[an introduction]
many thanks for visiting, a small introduction to this site. [theportea] is a journal of work, with an emphasis on composition and experimentation, orchestral, chamber and music aimed at performance, film and television, study. most of the work presented on this site is available to download in notation form, for information about audio and written copyright, please read the documentation.
apart from interests in synthesis and electronica, there are also influences from world music, avantgarde composition, and creating texture using various sources. i have involved some content which you would regard as sketch or [shorts], these elements are ideas or [pencilled] composition, i thought it would be interesting and a good idea to involve them within this journal, with the possibility that they can be studied, re-worked and brought into some other compositional work.
image author unknown
NAGA
the word naga, the Nagas (Sanskrit: नाग, romanized: Nāga)[1] are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala),A female naga is called a Nagi, or a Nagini. According to legend, they are the children of the sage Kashyapa and Kadru. Rituals devoted to these supernatural beings have been taking place throughout South Asia for at least 2,000 years.
the composition is based around ritual, with the idea of dance and instrument performance, written for string quintet, far eastern percussion and solo violin. string harmonics, flautando
image author unknown
NUEME
the first array of sketches, sometimes nothing, sometimes a strong idea comes from pottering around with a few elements. the first offering, a short instrumental, based on viola harmonics and violin flautando, to create some texture, and leading into melody with some underlining pads and noises, string fades. purely a working in progress and something to work around and embellish. click here, to open the player.
portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen
image author [rb]
something that Ive been playing around with for some time, titled, [GEMYND], was first worked on as study, and due to its very minimal approach in notes used, an idea of improvisation, no set rules of arrangement, and can be used as an experimentation, with some set rules of limitation. originally written for piano, and adapted for string quintet. the notation for this composition can be found below, along with an audio version. the composition in its basic form, only uses 4 notes for improv, F#, G, Bb and B, the idea is to make the composition interesting and evolve into something which has space and emotion. there is a small introduction of run, based in Cm7-5th, apart from that, it is open to experimentation.
audio clip from here
notation download from here
working with max
A bit of work behind the scenes and that of programming and development. for a long time i have wished that i could get my hands on a custom made touchscreen monitor, the the sole reason to run a few applications that Ive been working on, in software development, but for now, i'll have to do with a slate. i spend a fair amount of time in programming and working on application ideas, most of which is music orientated, currently, working on two applications, titled, slides and keycommand. [slides] in its basic form, is a touchscreen controller, for controlling midi control change numbers and value, for hardware devices. the second thing Ive been toying with, [keycommand] and something to ease the workflow when running Cubase, again using a touchscreen slate. all things are made from max, [max/msp], purely started for personal use, but you can get a copy of the applications from here, purchase only I'm afraid, but a few great tools in working with hardware and software alike.
experimentation. a few hours working on experimentation and solo strings, more or less, 2nd violin and viola, harmonics and flautando, some post production in reverbs and delays, in effect, ether·eal, and something of a transitional session, more trials and working in progress, but pretty happy with the results so far. Ive put together a collage of ideas, nothing fixed in compositional terms, as of yet, but more to be done, a demo from the link, and i might at some point piece together some notation for anyone who might have interest in performance. here.
SPIRAL
- the first array of sketches, sometimes nothing, sometimes a strong idea comes from pottering around with a few elements. the first offering, a short instrumental, based on viola harmonics and violin flautando, to create some texture, and leading into melody with some underlining pads and noises, string fades. purely a working in progress and something to work around and embellish. click here, to open the player.
portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen
image author [rb]
SILVER MONKEY
- the first array of sketches, sometimes nothing, sometimes a strong idea comes from pottering around with a few elements. the first offering, a short instrumental, based on viola harmonics and violin flautando, to create some texture, and leading into melody with some underlining pads and noises, string fades. purely a working in progress and something to work around and embellish. click here, to open the player.
portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen
image author resource-database, graphic edit [rb]
portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen
portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen. portae - written for string qintet, experimentational, emphasis on stdy and soundesign, incorporating, 1st and 2nd violins, viola, bass and cello, flautando and harmonics to create a backwash soundscape with elements to depict natural sounds and effects. post processing of various elements, delays, modulation. please click here to listen.
NEGADO - the first array of sketches, sometimes nothing, sometimes a strong idea comes from pottering around with a few elements. the first offering, a short instrumental, based on viola harmonics and violin flautando, to create some texture, and leading into melody with some underlining pads and noises, string fades. purely a working in progress and something to work around and embellish. click here, to open the player., he first array of sketches, sometimes nothing, sometimes a strong idea comes from pottering around with a few elements. the first offering, a short instrumental, based on viola harmonics and violin flautando, to create some texture, and leading into melody with some underlining pads and noises, string fades. purely a working in p