i am barneyrosssmith
- name:
- Barney Ross-Smith
- handle:
- @barneyrosssmith
- media
- music
- location:
- london
- bio:
- –
- find me:
- www.ursamajormusic.uk
latest work
SOUL
I used an ambient piece I've been working on as a base, and layered it with a field recording I took in the Lake District of birdsong. I've always felt that nature is good for the soul. I then retuned the whole piece to 432Hz (where A is at 432Hz instead of 440Hz), as this alternative tuning is supposed to be more spiritually calming than the Western standard.
LETTERS
This was a tricky theme, it didn't immediately jump out at me how I could incorporate 'letters' into music. I then thought about voice notes, and how these are, in a way, a form of letter. This is a simple ambient track, centred around voice messages I've received. I processed and distorted the recordings to try and make them feel distant, nostalgic.
DUPLICATE
I was heavily inspired by Steve Reich's 'phase' pieces, where a player or players play two identical lines on two instruments slightly out of phase. This creates interesting rhythmic patterns as the two lines 'phase' in and out with each other. I attempted to recreate this effect, by 'duplicating' the same synth line at slightly different tempos. I then added a synth bassline to try and round out the piece and make sense of the rhythmic chaos.
HOLD
I took my field mic and moved it around in my hands, recording those interactions. I then added some synth lines, both holding the same notes throughout. The synth lines are sidechained the mic feed so they duck out during microphone transients, hopefully reminiscent to old gramophones, and the feeling of holding on to the past.
Awaken
I used a field recording of birdsong I captured in the lake district a few months ago, and created a patch on my drum machine that reminds me of windchimes in the morning. This formed the basis for a piece of music that I would awaken to. I also captured myself recording the piece on video. If you'd like to see it, let me know.