All proceeds go to New Artists Records
The Shining Sea
NA1069
Michael Levy
1. Destiny Calling
2. The Shining Sea
3. Requiem
4. Jazz Spring
5. Eye of Glass
6. Ascension
7. Cathedral
8. The Telescope
9. Cherry Blossom
10.Crepusculaire
Improvised music recorded, orchestrated, arranged and produced entirely on the iOS platform using an iPad Pro2 during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Released May 26, 2020
“The Shining Sea” was produced entirely on Apple’s iOS platform on an iPad Pro2. Each recording was improvised on a digital piano and recorded in MIDI format. MIDI differs from an audio or “wav” format in that the audio and mechanical parameters (pitch, duration, volume, sustain, mechanical noises, etc) are recorded as digital information, which is much more malleable in terms of how it can be manipulated going forward.
Whereas an audio file is more or less static, a MIDI file is much more flexible when viewed as purely digital data. Importantly, there is no specific instrument assigned. So, while recorded on a piano, it is easy to substitute an acoustic, classically bowed or plucked double bass, or electric bass for the left hand piano part I have played. Similarly, the right hand part can be changed from piano to vibraphone, harpsichord, electric piano, choir, organ, synthesizer or a string or horn solo or section.
The tracks on “The Shining Sea” were improvised on a digital piano and separated into additional bass and treble parts when recorded. Then instruments were chosen from virtual libraries, arranged, mixed down on a Digital Audio Workstation, and reproduced as a stereo audio track. Cutting edge technology now allows this to be done at a near professional level on a modern iPad.
Due to a limit on RAM memory on a tablet, however, the “Virtual” quality of some Instruments (like sax or trumpet) on the iOS platform is far from authentic. When I use those instruments in my mix I hear them more as sonic expression rather than “authentic” replicas. Piano, bass and vibes, however come a lot closer. And, it should be said, in desktop musical production, the authenticity of virtual instruments today can be almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
I believe the combination of the somewhat idiosyncratic iOS/iPad production mode and improvisation work extremely well together. Both are, in essence, experimental and can lead to unexpected and unplanned results. When I improvise a nonjudgmental track I have no premeditated concept of what that improvisation will become when expanded. I have produced over two hundred tracks in this fashion over the past two and a half years. These particular improvisations led to an amalgam of jazz and modern classical influences during orchestration, arrangement and mix. You can hear more of my music, produced in this manner, at michaelalevy.bandcamp.com.
I am indebted to Connie Crothers for teaching me how to improvise in such a way that the musical material for an orchestrated work is contained in the elements of a pure piano improvisation. I also hope these forays into iOS music production will encourage my jazz colleagues to experiment in the novel, and incredibly affordable, iOS production mode. If you have any questions about how to add this tool to your musical expression please email me at mlevysavannah@gmail.com.
Thank you for listening!