Vermona '14: Mono Study #1; "A Voice Rises"

Published on Nov 5, 2018 Kris Lennox

"Writing standalone solo works for a mono synth can be a challenge i.e. only one note, no harmony etc. This is the first from a set of mono works written within a two-octave range.

The idea is to write music anyone can try, irrespective of equipment. If someone owns he likes of an Alesis Q25/any form of 25-key MIDI controller, they could play this work on it. These works don't even have to be performed on synth - they could be performed on guitar, on violin etc. The positive RE a limited range is opening up potential instrumentation/suitability.

Delay should be very obvious. I spent a lot of time structuring this work; at certain points you'll hear what sounds like a human voice rising from the synth. It is the combined effect of tone, delay, and dynamic accent - more so the delay/accent.

1:40 is the first appearance of the human-like voice: the music is running through 6-note semiquaver phrases, which displaces the patterning of the delay against the grouping - which gives rise to the vocal-like effect.

However, the most prominent occurrence is at c. 2:25 - at this point the semiquaver groupings change to 5-note phrases, again displacing the delay pedal/phrase relationship. I'm also slightly accenting the note I want to rise.

Keeping the timing steady to achieve this is very difficult, as the effect only happens when the rhythmic synchronisation is locked in.

Difficult to achieve, but worth the effort!

Best
Kris"