2/24/2009

Audio Mulch 2.0: Out for Mac/PC in May

Remembering back to a time when I was obsessed with Audio Mulch, primarily because I was too retarded (and lazy) to figure out Reaktor and Max/Msp, I remember thinking to myself that this program is insanely inspiring, easy to use, fun and that I would never leave it. But then I got a Mac which pissed off my PC.
After a 3 year development, Audio Mulch is growing up to 2.0 and throwing itself back into my arms on my Mac. Though shit looks properly more complicated now since they recoded the thing from scratch. I used to have the most ridiculous signal paths and record the output then bring it into another program to edit. Seems like all of that can be done from their interface now and can get even more mental thanks to their improved performance. More importantly than all the specifications, Audio Mulch was fun and somewhat educational tool with all the modular routing, summing and whatnot. I just hope it's retained that spirit and doesn't make me feel like a lazy retard again 5 years later.
If you buy 1.0 for $89 the upgrade is another $89 saving you a grand total of $10. Hell, thats more than some people are making in a day and thats more than it'll take me to rob your family when things get rough over here.
Audio Mulch

I'm just reposting things lately cause I'm preparing for a move. This one was from Create DIGITAL Music

2/23/2009

Make Noise: WIard Wogglebug

With a motto like "built to destroy" how could I not be excited for Make Noise's modules. Now there is another reason and to me, probably the ultimate reason. The Wiard Wogglebug. While I'll be the first to admit I'm not entirely sure of all of the Wogglebug's functions or even how to control it - that makes me want it all the more. I, and a few of my friends, are obsessed with chaotic modules and the sonic destruction it wreaks and we all know that this is the center piece of mayhem. Apparently it will be available late March and early April from Analog Haven. If you readers have any sense, you'd join the Muffwiggler forums because those guys are on top of most modular issues and all I'm really doing at this point is copying information from there at this point. Now... here is a video showing about 2% of how the Wogglebug rules.



2/19/2009

audio_ Output: Alessandro Cortini - Bucha Lecture

An interesting audio article from Synthopia, where Alessandro goes back to his roots of teaching/lecturing except this time the subject is specifically about him. He goes in depth about his recent history as the keyboardist in one of the most popular bands on the planet and also with his fixation and transitions on music technology and how it applies in his daily life. Alessandro talks about modular synthesizers and specifically demonstrates the Buchla. What's interesting to me is his ability to express how he first approached and eventually grasped modular synthesis. I haven't yet googled where "Concordia University" is but I imagine its full of loafers as you can hear a bunch of scalawags wandering in randomly throughout for his lecture.

If you somehow missed the link up there, find it again: Here

2/12/2009

Chicago: Two events!



There's two events happening, one tonight and another tomorrow night. Tonight is The Sight Below and Lusine performing live at Sontheque with DJs Jeff Owens from Ghostly International and The Flashbulb (Benn Jordan). Be sure to check out the Workspace and Environment articles with both artists...

- Workspace and Environment: The Sight Below
- Workspace and Environment: Lusine




TOMORROW night is a monthly event known as Front 312 which aims to bring back some of the old industrial music Chicago used to be known for. Hopefully, I wont hear any Combichrist...

Occurring on the 2nd Friday of every month, Front 312 features both local and national talent. Last month, they brought out the DJ talents of Pilsen promoter/DJ Mr. Bobby, while Le Tourment Vert Absinthe made sure everyone had a good time. This month, they've brought in Clique Talk to perform live and Adam Killing of Kill Memory Crash, whose music has recently been featured as part of the Adult Swim/Ghostly International collaboration Ghostly Swim.

Lots of Ghostly International people are in Chicago for these two days, The School Of Seven Bells is also playing tonight at the Bottom Lounge. I plan on attending both events above, say hello if you'll be at either of these.

2/10/2009

visual_Output: Motion Graphics Festival, Chicago



Two weeks ago I was invited to play at the Motion Graphics festival in Chicago. Some of the video work and video installations I saw were both mind blowing and inspiring. The festival lasted an entire week with various events and lectures scheduled. I was asked to perform some live ambient music in a huge loft that was covered in amazing artwork. The photo set above shows the whole weeks worth of activities, but if you look closely you should be able to spot a tall figure playing a Virus TI and Peter Kirn from Create Digital Music, who normally blogs from a submarine in an undisclosed location thought to be somewhere in the Atlantic.


Flight of Harmony: Plague Bearer Quad

Flight of Harmony is reintroducing only 3 more quad Plague Bearers for sale. These things sold relatively quick because of the great price and the quality of total destruction it wreaks. While this is tempting on my side, I already have a army of distortions that would be a formidable match for the quad Plague Bearer. I can vouch for Flight of Harmony's quick, professional and friendly transaction. The demo below is annoying but it shows the power of a single Plague Bearer.

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to get the cash together to release some modules, so I'm offering three more original quad Plague Bearers.

Details:
Web page: Flight of Harmony
$240 each + S&H (U.S. default, $9.50 USPS Priority)
Lead time: 4-6 weeks
Contact: flight(at)flightofharmony(dot)com


Flight of Harmony: Plague Bearer Demo from surachai on Vimeo.

