Kandinsky

In this lesson, we will see how music can be visualised as shapes, or how shapes can make sound. We’ll use Music Lab’s Kandinsky.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

At moments in this video for “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”, by the Eurythmics, it looks like acoustic instruments are playing. This is not the case! Synthesised sounds have been used in their place!

The title suggests that the song is all about sweet dreams. However, the sounds used in the song give it a spooky feeling. The songwriter, Dave Stewart, said

It’s actually a very sort of existential, spooky record asking if this is what the world has come to. Is this what our dreams are made of?

Vocabulary Check

acoustic

soundswave are made directly by the instrument

of music, played on non-electronic instruments

electronic

of music, made artifically with soundwaves generated electrically.

synthesiser

a musical instrument that makes (a.k.a synthesises) sound using electronics.

record

verb to make a stored copy of a piece of music, e.g. an mp3.

noun a recorded copy.

collaboration

a piece of music (or other artwork) that is made by people working together.

artwork that combines several different media: sound, pictures, textures, vibrations.

Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky (1866 - 1944) was a Russian painter who compared painting to making pieces of music.

Three of his paintings are shown in a timeline below. They show how he changed his style from quite figurative in 1901, through to very abstract in 1913. He was always a master of colour.

Akhtyrka 1901

Lyrial 1911

Squares with Concentric Circles 1913

This video shows a collaboration of art and music inspired by his work. What does collaborate mean?

Music Lab Kandinsky

Becomme Kandinsky by collaborating music and art! Draw shapes, lines and scribbles on the screen and hear them turn into sound. Open Kandinsky

Experiment!

Find out what happens and what controls there are.

Take A Moment Out

Draw a simple picture. Label it with the sounds you would like to hear. Think about:

• high/low
• loud/quiet
• fast/slow
• instruments/voices/percussion

Create Your Picture

Play your drawing! Try it with the different colours.

• Does your picture sound the way you expected?
• What do you like about the sound of your picture?
• Is there anything you would change?
  • Change it!

Share Your Work

• What do you like about your partner’s music?
• Is there anything you have been inspired by to improve and make changes to your piece?
• Which tool have you enjoyed using the most? Song Maker or Kandinsky? Why?