Det här projektet utforskar mina två stora intressen inom musik – dess starka narrativa förmåga att berätta konceptuella historier och skapa fiktiva interna världar, samt historie­berättarens personliga konstnärliga identitet. Genom att anta rollen som storyteller, eller concept-teller, strävar jag efter att gestalta egenhändigt skapade koncept i musik enligt specifika riktlinjer. Projektet undersöker fem identifierade delmoment som dokumenterar det konceptuella skapandet i ett musikaliskt medium från början till slut. De färdiga produk­tionerna presenteras för en lyssningsgrupp bestående av 20 personer som utifrån två huvudfrågor får beskriva sin personliga upplevelse av vad musiken gestaltar, samt vad i produktionerna som är konst­närligt utmärkande. Resultaten visar många gemensamma uppfattningar på ett övergripande plan, men också hur skillnader kan ligga i de mindre detaljerna. Reflektioner förs sedan kring fördelarna med att skapa egna koncept innan musiken komponeras, risken att förlora den initiala intentionen mellan delmoment, och värdet i att framkalla och identifiera känslostarka koncept i musik och att föra ett samtal kring dem. / This project explores my two major interests in music – its strong narrative ability to tell conceptual stories and create fictional worlds, as well as the storyteller’s personal artistic identity. By taking on the role of a storyteller, or perhaps concept-teller, I aim to portray self-created concepts in music according to specific guidelines. The project examines five identified stages that document conceptual creation in a musical medium from start to finish. The completed productions are presented to a listening group consisting of 20 people who, based on two main questions, are asked to describe their personal experience of what the music conveys and what is artistically distinctive in the productions. The results show many shared perceptions on a general level, but also how differences can lie in the finer details. Reflections are then made on the advantages of creating concepts before composing the music, the risk of losing the initial intention between stages, and the value of evoking and identifying emotionally strong concepts in music and discussing them. / <p>Till uppsatsen hör utdrag från de musikinspelningar arbetet är kopplat till.</p>

Detta är ett konstnärligt examensarbete där jag utforskar den grafiska linjen, en kvalitativ analysmetod som kartlägger musikens struktur, instrumentering, arrangemang och ljuddesign i en DAW. Arbetet utförs genom en kombination av musikproduktion, analys och teoretisk undersökning. Med fokus på elektronisk dansmusik (EDM) och dess snabba utveckling inom populärkulturen, analyserar jag tre EDM-låtar med den grafiska linjen i Ableton Live och skapar tre nya låtar baserade på dessa analyser. Syftet är att främja musikalisk praxis genom att identifiera viktiga processer och händelser i musiken samt att skapa verktyg för musikproduktion. Den grafiska linjen är en metod som har sitt ursprung i mitt behov att upptäcka mönster i den musik jag arbetar med. Genom denna forskning har jag kunnat artikulera min arbetsprocess och mina insikter i användningen av musikaliska mallar. För att fördjupa förståelsen av den grafiska linjens tillämpning inom EDM har jag integrerat tidigare forskning om tonalitet, rytm och andra musikaliska aspekter inom genren. Denna forskning bidrar till studien av elektronisk dansmusik och ger perspektiv på användningen av den grafiska linjen som ett verktyg för musikalisk utforskning och skapande. / In this artistic thesis project, I explore the graphic line, a qualitative analysis method that maps the structure, instrumentation, arrangement, and sound design of music in a DAW through a combination of music production, analysis, and theoretical inquiry. By focusing on electronic dance music (EDM) and its rapid evolution within popular culture, I analyzed three EDM tracks using the graphic line in Ableton Live and created three new tracks based on these analyses. The aim is to promote musical practice by identifying key processes and events in music and creating tools for music production. The graphic line is a method that originates from my need to discover patterns in the music I work with. Through this research, I have been able to articulate my workflow and insights into the use of musical templates. To deepen understanding of the graphic line's application within EDM, I have integrated previous research on tonality, rhythm, and other musical aspects within the genre. This research contributes to the study of electronic dance music and provides perspectives on the use of the graphic line as a tool for musical exploration and creation.

