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BEAT OF THE BLUE PLANET - The Quest for the Universal Sound
an interactive multimedia software program created in 1995
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Design, content, and Interface Development by Andy Wasserman from 1993-1995 for Virtual Entertainment of Needham, MA, (Richard Viard & Jeff Pucci, the creators of Composer Quest, the very first MPC multimedia title ever created). Beat of the Blue Planet was contracted by publisher Opcode Interactive, a division of Opcode Systems-the leading developer of music and music education software-for CD-ROM mass market distribution and sales worldwide. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to read a letter of recommendation written about Andy's work on this project.
- Co-author of design document and final specification;
- extensive contribution of intellectual property determining product subject matter and specification content;
- created/compiled/edited and pre-mastering of all field work and research;
- researcher and author of all text files;
- coordinator of all contributing artist contacts, recordings & copyright clearance waivers;
- production of audio & video recording; videotape & camera work;
- provide all photography (camera shoot & developing) of over 130 traditional ethnic acoustic instruments used for graphics;
- composer-arranger-performer of theme music score and all "World Jam" MIDI files, record and mix all soundtracks;
- compilation and research of all instrument making projects;
- perform voice-overs;
- record-edit-mix all text narration voice-overs spots, all incidental music &sound EFX.
---HERE IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW TABLE OF THE CONTENTS---
| Region |
Country |
Features |
| FAR EAST ASIA |
JAPAN |
learn & play the scales, notes and motifs of koto, shakuhachi, taiko drum & 10 instruments of gagaku, bugaku and kabuki |
| ASIA |
CHINA |
chinese dance video, play pipa & 8 other instruments: strings, flutes, gongs and drums from classical & folk music styles |
| SOUTHERN ASIA |
INDIA |
play 11 North Indian instruments, raga & modes, video of musicians & dancers, play & learn to speak the tabla drum beats |
| INDONESIA |
JAVA |
play 9 gamelon instruments: individual notes & motifs, giant gongs; learn to make a simple homemade gamelon orchestra |
| AUSTRALIA |
AUSTRALIA |
listen & learn to how play many different didjeridoo blowing techniques, animal sounds, speaking-singing through instrument |
| MIDDLE EAST |
ARMENIA |
play 8 instruments (oud, tar, dumbeg, duduk, saz, etc.), learn odd-meter rhythms, Middle-East modes and microtones |
| EUROPE |
IRELAND |
video: scenes of ireland, pennywhistle player; jigs, reels, songs, hear fiddle, bodhran, bones lesson, pipes in solo & ensemble |
| WEST AFRICA |
NIGERIA
MALI
SENEGAL
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NIGERIA : video of male dancer, talking drums with instruction and Yoruba rhythmic music, traditional songs
MALI : Mandinka balafon lesson with video instruction, play other traditional instruments, dussunguni hunter's song
SENEGAL : in-depth view of the kora (harp lute) & Wolof songs with video, 4 other traditional instruments of the jali griot
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| SOUTH AMERICA |
BRAZIL
PERU
ARGENTINA
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BRAZIL : learn and play 11 instruments of the samba orchestra for Carnaval, samba rhythm, lesson, cuico and berimbau video lessons
PERU : play 12 ancient instruments of Andes Mountain traditions; songs & folklore of Incan Peru: panpipes, t'arka, wankara, etc.
ARGENTINA : video of dance and songs in huayno & chacarera styles with vocal and charango accompaniment; also guitar & bombo.
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| CARIBBEAN |
CUBA |
experience 10 percussion instruments: theory of clavé, rhythm lessons using latin percussion polyrhythms |
| NORTH AMERICA |
AMERICAN INDIANS |
cultures of 3 nations (Hopi, Winnebago, Iroquois) with 7 songs, 8 traditional instruments, video of Iroquois dancers |
EXTRA MODULE SECTIONS OF BEAT OF THE BLUE PLANET:
WORLD JAM SECTION : 30 musical styles to play by triggering sampled motifs of authentic world instruments on computer keyboard (no external MIDI devices needed)
U-BUILD-IT SECTION : 26 instrument making projects with step-by-step make & play guide; link to traditional ethnic instruments
REFERENCE SECTION : complete glossary, bibliography, resource guide, on-line help, extensive custom search-engine
Here are some screen shots of the CD-ROM program. Click on the first image on the upper left, and then when the lite-box window appears, click NEXT or PREVIOUS tabs in the upper right and left of the image:
Here is a letter of recommendation regarding Andy's work on the project:
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