Conclusion

In the creation of this prototype project I’ve been through a lot of very different stages and ideas. From the beginning I knew I wanted to create an instrument but I didn’t know how or why. I began attempting to create an instrument using machine learning but I failed miserably. I realised that I didn’t have the knowledge needed to do the project and if I wanted to go down that route I would had to study into math and programming, instead of developing creative ideas. It felt then very positive to go away from that idea as I wanted to explore a project through an artistic and a creative point of view. I decided to do the M4L instead to be able to join the two things, in one side the programming and in the other creative sound designing and thinking.

I started patching the device investigating into synthesis techniques that I liked and incorporating them to device. I finally chose to focus in granular synthesis as I found it the more versatile to create interesting sound design and experiments. Curtis Roads is also a big inspiration in my practice and I’m reading Microsound, this just encouraged me more to go granular.

With help from my own live performance and production process, I had the idea to make the goal of this device to be a tool to help artist break away from creative blockages, by giving them sonic solutions to their project. This lead me to come up with the metaphor of this project, that of Pajaritos de la Suerte. I got this idea from my experience and culture back home, and I thought my device could mirror in someway this divination practice. The user will come to the device in search of their fortune, they just have to click a button in the device and it will give you what you’ll need for your composition. After laying the base in my concept I went into researching into divination in the arts and how I could apply this in my work.

Then I went into researching other M4L device that use granular synthesis. I found three that I really liked and decided to incorporate some of my favourite functions on them to my device. I also created an algorithm map that will function as a blueprint of the device, outlining functions to research upon that I want to include in the device.

Finally I created the prototype of the device but I decided to incorporate the parameters into the UI. This was with the purpose of first testing the functionality of it and as well to make myself more familiar with the timbral possibilities of the device.

Reflection:

Looking back in my process I see that at the beginning I was quite stalled by my indecision, shifting through technical possibilities but neglecting the contextual and conceptual part of the project. This made the process of my idea very slow and tedious, uninspiring me to actually work on it. When I started to see this project as a sort of self expression and not as a software, my ideas started to flourish. I think my experience in the year out and the current technocratic world, deviated my attention from the real reason I wanted to this project. On the good side I’m happy that I managed to change my point of view in the middle of this process, I identified the issue and managed to fix it. I think my technical abilities in this project were very successful. I felt very comfortable in the Max environment, creating effective patches that helped me reach to the sound I wanted to create. It was very satisfying to finally create my own instrument and I’m very pleased with its sound and UI.

Things to focus on: Now that I finished the prototype I have to start thinking about the final hand in and the final form of this project. From what I learned from doing this prototype I know I have to focus more in the conceptual ideas and the context where my device is situated. To this I will research more artist with a similar practice than this and read more literature on divination and its role in the arts. regarding my technical skills I think I have almost all knowledge I need to create my device, I just have to put the work in. Although I cannot get to comfortable with this as you never know, I will have to follow my calendar project strictly to properly achieve my goal.

Project Calendar:

Week 1: Create mind map of project.

Week 2: Create a mind map of the conceptual possibilities of the project.

Week 3-4: Concept Development.

Week 5: Grounding of the main concept of the project. 

Week 6: Create the first granular engine.

Week 7: Create a polyphonic grain engine. 

Week 8: Create a map/plan of the algorithms in the device. 

Week 9: Working prototype.

Week 10: Deadline Element 1. 

Week 11: Break on the project. 

Winter Break

Week 12-14: Research into other possible functions of the device.

Week 15: Update algorithm map. 

Week 16: Update functions of device.

Week Off

Week 17: Reinforcement of my concept in the device.

Week 18: Analysis on the conceptual success of my device so far.

Week 19-20: Add new functions to the device. 

Week 21: Start creating the website for the device, where tutorial videos will be showed and the device can be downloaded. 

Spring Break

Week 22-23: Work in the finishing stages of the device, preparing for fist release. 

Week 24: Finish Website.

Week 25: Clean up and finish all aspects of the project.

Week 26: Final Deadline.