Migration: A Compositional Study and Exploration of Birdsong through Cello and Audio Production Techniques

Doireann Ni Aodain

About this exposition

'Migration' is an electroacoustic composition written using cello, field recordings, virtual instruments and digital audio processing techniques. The aim of this project was to transcribe nature sounds by ear and mimic them as accurately as possible on the cello, then process these using the Digital Audio Workstation 'Reaper'. This material was then structured into three sections, each with its own distinct sonic identity. The piece itself highlights the migration of a cuckoo from Ireland to Africa, and all sounds used during the making of the composition were recorded from scratch.

type	research exposition
date	03/03/2025
published	26/06/2025
last modified	26/06/2025
status	limited publication
affiliation	Royal Irish Academy of Music
copyright	Doireann Ní Aodáín
license	All rights reserved
language	English
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/3479188/3479189
published in	Royal Irish Academy of Music
portal issue	2. Summer 2025

name	frog test
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name	cymbal sheet bow
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name	KP portrait
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name	KP journey
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name	Project Reaper Screenshot
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name	Garth Knox Whip
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name	Killarney Park
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name	Woman holding cuckoo tagged
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name	f965377a753e45d7bdc44d9e5ab7da40
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name	Cuckoo on hand
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name	Proof of Concept Final
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name	kircher-musurgia-bird-song
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name	Migration
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name	Beethoven excerpt
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name	Rumba screenshot
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name	Rumba line motif
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name	paavo-jÃ¤rvi--the-deutsche-kammerphilharmonie-bremen
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name	athanasius-kircher
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name	cuckoo-song
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name	Reviel score excerpt
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name	Cuckoo Art 3
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name	Philip Glass
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name	Catalogue d'oiseaux
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name	Ravel_ Boléro – BBC Proms 2014
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name	Bolero rhythm
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name	cello philip glass layers
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name	leopard growl edited
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name	Leopard growl
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usages	audio

name	Cuckoo edited motif
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Dawn Chorus by Marcus Coates (Fabrica 2015)
copyright	Fabrica Gallery
license	All rights reserved
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name	Dawn Chorus preview
copyright	Fabrica Art Gallery
license	All rights reserved
usages	image

name	Cuckoo reaEQ ss
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Vallhalla Supermassive Cuckoo
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Leopard Dirt
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Leopard reverb
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Leopard EQ
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Dirt cello
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	transient master cello
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	space modulator cello
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	cello reverb
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	reaEQ cello
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	Monkey Dirt
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
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name	monkey edited
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Doireann playing cello
copyright	Doireann Ni Aodain
license	All rights reserved
usages	picture

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Migration: A Compositional Study and Exploration of Birdsong through Cello and Audio Production Techniques (2025)

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