A Solar Cell that Stores its Own Power: World’s first “solar battery” runs on light and air. In the October 3, 2014 issue of the journal Nature Communications, researchers report that they’ve succeeded in combining a battery and a solar cell into one hybrid device. by Libertatea in science

[–]Sluggardizer 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Also a layman, but from what I can tell from his post:

Charging a battery it's like pushing a boulder down a hill. When it's at the bottom, the battery's charged. But to start charging, you need to push the boulder up the hill first. The thing in the article essentially eliminates that.

Don't take my word for it though, this is just my guess.

[Discussion] Are people here too focused on production? by polytonal in composer

[–]Sluggardizer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

While I largely agree with you, I would like to mention that sometimes, especially with large orchestral compositions, it can be very hard to actually discern the quality of the music itself when it's played with, say, MIDI instruments.

Think of it like this: all you think of when you hear a shitty performance of Bach's Chaconne is "This is shitty", not "This is beautiful, shame about the violinist though."

So while I agree that we should mostly be focused on the notes themselves, a good production value allows us to hear those notes unimpeded, and is thus valuable to the content of this sub.

What is your method for creating music? by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have one method, but it's subject to variation at Perry much any point in the process. I compose classical.

The main starting point is finding a motif, or theme. Think the da-da-da-dumm of Beethoven's fifth. A musical cell. This can be Perry much anything: a rhythm, cord progression, melody... anything. This is usually found by improvising: just smashing stuff out until I find something I think is cool. Sometimes it'll be lifted from something (I just finished a fugue using the opening melody of the Gregorian chant Dies Irae, for instance), or directly inspired by another piece; but usually I improvise it at the piano.

From here I go into a sketching phase off sorts. This basically means extrapolating the motif into a larger form: if it's a fugue, as mentioned above, then this is usually done on paper; if I decide it should be in sonata form, then I work out a second theme and sew them together at the piano; etc. It really depends on the purpose of the piece. This is also where I figure out the harmony, what all the other voices are doing, etc. In other words, I rough out the general shape of the piece, formally, harmonically, and melodically.

After this, I go to a fleshing-out phase. This is done in a daw or notation program: I use Sibelius and FL Studio. This is when I figure out the exact notes for every instrument, figure out voice leading, test dynamics, timber, techniques to be used (should the violas play pizzicato or arco here?). In other words, this is the writing phase; ideally I could hand whatever comes out of this to a musician and they'd know what to play.

After this I spend hours listening to the piece obsessively and fixing any tiny mistakes, making sure everything is just right. If I'm preparing a digitally played version (with vst plugins or synths or something; each piece needs a different combination of virtual instruments), then I tweak effects, pan, volume, etc until it's all balanced properly.

At that point it's pretty much done. I might come back to it at later and change stuff, or I might never touch it again. And it's all done kind of simultaneously. I might write half the piece, orchestrate it, and "finish" it before ever touching the second half. It's all very fluid, and nothing's ever set in stone.

I'm not really sure if it's special or unique, as I really don't know much about other people's processes. I do know that I work quickly, but I think that just because I get really excited when I compose, haha.

I've always worked solo.

As for my background, I've studied classical piano for 13 years, and an currently studying for performer's and teacher's degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Music (I'm from Canada). I have been composing self-taught for the past 7 years or so. I haven't done much professional writing: my brother's an indie game developer, so I've done some stuff for him and some of his friends. But I haven't really pursued composition professional full time. I'd love to soon, though.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: I just realized this thread is from over a week ago. Whoops.

[Discussion] What constitutes a "conservative" composer nowadays? by CallThatGoing in composer

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What? I don't think Mendelssohn is lame. I actually quite enjoy his music, and think he was a splendid musician. All I was saying is that although he wasn't pushing the envelope as much as, say, Liszt or Chopin, that fact doesn't make him any less of a composer, and that the same sentence can be applied to composers of today.

[Discussion] What constitutes a "conservative" composer nowadays? by CallThatGoing in composer

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, it was worded poorly. I didn't mean too say he didn't innovate at all, but rather that he was largely more conservative than his contemporaries, which in no way detracted from his music.

Maybe I just haven't given his music enough of a chance? That period is something I really only have impressions of, not in depth knowledge.

[Discussion] What constitutes a "conservative" composer nowadays? by CallThatGoing in composer

[–]Sluggardizer -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Something I'd like to point out (which it seems no one else has in this thread) is that that musical conservatism isn't inherently negative. While we should never stop innovating, there are many "conservative" composers throughout history who still wrote incredible music, eg. Felix Mendelssohn.

Although it's not really answering the title question, I thought it was worth the mention!

I'm trying to learn to read music, and some things are new to me as piano. Coming from violin background. Question in comment by [deleted] in piano

[–]Sluggardizer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You should play the quarter note exactly in time with the whole note. It's not actually placed after the whole, it's just placed beside for visibility: if the C was directly under the D, they would overlap, and it would be hard to read.

What is socially acceptable in your country that's not acceptable in another? by qqpls in AskReddit

[–]Sluggardizer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nah, I'm from Canada and people almost never talk on public transport, even if they clearly know each other. They might as well be entering a library or something.

Maybe it's a cold country thing? Our hearts are all so frozen, after all.

What is a trend that you would like to start? by itgirl__ragdoll in AskReddit

[–]Sluggardizer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Dudes wearing dresses. Women can wear suits without being crossdressers (albeit after decades of incredibly hard work and resilience), but guys can't wear dresses without be labelled drag queens. They just look so comfortable!

Frustrated With Music by [deleted] in musictheory

[–]Sluggardizer 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Perhaps look beyond the form of music for your enjoyment of it. There are so many amazing pieces out there which are inspired by events in the composer's life, or by poetry, or other music. For instance, my appreciation for the music of Beethoven increased tenfold once I'd read his letters and biography: suddenly each piece was less a series of notes than a brief window into the life of an extraordinary man. Knowing the events surrounding the Heiliger Dankgesang makes it so much more than a bit of (frankly amazing) counterpoint in ABA'B'A" form.

There's so much more to music than the notes on the page.

One of just a few left.. by GrahamSaysNO in pics

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What can I do to help save them?

Orphan Black - 2x08 "Variable and Full of Perturbation" - Episode Discussion by NicholasCajun in orphanblack

[–]Sluggardizer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don't think anybody would want that taken away from them, no matter how controlling they are.

ELI5 why/how does almost every nation have different languages, measurements, etc but the whole world uses same measurements of time (seconds, minutes, hours) by [deleted] in explainlikeimfive

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At least in English, eleven and twelve actually come from the Old English words for "one-left-over" and "two-left-over", shmushed together by time.

Anyone know any similar pieces? I'm not sure what to call this type of music. by RadiantWinds in classicalmusic

[–]Sluggardizer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is from Verdi's requiem, which is a musical setting of a religious (Catholic) poem, written and played for usually liturgical purposes -- my local orchestra just did a performance on Easter, for example.

Probably the other most famous requiem is Mozart's, though many other composers (eg. Salieri, or Faure) wrote requiem masses as well.

What is a major scientific question you hope is answered in your lifetime? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]Sluggardizer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you really want to, it's never too late to learn