Music production is constantly evolving and new "gadgets" and "apps" to help the creation of music are continuously being released. They enable the music production, so even the most unskilled music maker can produce one ́s own slideshow from the vacation for example, or a digital Christmas card to send to the loved ones. But if we are to have education for future music producers in high school, then what are we going to teach the students, so that they are able to advance from the "everyday" use to a more professional level of music production. Are the goals that have been set up for the course music by the Agency for education really relevant to what will be expected of a music producer now and in the future? The survey that has been made by data acquisition of young people shows a picture of the progress and a future vision of the music creation. Additionally, interviews with practicing teachers and music producers have been made, where each and one are giving their personal view of music production around us today. What has emerged from these studies is that in spite of the democracy and availability, which is characteristic of today ́s music production, the need of experts who perform this profession is indeed still great. The objectives and requirements for music production in high school set by the Agency for education, reflects the realities of music producers today relatively well, but that’s mainly because the objectives are hugely extensive and interpretable. If we want a more democratic music production, the availability needs to improve further. / Musikproduktion är ett ständigt utvecklande område och för varje dag som går introduceras nya ”gadgets” och ”appar”, som möjliggör för gemene man att kunna göra sin egen musik, t.ex. till ett nyskapande bildspel från semestern eller varför inte ett digitalt julkort för att skicka till sina nära och kära. Men om vi nu ska ha utbildningar för kommande musikproducenter på gymnasiet, vad är det då som ska undervisas för att vidareutveckla sig från det ”vardagliga” användandet som enkelt går att lära sig på egen hand, till ett mer professionellt musikproducerande. Är de mål som skolverket har implementerat för kursen musikproduktion verkligen relevanta med vad som kommer att förväntas av en musikproducent, i nutid och i framtiden? Undersökningen som har gjorts genom datainsamling via enkät från ungdomar, visar en bild av utvecklingen och framtidsvisionen av musikskapandet. Vidare har intervjuer genomförts med verksamma lärare och musikproducenter, som har bidragit med sin egen uppfattning av dagens musikproduktion som finns runt omkring oss. Det som har framkommit i dessa undersökningar är att även om musikproduktionen är tämligen demokratisk och tillgänglig så finns fortfarande ett stort behov av experter som utför detta yrke professionellt. Skolverkets mål och krav för gymnasiet speglar hur verkligheten ser ut för musikproducenter idag relativt bra, men det har mycket att göra med att målen är enormt omfattande och tolkningsbara. Om vi vill ha en mer demokratisk musikproduktion behöver tillgängligheten bli ännu bättre.

I detta arbetet så analyserar jag soundet ifrån tre framgångsrika musikproducenter inom popmusiken samt återskapar deras sound på mina egna låtar. Detta görs genom en grundlig analys i tre steg. Resultatet blev tillfredställande då jag har fått ett par ”aha-upplevelser” som direkt höjt kvalitén på mina produktioner.

This thesis develops a relational geography perspective on creative work and practice, with a specific focus on the recording studio sector. Drawing on an extensive social network analysis, a questionnaire survey, and nineteen semi-structured interviews with recording studio engineers and producers in London (UK), the thesis reveals how recording studios are constituted by a number of types of relations. Firstly, studios are spaces that involve a material and technological relationality between studio workers and varied means of production. Studios are material and technological spaces that influence and shape human actions and social inter-actions. Secondly, studios are sites of relationality between social actors, including engineers, musicians and artists. The thesis reveals how the ability to construct and maintain social relations, and perform emotional labour , is of particular importance to the management of the creative process of producing and recording music, and to building the individual social capital of studio workers. Finally, the thesis argues that studios are sites of changing employment relations between studio workers and studio as employer. In the recording studio sector, a complex and changing set of employment practices have re-defined the relationship between employee and employer and resulted in a set of employment relations characterised by constant employment uncertainty for freelance studio workers. It is argued that the three types of relations revealed in this thesis, manifest at a multiplicity of geographical scales, construct recording studios as distinctive social and economic creative spaces. In conclusion, it is argued that a relational perspective is central to progressing geographical accounts of creative work and of project-based industries in general.

