Alan Parsons channels his inner lost Pink Floyd album ‘Household Objects’ for his latest Master Class
The intended follow up to Dark Side Of Moon, engineered by Alan Parsons, was to be called ‘Household Objects’ –as its name implies, a record created entirely out of sounds made by household objects as opposed to musical instruments.
With a nod to this fascinating recording from almost fifty years ago—Alan recalls one session featuring “A drum kit made out of an aerosol can, broom on a wooden floor, and foot taps on carpet; accompanied by plucked rubber bands.”
Parsons will analyze and record unusual or difficult instruments or objects, in order to create custom and unique raw materials, at his up-coming Master Class in Santa Barbara on Sept 15/16.
And with good reason. Although Household Objects never got released as an album, music or sounds made by non-traditional instruments can have a transformative effect on music productions.
Pink Floyd had actually been using ‘found’ sounds for years and some of the standout moments on Dark Side Of The Moon were the landmark recordings Alan made of chiming clocks and bags of coins being dropped on wooden floors. Today, few pop or hip-hop tracks are made without non-musical instruments mimicking a drum kit, or with bass effects and other ‘unusual’ sounds.
Unusual sounds or instruments give a song character. They may even supply the hook. Who is not familiar with Law & Order’s ‘dun-dun,’ a mash-up of jail door slamming, struck anvil and foot stomping, that’s made more in music royalties for composer Mike Post than most bands make in a lifetime?
At the Master Class Alan Parsons and his teaching arm, The Art & Science Of Sound Recording (ASSR), will also feature a breakout session with composer and sound library developer Douglas Morton, from Q Up Arts, who uses whale calls and other natural sounds in his soundscapes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and who’ll provide insider tips on using Native Instruments’ sampling platform, Kontakt.
Although some of the raw materials will be supplied, attendees are also invited to bring, show, play, and tell stories about their own unusual musical instruments and objects as well.
In keeping with the personal music theme, on Day 2 of the Master Class attendees are additionally invited to bring along a mix—a ProTools session or just a 2-track—that Alan will critique and, if necessary, help you to fix!
ASSR’s September 15-16 Master Class: www.artandscienceofsound.com/mcts/Sept2023
ASSR’s online recording courses: www.artandsienceofsounmd.teachable.com
Q Up Arts: www.quparts.com
