Thank you for exploring my portfolio. Below, there are 9 items listed which I believe paint a picture of who I am. But first, I want to give you a short overview of myself.

I wear a few hats—I’m a music producer, singer, songwriter and guitarist. I’m particularly fascinated by the melodic essence of languages, and I’m fluent in five of them. Over the last decade, I’ve strived to infuse these linguistic abilities into my music. My latest album features three languages, a deliberate test for my audience to determine how language switches in a song affect their experience. It was an exploration to understand how long my listeners are willing to engage with sections of a song in an unknown language before losing interest.

1. Doublethink (composition)

Crafted as part of my master’s thesis and inspired by George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ ‘Doublethink’ is an electroacoustic composition for piano, fixed media, and live electronics. I aimed to reflect the chapters of the novel through the music, creating a composition that resonated with the book’s thematic depth. The piece prominently features a fixed media element, where I used detailed body percussion sounds. I adjusted these sounds, altering their pitch and envelopes to find the right rhythmic feel. It also includes layers of electric guitar, contributing to the violent/harsh sound texture. Another significant aspect of the fixed media element was my screaming voice, manipulated heavily to create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity, resonating with the overarching presence of Big Brother and the sensation of constant surveillance.

Use the audio player below for high-resolution playback:

Without using a click track, I had to depend on visual cues from the fixed media’s waveform to ensure precise timing during the performance. I was lucky to have Laura Naef, a renowned pianist from Tuscany, to play the piano part.

The piano sound, captured in stereo, was processed through several MaxMSP patches I’d developed, mainly using granular synthesis. Recently, I recreated one of these patches using the ‘gen’ object and Codebox, as the original ones from 2011 were lost in an old hard disk. The new patch is for a 12-voice granulation . The crucial parameters I manipulated in real-time were:

• Density (ranging from 0 to 100Hz)
• Grain size (from 2ms to 500ms)
• Grain pitch (from -100 to +100 semitones)
• Position (ranging from 0 to 1)
• Spread (from 0 to 1)
• Spray (from 0 to 1)
• Stereo spread (from 0 to 1)

Here are some selected segments illustrating the application of these patches in my composition:

All these parameters were connected to a MIDI controller.  My goal was to craft a sonar-like soundscape that evoked a feeling of fluidity and ongoing change. 

Fine-tuning the tempo and synchronization for ‘Doublethink’ required a lot of focus and patience. Seeing everything come together during its debut performance, part of my master’s thesis, was really satisfying. The audience’s positive response was so encouraging which led to the inclusion of ‘Doublethink’ in ‘Il Corpo La Luce Il Suono,‘ an esteemed electroacoustic music festival organized by Alfonso Belfiore in Italy. 

• Listen on SoundCloud
• Music sheet
• English translation
• MaxMSP patch
• ‘lI Corpo La Luce Il Suono’ festival

2. Consonancias y Redobles (arrangement and performance)

Another piece in my portfolio is my performance of Azio Corghi‘s ‘Consonancias y Redobles,’ originally composed in 1973 for guitar and tape. This work is a prime example of the dual aspects of Corghi’s artistic ethos: it embodies both his engagement with avant-garde elements and his deep connection to the rich legacy of the Renaissance lute. The techniques required for the guitar in this composition are both challenging and engaging. Additionally, the unique symbols devised for these new techniques play a significant role, as they have contributed to the evolution of contemporary notation for classical guitar.

I performed ‘Consonancias y Redobles’ as part of my final presentation for my Bachelor’s degree in Classical Guitar Performance. The piece was presented in a quadraphonic arrangement, enhancing the auditory experience, within the captivating setting of Sala di Buonumore at the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini in 2010.

All the sound effects in this performance are purely organic guitar techniques, with no manipulation or processing involved.

Below are some segments from the composition that showcase unique tapping and other percussive techniques that Corghi has developed:

• Listen on SoundCloud
• PDF

3. The Psychology Of Letting Go (record)

My third solo record, The Psychology of Letting Go, is a concept album blending songs in English, Persian, and Italian. Born during the unsettling times of Italy’s first lockdown, this album took three years of solo work to record, produce, and mix. It was definitely a big step ahead in my exploration of multilingual songwriting. I took a deliberate risk by experimenting with language switching within the songs, curious to see my audience’s emotional response. Interestingly, the bilingual song I co-wrote with Canadian singer-songwriter Zoe Guigueno ranks within the top three most played tracks of the album. 