I detta konstnärliga examensarbete undersöks huruvida det går att binda samman fyra låtar av olika karaktär med hjälp av övergångar bestående av olika musikaliska- och icke musikaliska element. Fyra olika metoder för övergångar har testats och utvärderats för att se vilken som fungerar bäst. Metoderna som testats är: körarrangemang, atonala övergångar, ledmotiv och narrativt tal. Tidigt i arbetet stod det klart att körarrangemang var svårt att få till estetiskt och att tiden för att få till det bra skulle bli för knapp. Att arbeta atonalt var däremot lättare då inga regler sattes upp förutom att övergången skulle börja på tonarten som varit och landa i tonarten som skulle komma. När ledmotivet skrevs tonalt var det svårt att få till men då ett vindljud fick agera återkommande ledmotiv tillförde det rymd och rum till övergångarna. För att hitta de narrativa stroferna som skulle sägas lästes de fyra låttexterna igenom för att hitta nyckelfraser som bäst beskrev känslan inför kommande låt. Som resultat visade det sig senare att kombinationen av atonala syntar, vindljudet som agerade ledmotiv samt de narrativa stroferna passade bäst när de kopplades samman och arbetade tillsammans. / This artistic degree project researches if it is possible to link four different songs of diverse genres onto one EP through the use of both musical and non-musical elements that arise as bridges between the songs. Four different methods have been tested and evaluated to see which one gives the best result. The tested methods are: arrangements for choir, atonal bridges, leitmotif and narrative phrases. Early on it became clear that the arrangements for choir were hard to complete in the limited time that existed for the project. To work with atonal bridges was easier since the only guide line used was that the bridge should start in the key last heard and end on the same key as the upcoming song. When the leitmotif was written tonally it was difficult to do but using the sound of wind as a non-musical leitmotif added a nice space to the bridges. When working with the narrative phrases the songs were analysed carefully to find the key phrases of the lyrics from the four songs to use in the narrative speech. The result of this project indicates that the best way to create these bridges is to combine the different methods, use the atonal synthesizers with the non-musical wind sounds as a leitmotif along with the narrative phrases. The only method not used was the arrangement for choir. / <p>Jag bifogar en mp3-fil med övergångarna mellan låtarna samt de 4 låtarna jag arbetat med. </p><p>Musiker, låtskrivare, producent och mixare: Frida Holmgren Övriga musiker:Martin Axelsson, Oscar Treitler, Emma Beskow, Jonna Inge, Caroline Waldemarsson, Olle Roberg, Karolin Engman</p>

Music making and technological development has always been connected. The digital revolution has made advanced music production, writing and distribution tools universally accessible. New intelligent tools built on machine learning are entering the market potentially changing how we create music and interact with creative content.  The aim of this thesis project has been to find alternatives to existing interaction models manifested in modern DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations). Ideas developed through rough sketches and simple prototypes—the outcome consists of three concept videos proposing changes to three moments in the workflow of songwriters and producers. This thesis started with an idea of exploring the borderland between computer generated music and human creativity. Through desk research and interviews I learned that computational creativity exist and that there is a lot of different ways of defining creativity and art. Creating creative computers should not aim to replace humans creative abilities—it is rather about automating and creating tools that enhance our creative abilities.  To understand how songwriters and producers work the subject were investigated through semi-structured contextual interviews. The different ways of working and using tools were mapped out and potential opportunity areas were identified. This thesis have been a project that through sketching, mock-ups and simple prototypes questions how we use digital tools in music production. These concepts and sketches were continuously brought back to experts for feedback. The outcome consists of three concepts. They are presented through three short videos. These videos are now shared with a bigger audience and will act as an conversation starter for people interested in tools for digital music production.  1. Automating parts of the songwriting process and create a collaborative workflow between a you and a computer, through a conversational user interface.  2. A pressure sensitive touch surface that let you manipulate sound. It is an adaptive system that automatically detects active controls in your DAW—it maps these active controls from your computer screen down to a touch pad.  3. The third concept changes the way you organise and look for sound files. It is a automatised process where a software helps you compare different sounds to each other. It takes away most labels and focuses on mapping sound according to its auditory profile.

