te hervertolk en herkontekstualiseer.

Ithesis yami ihlola ubudlelwano phakathi kwezinsimbi ze-okhestra kanye nokucutshungulwa komsindo wedijithali kumongo wokuthola amaphuzu wefilimu, ngokugcizelela kakhulu ekuhlaziyweni nasekuthuthukisweni kokwakheka kanye namasu okucula. Ngihlaziya imiphumela yemiphumela ehlukahlukene ye-elekthronikhi, uma isetshenziswa kumathuluzi e-akhscoustic weorchestra, ngawodwana nakuma-ensembles. Iphrojekthi yami ihlanganisa ukwakheka kwesikolo sangempela sefilimu esebenzisa amathuluzi e-okhestra acutshungulwa ngemiphumela yedijithali ukuze kwakhe indawo yesonikhi eyingqayizivele. Ngiqambe lo mqondo ngokuthi ‘I-Augmented Reality Orchestra’, futhi ingxenye enkulu yocwaningo lwami ihlaziya i-Augmented Reality Orchestration Theory, ekhomba umthelela wokucubungula umsindo wedijithali ezinkambisweni zokucula zendabuko, nezindlela ezingasusa ngazo imikhawulo futhi zandise ububanzi obucacile beqoqo. Ukuhlola kwami kuhlola ukucubungula imiphumela ngesikhathi sangempela, njengoba idlalwa futhi irekhodwa ngombhobho, kanye nokwengeza imiphumela yedijithali kumathuluzi abonakalayo. Iqoqo lizosetshenziselwa ukubhala nokuqopha umculo wefilimu, umkhakha obhekene nezinguquko ukusuka endleleni esekelwe kumanothi ukuya endleleni esekelwe ku- DAW, ukuhlola amathuba anwetshiwe ethoni nawokusebenza. Isigaba sokuqala sendlela yokusebenza yami sibandakanya ukuhlola amathuluzi ngamanye ngemiphumela ehlukahlukene, nokubhala imiphumela. Ngibe sengizama imisindo eyenziwe ngomongo wobuciko, wokuqamba, ogcina uholela ekuthuthukisweni kokuqamba kanye namasu okucula. Ngaqala kancane, ngibhalela labo abasebenzisa izinsimbi zomculo wesolo, bese kuba amajuwethi, amakhwathethi, amakhwinthense, itshemba ehlanganisiwe, bese ekugcineni ngikora ifilimu ngamasu engiwaqoqile. Umgomo oyinhloko wocwaningo ukuhumusha kabusha nokuhlanganisa kabusha iphalethe yezinsimbi ze-okhestra, eminyakeni yobuchwepheshe bedijithali.