Effects Processor Sound processing equipment lets musicians make changes to the way sounds are heard. Different processes are sometimes called effects. Effects can be applied during live performance, or added to a recording. You are going to find out what happens to sounds whan different effects are applied.
listen to Eska Mtungwazi sing Confusion without effects
Listen (0.9s: mp3)
Why does your voice sound different if you sing in the bath?
Because the bath, sink and tiles are hard surfaces the sound of your voice reverberates (bounces around) until the sound dies away. Sounds reverberate differently in different spaces like concert halls and churches. Reverberation (reverb) can also be added to sounds artificially through electronic and computer effects units.
Listen to reverb applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s): mp3
Echo
Echoes happen when sounds are bounced from hard surfaces, like high walls.
The time from making a sound to hearing its echo depends how far the place the sound came from is from the surface returning it.
Submarines find out how near the ocean floor is by sending out a sound and timing when the echo comes back. This is called sonar.
Echo can be artificially added to sounds using computers or effects units.
Listen to echo applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s:mp3)
Chorus and Phase
Chorus adds texture to or "thickens" the sound.
Phasing adds an easily recognised "sci-fi" effect to this.
Listen to chorus applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s:mp3)
Listen to phase applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s:mp3)
Pitch Shift
You might have seen electronic toys that change voice sounds.
They can alter the pitch of your singing or speaking voice, to sound like a cartoon character or giant. Musicians use equipment that can do much more than this. For example, 'Pitch shift' equipment can be used to make a single instrument play in harmony with itself.
Listen to pitch shift applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s:mp3)
Compression
When recording, some sounds are noticeably louder than others. On a computer sounds can be displayed as waveforms. Sounds are represented by a series of peaks, like a mountain range. The higher the peak the louder the sound.
Peaks in the recording can be "evened out" to ensure the overall sound is around the same volume.
Listen to compression applied to Confusion
Listen (0.9s:mp3)
Audio examples based on a brief vocal clip from Confusion demonstrate a range of effects. These include echo, reverberation, compression, etc
- Listen to the audio examples, and describe how sounds are altered. Students might imitate the effects with voices (see QCA KS3 Music s.o.w Unit 3 Soundscapes)
- Notice where sound processing occurs in Jazz Daze audio tracks. Identify these processes, and discuss their effect in context.
Examples include: - use of echo in When I Grow Up: growup1 / growup2 - EQ in Awake: rap1 and Confusion: scat1 - Add effects to music developed from Jazz Daze activities using sound processing software
Music can be recorded directly into a digital sequencer. Once recorded, the music can be edited, arranged and mixed.
Key aspects: MIDI/audio integration.
The resulting MIDI/audio composition can then be edited as a whole.
Once music has been recorded it can be played back and edited.
Recorded music can be displayed as a sound wave in the sequencer. By deleting, cutting and pasting important alterations can be made to the original recording and MIDI files. These include:
To make good recordings on tape, minidisc or computers, careful positioning of the recording equipment and the performers is important.
Sometimes, more than one microphone will be needed.
Different instrumental or vocal parts are often recorded separately and put together later.
Recording studios are soundproofed so no unwanted sounds can be recorded.
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Sidney thought Johnny showed real talent, and gave him sax lessons. Johnny became a star performer at Sidney's jazz club.
In 1928, Johnny was asked to join Duke Ellington's orchestra. He played with the Duke for over 40 years.
Album image courtesy of Verve Records
Max helped to develop new jazz styles over his long musical career.
He performed with Dizzy Gillespie in the first bebop recording and pioneered cool jazz with Miles Davis.