These next two tracks were from my Berklee Online Summer Semester, Week 6 in Synthesis, Sampling, and Sound Design in Film Scoring.

Acid House Bass was an exercise to “create a TB-303 bass line … choose a subtractive synth and create a 16-note sequenced bass line … loop the sequence … make sure to automate the filter cutoff and resonance over time to change the timbre.” I automated the cutoff so that it would have a predictable, planned rise and fall, and then performed the resonance on my modwheel. Using the modwheel as opposed to turning a small knob made it a little easier for me to play a rhythm.

Terminator Drive, Stranger Glass was the assignment to “write a two- to three-minute piece of music using four arpeggiated parts that work well rhythmically together … use the film clips in this lesson to inspire you and incorporate any of the approaches and techniques that were mentioned … you are welcome to add synth pads or percussion, or any other instruments that you want, but make sure the arpeggiated parts are a significant element in the score.” I was inspired by the ostinato from the first Terminator film, the undulating bass from Drive, and the arpeggio from Stranger Things. I adapted the 13|16 ostinato from Terminator into 4|4 by adding a group of 3 and changed it into 10|16 by taking away a group of 3. I did the 4|4 version in my A section and then the 10|16 in the return of the A section at the end. I used arpeggiators with increasing layers of notes and range to build my moving lines. I was also inspired by Philip Glass, so in the B section I used one of his arpeggios (I can’t remember what it’s from), using a step descent bass progression that is 5|16 + 5|16 + 5|16 + 6|16. Throughout the entire piece there is a bell sound with an arpeggiator to make it pulse in a group of three 16th notes, tying everything together.