The album portrays the life of a serial monogamist desperate to display her love stories to the world. Initially, many songs were shaped with pseudowords, not focusing on any specific language. Once the melody and the structure for all 11 tracks was complete, I assigned each a theme that represented a phase of the main character’s emotional state, including ‘Ego,’ ‘Fever,’ ‘Expectations,’ ‘Disappointment,’ and ‘Poor Judgement.

One of the biggest challenges I faced in this project was maintaining a consistent narrative throughout the album, even with the shifts in language. There’s a chance that listeners might not immediately realize that this is a concept album or see the connections between the tracks. However, working with a detailed plan helped me make it sound coherent ensuring that, even if every lyric isn’t immediately understood, listeners can still sense the underlying link between the songs.

In producing ‘The Psychology of Letting Go,’ I relied exclusively on Ableton Live. While in the past I often used to switch to Pro Tools for final mixing, I’ve found that Ableton now fully meets my needs, especially with the introduction of Max for Live. MFL has been a significant turning point in my production process, particularly evident in this album. I extensively used MFL tools to craft the unique sound textures I was aiming for. I have a fondness for grainy, lo-fi sounds — much like I appreciate the quality of grainy, vintage photographs — and Max for Live makes it easier to achieve this aesthetic.

As evident in the album, the sound has multiple layers. The goal was to find a balance between minimalism and a rich, harmonically full soundscape. It was a long process to find the perfect tones, and the mixing phase was particularly challenging due to the dense layers of sound. To illustrate this process, I’ve shared some stems from the album in the link below. Vocal ad-libs and body percussions were crucial in characterizing the overall sound of the record. I typically record the bass and drums simultaneously to capture a live feel in my tracks, then layer everything else on top. So far, the feedback from listeners has been very encouraging. Following its release in June 2023, an ongoing tour began across North America and Europe.

Check out a few stems of the album here:

• Watch live in studio here
• See credits
• Lyrics
• Listen on other platforms
• Listen to some stems
• See Max for Live patch example
• Listen on SoundCloud

4. How Much Lyrics Matter (research project)

I am currently conducting a self-initiated research project titled ‘How Much Lyrics Matter,’ focusing on how the lyric changes might affect the emotional perception of a song . This study, driven by my own curiosity, features two distinct songs in English: one evoking a melancholic atmosphere and the other an upbeat vibe. Each song is presented in three different lyrics versions: Version A, where the lyrics match the mood of the music; Version B with deliberately mismatched lyrics, and Version C in a pseudolanguage (resembling English), randomly assigned to participants.

The concept involves participants listening to just one version of a song, which is randomly assigned to them after they respond to initial questions about their demographics and music listening habits. Following the listening session, they are then asked to answer more detailed questions regarding their specific experience with the song. Importantly, there were no references in the survey questionnaire about it being an investigation into the impact of lyrics, to avoid biasing participants.

Creating the questionnaire for this section has been incredibly challenging. With no prior experience in conducting research, this project is a tremendous learning experience for me in various aspects. Despite many flaws, I am optimistic that with additional fine-tuning, I can ultimately achieve some meaningful insights.

When writing the lyrics for both versions A and B, I made an effort to be as visual and tangible as possible, avoiding the use of too many abstract expressions.

• Description (HTML page – contains prototype plots + the R codes )
• Questionnaire
• Songs
• Lyrics

5. Audenie (soundtrack composition)

In 2020 I had the opportunity to compose the soundtrack and contribute to the sound design of a short film directed by Taokan Xu, called ‘Audenie.’ This project allowed me to experiment extensively with layered sounds and again, MFL was my main toolkit. This soundtrack stands out as my most interactive work to date, demanding precise synchronization between the music and visuals down to fractions of seconds.

‘Audenie’ offers an experience similar to surreal paintings, telling the story of a woman drawn to a glowing fly, leading to otherworldly and dreamlike scenes. The film has gained recognition at several international short film festivals for its unique visuals and storytelling.

