The basic properties of human nature have been debated for centuries. Since the origin of philosophy, great thinkers have been debating whether we are inherently good or inherently evil. Today, the general consensus seems to be that we all balance these two properties: that we have the capacity for greatness or depravity. But if this is true then what determines if someone is good or evil? One theory, and this is the theory that inspired us, is that people become evil after evil enters into their lives. For example, someone who goes through a truly devastating experience could have a tendency to view the world from a darker perspective. Evil people aren’t born evil – they are transformed by evil circumstances.
This is the theme we explored in our sound transformation. We wanted to portray the idea of good transforming into bad. Our sound sculpture starts out with a plain and monotonous tune; a representation of how some people come to view their own lives as plain and monotonous. Then there are the calamitous tones of thunderclaps and church bells that represent catastrophe. After this, a sense of loss is evoked through soft Japanese guitar strumming. Then come offbeat, electrified drums – alone, they would seem like a normal, everyday beat, however, the drums’ mismatched nature demonstrates that our character is frazzled and can’t control his/her “beat” of life anymore. An overarching evil sounds comes through, and by the end, our character has transformed into a “monster.” The applause at the end signify the completion of this transformation and the character’s acceptance of a new and darker personality.
FictionJunction Yuuka. “Akatsuki no Kuruma.” By Yuki Kajiura. Suit CD vol.4 Miguel Ayman x Nicol Amarfi. Victor Entertainment, 2004. CD
Joc, Yung, perf. Bout It (Step Up). Summit Entertainment, 2006. Film. 6 Oct 2013.
West, Kanye, perf. Monster. Kanye West, 2010. Song. 6 Oct 2013.
by Cheng Dong, Mariel Heyboer, and Jeremy Brown
I find your take on good and evil very interesting. Similar to what you stated, I think that humans are born with the capacity for both good and evil but evil can only be activated by the effect of a dark, life-changing event. I like how you portrayed the catastrophic event and the feeling of lost that follows it. This shows that evil people do not realize they are evil. They have just wandered off into a dark path unknowingly and they are lost within themselves. Your sound sculpture helps to portray that people who turn evil did not become evil by choice; they are simply too lost to get back on the right path.
First of all, I would like to say that you did a commendable job creating a background story. The idea itself is very innovative and it must have taken you all some time to brainstorm and conclude how to portray your idea through sound. The first sound you selected may be characterized as repetitive, but I didn’t find it monotonous. I thought it had a distinct and soothing timbre, which effectively depicts goodness. In addition, the transformation was very clear. I especially liked how you replayed the first sound clip after the explosion and church bells. To me, it represented that no matter what happens, goodness lingers around. As a result, I thought your sound sculpture would end on a positive note, but of course, that would defy the storyline. Lastly, I want to ask you a question: Why did you link the round of applause with something dark? Society usually applauds and encourages the right behavior, so why would it condone an evil transformation?
First off, you did a great job and I like the way you put together the three pieces of music. At first I didn’t see how you could show everything in your description with three songs, but in the end I think you did a great job. However, I would not have characterized the first part of the piece as monotonous. Instead I would simply say that it has a positive connotation. The distinction in the types of music really allowed for a clear transformation of the fictitious character. The editing effects were also done very well. I liked the way you faded in and out of each song. and also enjoyed how you looped parts of the different songs.
Austin
I think this piece is very accurate to your description. At first, I began listening with a very confused impression and couldn’t fathom how you could even bring the theme of good and evil into sound. The beginning tempo was very creative in showing the good in people while still having an evident twist. I like the way you brought everything together and made a very clear and elaborate sound of something that I find very interesting (human philosophy). Also, I’d like to commend you on the amazing transitions from song to song! If I had just heard the beginning of this transformation, I would’ve never expected such a smooth transition into such a rebellious song.