Author: Zixi Wen
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Recording and Selection
I recorded three versions in total. The final version I submitted was chosen for its structural clarity and sonic balance. The first version ran too long and had redundant sections. While it had some strong textures, the pacing felt flat.The second version had better rhythm modulation, but the harmonic layer didn’t blend well. The chord…
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Modulation and Structural Logic
This patch wasn’t designed to run itself. It’s a structure I manually built—step by step. Every connection, every modulation path, every reset condition was tested, adjusted, and fixed based on sonic behavior and control. For example, the gate sequencer’s reset input was patched to a pulse LFO whose rate was modulated by a slow chaotic…
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Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems5
Spotify’s algorithm and reward system exert invisible pressure on the length of creation and the structure of musical forms, while Bandcamp’s decentralized design provides a more friendly environment for more independent and niche music. However, under the dual pressure of algorithmic dominance and capital centralization, I believe that for marginal voices to persist, platforms, artists…
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Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems4
During the process of writing, I discovered a point that I had been neglecting before, which was the UI design of these two platforms. The interface setting serves as a visual presentation of values. By comparing the two platforms, two completely different auditory path designs can be seen. The bottom play bar of Spotify encourages…
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Floating Harmony as Spatial Texture
I didn’t want melody. I was more interested in how harmony could float, rather than move forward like a musical line. My goal was to treat harmonic material as spatial texture—something that shifts, drifts, and evolves without resolution. I used ChordCV to generate root chords, FM-OP for unstable timbres, and a basic VCO for low-end…
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Deconstructing Rhythm Structures
At the start of this project, I focused on building a non-linear system shaped by fractured rhythm. The glitch drum setup was intentional. I wanted to explore how rhythm could fall apart, misfire, or rebuild itself through tension—without becoming chaos. Inside VCV Rack, I created a percussive chain using Glee, KickBaba, and Hihat modules. The…
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Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems3
Through some articles, I learned about the underlying logic of Discovery Mode and Spotify’s 30-second listening billing mechanism. The “Discovery Mode” paid exposure mode requires creators to participate. The tracks need to give up 30% of the royalties in exchange for recommended positions, and use algorithms to exchange for traffic, further diluting the earnings of…
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Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems2
I found some interesting user posts on Reddit and Spotify Community. Some users thought that Spotify’s tag management was very chaotic, which affected their user experience. For some creators, this also troubles them. Perhaps I can apply them in the article for reference and demonstration. After organizing some more writing ideas, I want to divide…
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Some Thoughts on the Spotify and Bandcamp music Ecosystems
In today’s era when streaming media dominates music consumption, algorithms have long become the key to the visibility of works and the direction of artistic creation, especially for experimental music whose audience is already niche. I want to study two platforms represented by Spotify and Bandcamp. The operation models of these two platforms interest me…
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“THE ECHO OF PROTEST IS DISTANT TO THE PROTEST”
This week we visited THE sound installation exhibition OF “THE ECHO OF PROTEST IS DISTANT TO THE PROTEST” by Iranian artist Nazanin Noori. This exhibition is held in a room where only red, orange and yellow alternate in a cycle. We each sat on a white plastic, surrounded by several speakers. First, I heard a…