Synthesize me! Using midi instruments with a learning disabled band
Synthesize me! A new project for learning disabled musicians has been gaining momentum in the last couple of sessions. We are now moving to the next creative stage of the project as we start to become more musical and play with our self created sound samples.
After experimenting with sound manipulation such as changing pitch, reversing sound clips, adding effects such as reverb and delay we are now using Ableton software and a variety of MIDI controllers / Instruments to trigger our home made sounds. The band members are now effectively playing self designed instruments.
It's been a satisfying experience for everyone seeing all the hardwork our sample creation sessions now paying off. Our drummer has been creating original sounding ryhthms by playing an electronic drum kit triggering the sounds created from household items and field recordings.
We have also made good use of an Alesis Sample Pad, which can achieve similar results but is more portable. The beauty of the more modern midi instruments are they are often have dynamic capabilities so the harder you play the instrument the louder the sound clip that is triggered becomes. This makes for a really tactile experience for the musician and means the musical parts created have depth in the same way as traditional instrument such as a guitar or drum kit.
Please visit the links below to find out more about Carousel, a learning disability arts organisation based in Brighton, UK.
Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/carouselartuk
Instagram: