Glasgow Academy of Music and Sound

This is a video walkthrough demonstrating a student’s progress after 6 weeks of being in my class. There are 7 hours of learning a week, with additional one-to-ones if needed. This example shows narrative progression using parameters, reverb zones, adaptive footsteps, attenuated audio ambience, and a composed soundtrack that was mixed and mastered by the participant.

The focus is on video game audio and music - using Unity, Fmod, and whatever DAW the participant wishes. The participants must record some of their own sounds, and advice is given on recording foley and using microphones, but they are also free to use library sounds. The participants' music is composed, mixed, and mastered by them with guidance. Some participants have no music experience, and some have never used Unity before.

There are varying degrees of experience and everyone has their own idea of how to create a narrative and fill a small space with sounds that make the world feel more alive. It’s so rewarding to see everyone’s project, and see them gain confidence in tackling something advanced so quickly!

Personal Video Game Sound Demo Reel

This demo reel demonstrates sound and music within 3 game environments. The first 2 were created in Unreal Engine with the third in Unity. Fmod was used for all environments, with the 3rd forest environment using binaural HRTF audio using Google Resonance. I also have experience using Wwise.

The environments were not entirely created by me, but the audio implementation was entirely programmed by myself.

Game logic in the Fantasy Environment, 2nd clip, was all programmed and implemented by me. This included animations, Zombie AI, quest system (implementation only, asset), pickup system, health, attacks, and damage.

The third environment has no music - but the focus is on a modular, randomised environment. DIfferent every time you walk through, there is no “ambience” track but just a dense layer of sounds always overlapping and surrounding the player.

Binaural sound redesign of scene from Tarkovsky’s The Mirror

Complete sound re-design created in 2nd order Ambisonics and rendered binaurally. Created using Reaper and Dear VR pro.

Ludic Works

There are two pieces that were created for my Master’s degree.

Part 1 - Lucid Frequency was composed and produced after research into brain waves that can induce ludic dreams in research subjects. Sine waves were stacked to create a binaural beat at 4hz. Morse code translates to a short poem I wrote, however, this also has a 4hz detune.

The vocal was performed by Katie McLennan. She was provided the exact pitch required in headphones, matched it, recorded it, and then also repeated this 4hz lower. You can hear the overlap of the two notes, and how they intertwine and feed into the oscillation of the entire track.

Part 2 - First Activation also features vocals from Katie McLennan. The track was mixed using ambisonics, mainly DearVR Pro. The track does break out of ambisonics at the 3:15 mark, overlaying pure stereo audio as well, which is jarring and sudden. This represents the feeling of immanence, breaking through, being suddenly removed from a space, and how reality overlays itself onto a dreamscape. This was my attempt at conveying the feeling of waking up, and feeling like that impossible dream was real. And then, attempting to get back to that dream. It’s never quite the same, but close enough.

Higher-Order Ambisonic mix of original track Judge (Binaural render)

Using the open-source IEM plugin suite, this track was mixed in 7th order ambisonics and rendered binaurally.

Really happy with the conveyed spaciousness, but it could do with some finer mixing balance-wise. This was a little experiment to get used to the plugin suite before delving in to other projects.

David Henderson - Msohrwyhof

Performed by Murray Bartel and Anna Matheson. Note - we did not have much time to rehearse this! There are some dodgy notes but considering the limited rehearsal time (basically one day) they did an excellent job of performing this fairly complex piece with a lot of notes.

Playing on the ideas of boredom, randomness, and creating a fun piece for the performer - I wanted to encapsulate what I enjoy as a percussionist.

Nymphaea Alba

I composed and produced the soundtrack for this short film created by Yvette Bathgate and Abby Quick, with dancing by Elisabeth Schilling and costume design by Aymee Charlton.

Abby Quick elaborates on the conception of the project - “the narrative of the project began with themes of body politics and girlhood, alienation and phenomenology, over time unfolding into something other. Aliens took the shape of water plants, with elements of the selkie myth embedded in amongst other folkloric tales of the sea.”

Exhibited at various galleries, as media and installation.

Video Game Music

Various compositions designed for use in video games or trailers.

Electronic Music Productions as Mod-R

Electronic music produced under my “Mod-R” alias, focussing on UKG, jungle, electro, bass, and more.

3rd Year Percussion Recital

I stopped studying performance in 4th year of University, and this was my final recital in 3rd year which I received an A for.

Programme (in order)

Variations on Crazy Army by Steve Gadd (Drum Kit)

Mystical Dance by Robert McCormick (Timpani)

A Minute of News by Eugene Novotney (Snare)

Rhythm Song by Paul Smadbeck (Marimba)