Objective: Students, working alone or in groups, will create a sound score to accompany a brief poem (about 4 to 12 lines). Using at least 4 tracks, the score should include the following elements:
1. spoken words (one or more students reading the story)
2. tonal elements (drones, pads, loops, performance by instruments)
3. sound effects (recorded or pre-recorded SFX)
4. DSP effects (reverb, echo, pitch shift, etc.)
Proceedure:
1. Select a poem of 4 - 12 lines using books or the internet.
2. Record the poem into a voice track: Use separate "takes" so each phrase or section of the poem is in a separate audio region. This way, each voice region can be moved to fit the music and sound effects if needed. If the recording is done in one continuous take, use the program's editing tools to separate phrases into separate audio regions where necessary.
3. Strategize, experiment, and improvise: "Spot" the poem, discussing the kinds of music, sound effects, or other sonic events suggested by the words. The sound score may be traditional (in tempo, with measures) or more like a collage (free, perhaps with synthesized sound and lots of DSP effects).
4. Refine levels, and so forth: Automate volume changes to balance the spoken word and music/SFX tracks. Consider other settings and effects including pan position and reverb.