The Pulse of Darkness

Tools and Techniques:

• LogicPro (Composition, Mixing, and Mastering)

• Aleatoric and Sonorous Techniques

• Sound Design Integration

• Dissonant Intervals and Unsettling Instrumentation

Skills Demonstrated:

• Horror Music Composition

• Sound Design and Texture Creation

• Dynamic Mixing and Mastering

• Emotional and Psychological Music Impact

Project Overview:

For the composition "The Pulse of Darkness," my goal was to create a piece of music that could be used as both a full composition and as ambient background music. The composition was crafted in LogicPro and fully mixed and mastered within the same environment. The focus was on building an atmosphere of anxiety and fear using a combination of traditional instruments and sound design.

1. Instrumental Choices:

• Piano:

• Used the piano to create eerie and dissonant melodies, evoking a sense of unease. The combination of slow, sparse notes with dissonant chords played an essential role in building tension.

• Strings:

• Employed high-pitched and low-pitched strings to create layers of suspense. Glissandos, tremolos, and dissonant harmonies added to the intensity and unpredictability.

• Synths:

• Added dark, ambient synth pads to create a sustained tension throughout the composition. Synths helped blur the line between music and atmospheric sound, reinforcing the horror setting.

2. Sound Design Integration:

• Unsettling Soundscapes:

• Used custom sound design elements to enhance the eerie atmosphere, adding unsettling noises like distorted breathing and whispers, low rumbles, and mechanical creaks to immerse the listener in a world of fear.

• Aleatoric Elements:

• Incorporated aleatoric (random) elements, allowing certain sound layers to evolve unpredictably. This randomness added an element of chaos, heightening the listener’s anxiety.

3. Harmonic Techniques:

• Dissonant Intervals:

• Utilized dissonant intervals such as minor seconds and tritones to create harmonic tension. These intervals kept the listener on edge, never fully resolving and maintaining a state of unease.

• Low and High-Pitched Contrasts:

• Layered low and high-pitched instruments to create a wide sonic range, ensuring the composition felt enveloping and overwhelming at times.

4. Flexible Composition for Multiple Uses:

• Full Composition:

• The piece functions as a full standalone composition, telling a story of rising fear and anxiety. The gradual layering of instruments and textures builds toward a chaotic climax.

5. Mixing and Mastering:

• Mixing:

• Focused on balancing the layers of sound design, instruments, and aleatoric elements to create a cohesive yet disturbing soundscape.

• Used EQ, reverb, and delay to give certain elements more depth and space, ensuring an immersive experience.

• Mastering:

• Finalized the track with mastering techniques to ensure clarity while retaining the overwhelming tension and dread within the composition.

This project demonstrates my ability to compose and produce music that evokes deep emotional and psychological responses. The combination of traditional composition techniques with advanced sound design highlights my versatility in creating atmospheric and horror-driven soundtracks.