The idea was to capture the surreal ambiance of the film’s 3D environment. Though the final audio rendering was in stereo (rather than surround 5.1), I did my best to create an illusion of a more expansive, three-dimensional soundscape. I used huge amount impulse and response-based reverbs and ambiences, crafting a vast 3D space that felt moist and humid, complementing the film’s visuals. 

I developed a ‘wobble’ Max For Live patch that was key in highlighting the music’s shifting and unstable nature, mirroring the film’s surreal imagery. By mapping various LFO parameters, like the shape, to a MIDI controller, the process of automation became real fun. I would control one parameter in real-time while the video played, then repeat the process with a different parameter, each time enhancing the image’s fluctuating nature.

I contributed to the storytelling by assigning specific motifs to the different characters in the plot. The firefly, the woman, and the half tree-half man character each had their own unique motifs and distinct sounds.

• Watch here (please use password: audenie)
• Vienne Independent Shorts (page 56)
• Complete festival lists
• Listen on SoundCloud

6. Band Leadership and Ensemble Conducting

After releasing my first album ‘The Curtain’ in 2008, I kicked off The Allophones, an indie-rock band based in Florence, Italy. With Andrea Deidda, Bernardo Cicchi, and Federico Franchi, we made some serious buzz in Tuscany’s pop-rock scene. Notably, we won the T-Rumors contest in 2011, organized by the Toscana Musiche program. In 2013, we released our debut EP, ‘Stalemate,’ mentored by Antonio Aiazzi, well-known for co-founding the legendary Italian Rock band Litfiba. Subsequently, our second album ‘Muscle Memory‘ dropped in 2017.

Performing over 300 shows between 2010 to 2017, across Italy, Spain, and France, I refined skills in conducting, teamwork, co-writing, and live performances. Although the songs were all mine, the arrangement was a democratic process. Each one of us contributed by writing their parts, and we engaged in a lively exchange of ideas, creating a dynamic and collaborative experience. 

• The Allophones Spotify channel
• Newspaper articles on The Allophones (Please use browser translator)
• The Allophones Linktree

7. Production, Mixing and Session Playing

I’ve shaped over 20 albums for various artists from Italy, France, Belgium the United States, the UK, Turkey and Iran. I’ve engaged with numerous DAWs throughout my career, from Pro Tools to Nuendo. However, Ableton Live has emerged as my go-to. Moreover, in recent years, I’ve heavily incorporated body percussions into my production toolkit. Leveraging the sounds of fingers on cheeks, tapping hands on the chest, and more, I manipulate these organic material to create personalized percussive elements in my productions.

Apart from my production work, I offer a range of recording skills as a session player, primarily handling roles as a guitarist, bassist, and vocalist. Classical training in guitar has provided me with a solid foundation, and over the years, I’ve gained considerable experience as both an instrumentalist and vocalist. 

Check out a few production stems here:

8. Live Performances and Community Engagement

In the live performance domain, I’ve built a dedicated audience spanning North America, EU and the Middle East. Recognized as a dynamic and engaging performer, my shows offer a vibrant experience. The ongoing tour has gained significant traction, especially post my latest album release. With approximately 15k monthly listeners on Spotify, my fanbase represents a committed community. Looking ahead, I see the potential to harness this community for future research projects. Their enthusiasm and engagement will serve as a valuable resource for testing ideas, running surveys, and conducting musical and psychological experiments.

9. Songwriting and Children with Unique Challenges

In the world of education, my path spans 15 years, where I’ve been dedicated to teaching music, particularly songwriting for children aged 7 to 15. Despite the absence of a formal psychology background, this substantial experience might be equal to earning a degree in pedagogy.

My time at ‘Educandato Santissima Annunziata’ in Florence, Italy, was a defining chapter. Here, I worked with students grappling with various mental health challenges and disorders, from autism to bulimia. Teaching them to write songs turned into a kind of music therapy. It gave me essential insight into how to understand and connect with these young minds.

The results were remarkable. Many of my students, now adults, have started their bands and music projects, illustrating the lasting influence of music education and songwriting as a therapeutic tool.