The purpose of this research was to gather information about the production, marketing and distribution of Zambian contemporary music by Zambian musicians. Very little information has been documented about the development of the Zambian music industry, particularly from the perspective of those within the industry. As a result this study attempted to add to this knowledge. To achieve this Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical concepts of ‘fields’ and ‘habitus’ were used to gain an understanding of what affects the creation of art forms such as music as well as the structures and underlying processes within the music industry. The concept of ‘fields’ usefully framed an explanation of the struggles and connections within the various fields in the industry and a view of the Zambian music industry in relation to the international industry. To gather the data necessary for this research a qualitative approach was utilised involving semistructured in-depth questionnaires from twenty-three interviewees. These interviewees were selected from various sectors of the music industry in an attempt to gain a holistic perspective of the industry in the 21st century. There were four subgroups: the artists (singers, rappers and instrumentalists), managers, radio DJs, and a miscellaneous group made up of the remaining participants, a Sounds Arcade manager, a music journalist, the National Arts Council Chairperson, a Zambia Music Copyright Protection Society (ZAMCOPS) administrator, and the then President of the Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM). With the limited exposure to formal musical, instrumental and production training, musicians, instrumentalists, managers and studio production personnel interviewed had had to learn their craft on-the-job. This limited knowledge appears to add to the hindrance of the development of careers and the industry, particularly in terms of how to register and distribute music correctly to earn royalties and protect their intellectual property against piracy. From an institutional level piracy is being addressed more forcefully with the introduction of holograms and the tightening of policies and structures to do with the music industry.

Studiens syfte är att få en inblick i hur det går att lära ut och arbeta metodiskt med musikpro- duktion. I bakgrundskapitlet presenteras facklitteratur om området samt tidigare forskning inom musikproduktionsmetodik. Det valda teoretiska perspektivet är designteori, vilket är en teori som utgår från att individer designar kommunikation och lärsituationer med hjälp av olika teckenskapande resurser. Arbetet baseras på kvalitativa videoobservationer som metod. Fyra lärare inom musikproduktion har videoobserverats, varpå det inspelade materialet har transkriberats och analyserats med fokus på vilka olika resurser som lärarna använder i sin undervisning. I resultatet framkommer att lärarna använder ett brett spektrum av resurser: tal, gestik, bilder, onomatopoetiska ord, ljudhärmande läten samt digital teknik för att undervisa i musikproduktion. I diskussionen berörs bland annat lärarens tecken, datorn och digitala pro- gramvaror i relation till tidigare forskning, facklitteratur och designteori. / The purpose of the study is to gain an insight into how to learn and work methodically with music production . The background chapter presents literature about the area and previous research in music production methodology. The chosen theoretical perspective is design theory, which is a theory that relates to how individuals design communication and learning situations using different signatory resources. The work is based on qualitative video observations as a method. Four teachers in music production have been video documented. The data material have been transcribed and analyzed with focus on the different resources that teachers used in their teaching. The result show that the teachers use a wide range of resources: speech, gesture, images, onomatopoetic words, sound-mimicking, and digital technology in order to teach music production. The discussion is, among other things, about the teachers use of resources, the computer and digital software in relation to the design theory.

Detta examensarbete innefattar en utforskning om mitt arbete med immersivt ljud och hur det har påverkat min konstnärliga praktik som musikproducent. Utforskningen görs genom en analys av tre delstudier bestående av en 360-video som spelades in i S:t Jakobskyrkan i Stockholm, en VR upplevelse i en virtuell kopia av Nathan Milsteinsalen på Kungliga Musikhögskolan, samt en komposition som producerades med Dolby Atmos. Slutsatsen som dras är att arbetet har påverkat min konstnärliga praktik genom att ge mig nya insikter på komponerande, inspelning, och mixning. Slutligen ges förslag på fortsatta studier om audiovisuella metoder för immersiv musikproduktion samt nya infallsvinklar på stereomixning som är informerade av immersivt ljud. / This thesis examines how working with immersive audio has affected my artistic practice as a music producer. It does so by examining the insights gained during the production of three case studies consisting of a 360-video recorded at Saint James’s Church in Stockholm, Sweden, a Virtual Reality (VR) experience in a 3D replica of Nathan Milstein Hall at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, as well as a composition produced using Dolby Atmos. The paper concludes that working with the case studies has changed my artistic practice by leading to new insights in the areas of composing, recording, and mixing. The paper also suggests future studies into the use of audiovisual approaches to immersive music production as well as considerations for stereo mix techniques based on insights gained from immersive audio.