Time is Ticking, Expressing Grief Through Time: Exploring the Production and Creative Techniques for a Composition for Flute and Electronics

Abstract

Using the conceptual framework of Gregorian chant’s Dies Irae, an original composition for flute and electronics, entitled Time is Ticking, was created to express the experiences of human grief across time. The piece is intended to be performed with flute and an electronic backing track. The music for flute is composed to express the human phases of grief, and the chaotic emotions felt throughout. The backing track is made with a combination of MIDI, pre-recorded sound effects, pre-recorded flute, reverb, equalization, and panning to create a track with an interesting stereo image for the audience, to contrast with the clean live sound of the flute.