The Metamorphosis of Sound
Ha! This one is a weird track.
Inspired by reading Ted Gioia’s post “Notes Toward a New Romanticism” about how music is changing and that we’re on the verge of a new Romantic movement (an opinion which resonates 100% with what I believe in this AI music generation era we’re living in now), I created this track in a totally unexpected way.
It wasn’t meant to be the way it is. Initially, it was a 1-minute jazzy tune with a swing piano, some acoustic bass, drum toms playing like a jungle rhythm, and a guitar solo on top.
However, in that form, it sounded so dull and uninspired that I abandoned it for a while.
After reading Ted’s post and realizing how it echoed my thoughts, I decided to apply the concept of creating a genuinely new sound to this song.
So, I rendered it as it was (the uninspired jazzy tune) and put it into PaulXStretch, an app that allows you to modify, elongate, add harmonics, stretch, spread frequencies, and perform many other audio processing techniques. The best part? It’s a free plugin that you can download HERE.
Now, back to the process.
I put the lousy jazz into PaulXStretch, stretched it 12 times, tweaked numerous parameters, and ended up with two enormous 12-minute files that became the foundation for the new version. It wasn’t even jazz anymore—it was something entirely different. The original idea and chord progression were still there, but the sound had completely transformed.
Using these files as a base, I started adding more instruments, which led to the result you’ll hear now.
The song was initially going to be called “This Used to Be a Lousy Jazz,” but I changed it to embrace the New Romanticism concept. This title resonates with what I’ve done and with what AI can’t quite manage right now (or perhaps doesn’t bother to attempt).
Check the song here.
Thank you for taking the time to explore “A New Romanticism”, the ninth track of my album. I’d love to hear your thoughts and impressions.
Feel free to share your experience or any questions you might have about the creative process behind this piece.
I encourage you to check out the rest of the album. Each track has its own unique story and sonic landscape waiting to be discovered.
Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights on the upcoming tracks!
Best wishes,
Billy
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