Take The Long Road

Imagine a vast route, over 6,400 kilometers, used for trading between the East and West. This was the Silk Road, active from the second century BCE to the mid-15th century. During that era, travelling this path from Europe to China and back, required two years.

Crafting this soundscape didn't require quite as much time, but it was nonetheless a substantial undertaking. The original, raw, recordings were made in September 2023, and since then, I've been refining it little by little, to achieve the perfect sound. It took me nine months to arrive to destination.

I had the honor of welcoming Raphaël De Cock in September 2023. He is one of the best multi-instrumentalist in Belgium and previously worked with myNoise. You can check out his contribution here : Calling Our Ancestors. Belgium, a small and humble nation, is rich with talents that often goes unnoticed beyond its borders. I hope to change that a little, by showcasing Raphael's incredible skills here on myNoise. Interestingly, myNoise itself, another product of Belgium, is also largely undiscovered - haha :D

During a wonderful two-day recording session at home, Raphael brought a variety of instruments and began to improvise. The theme was set to the Silk Road, envisioning a musician traveling on his return from the East, collecting instruments and playing techniques along the way. This concept allowed for great creative freedom, as our imaginary musician is not bound to recreate traditional songs but rather to craft his own inspired music from his experiences. The result is a unique blend that captures the essence of the Silk Road while showcasing Raphael's distinctive style.

Our collaboration found a perfect balance; Raphael with his musical talents, and myself as a sound designer. While Raphael can finish recording stems in a day or two, it takes me months to digest all the material, edit, and select the best passages, and add my side of the magic. For example, I imagined our character, back from the East, taking a break in Turkey as his journey is almost complete, visiting and singing in the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. The magnificent reverberation of the mosque (it is the true reverberation you're listening to - headphones recommended) turns it into an almost spiritual or healing experience, providing a sense of closure for the long road behind him. This is the snapshot we descided to use for the default mix; however, make sure to listen to all the different soundscapes available from the preset lists. A haunting duduk awaits...

In an age where AI is omnipresent, it may be refreshing to know that there are still people like Raphaël and myself, who choose the long, meticulous road to bring you genuine listening pleasure. We hope you enjoy this soundscape as much as we enjoyed creating it. A massive thank you to Raphaël again for sharing his talent with us.

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