2/09/2009

Video_Output - Josh Kay: Smother



"I just finished a soundtrack for a 26 minute film called Smother. I used my monster-case housed Euro-Rack modular and an Arp 2600 as the primary sound sources. These analogue synths were made for drones. There was plenty of post-processing involved, but not a single vsti."

Regarding the image:
"This is my system (the monster case on the left) mixed with Richard Devine's setup. That's the Arp I used on the soundtrack, it used to be mine. Actuality, Rich sold it to me many years ago and eventually I sold it back to him. Since then he's had Phil Cirocco (CMS) thoroughly baptize it (all options except the Moog ladder filter).

In my system, I'd have to say my favorites are the 2 Livewire AFG's the Frequensteiner, the Zeroscillator, the Bananlogue Serge VCS (I wish I had 3 of them), The Plan B model 10 and 24, the Doepfer BBD's (I do have 3 of them), and without a doubt, the MakeNoise QMMG. "

Find much more information from: Matrixsynth!

2/04/2009

video_Output: Stretta Demos the Z3000 Oscillator...




Here's a nice video of Stretta doing sound design for the light cycles in Tron 2 a demo of Tip Top Audio's Z3000 Oscillator. This also shows some nice views inside Stretta's studio.

- Tip Top Audio's Z3000 Oscillator
- Workspace and Environment: Stretta

2/02/2009

Are you in the right job?



- via Unidentified Sound Object

Workspace and Environment: Stretta

After another trip to L.A., I'm still not seeing it's charm. I'm beginning to think that there is none and the people that have moved there are semi-masochistic, voyeuristic, apathetic or all of the above - particularly the ones around the Hollywood area. Someone did bring up a good point which is that Californians get more out of the year than us Midwesterners. We're confined to our holes for 3-5 months out of the year while they're scalawaging out in t-shirts in January. While the idea of having more time outdoors is somewhat enticing and the fact that my L.A. people are some of the most endearing folks, I just think about how I saw Ron Jeremy and Donald Trump at an event I was a part of and that just kills my boner. That place is nuts. Enough with the rant here is Stretta.


Background
I was born in Des Moines, Iowa. I left for Berklee in Boston when I was 18. I moved around a lot since then, but returned to the Boston area to work at MOTU in 1997, and I've lived in Cambridge ever since. My Dad was a fairly serious photographer. A side project of his photography habit was composing sophisticated presentations using multiple synchronized slide projectors controlled by a huge dedicated hardware 'computer'. Some of this multimedia gear was audio, so I had access to some interesting recording equipment growing up. From a documentary standpoint, I have compositions dating back to 1984 because that is when I started saving files from MusicWorks. With computers, everything clicked into place and I haven't stopped composing since. I'm a compulsive creator. I get irritable and unpleasant if I haven't made something recently. I love existing in the work-trance state, focused on an idea, and forgetting everything else. If I don't have time to execute an idea, I describe it as well as I can in words and save it in my ideas file for future use. It bothers me tremendously that I don't have the time or resources to realize 95% of what I wish to create. So, my output consists almost entirely of very simple and easily-accomplished projects. I like to think that someday, upon retirement, I'll have the time to dedicate to the realization of serious, large-scale works.
'Archetribe' is a world/electronic collective I had. I create compositional outlines and send the tracks to friends around the country to add overdubs. Then I merge the disparate contributions into a cohesive composition, add some more overdubs and mix. There are two Archetribe releases, 'Waterworks' and 'Earthtones', both available from Amazon and the iTunes music store. 'Escape Philosophy' is an alias I use for solo Creative Commons releases, and is freely downloadable. Escape Philosophy releases can be found at stretta.com, bandcamp.mu and jamendo.com.

On Hardware and Software
There are few reasons for hardware outside of controllers anymore. All new advances in synthesis and sound processing will occur in software. That said, I haven't found anything in software that can replicate the experience of working with a hardware modular. I enjoy working with my hands and I find using a modular is, well... fun. The modular keeps me honest; software instruments are outstanding, but it gets to a point where I feel like the result is more of a showcase of a talented sound designer than a unique musical statement that I created. Software instruments, in an effort to out-sell the competition, are becoming very rich and layered, providing instant music at the touch of a single key. I feel complex sounds such as this, 'crowd out' personal musical expression. A simpler sound, powered by human performance and expression will stand the test of time.
I like software and I see useful and innovative ideas from all corners of the industry. I don't hold a religious attachment to my chosen platform because if you look past the latest wizz-bang-feature-leap-frog game, you'll understand that, at its core, every offering is an extraordinarily powerful tool. It wasn't that long ago I was delighted with a cassette four-track. What we have access to today is staggering.

Workspace and Environment?
I strive for an uncluttered workspace, but the busier I get, the more disorganized it becomes. I try to put seldom-used objects out of sight in an accessible storage area. Ergonomics is an issue I've continually struggled with. The move from 19" rack frames to a monstercase completely transformed how I relate to my modular for the better. The addition of the monsterbase gave me more room for modules, but it also pushed the monstercase further away. I recently brought my monsterbase to work and sat it on a keyboard stand to my left and I immediately noticed an improvement. Later I brought in the monsterbase, and that few inches became quite noticeable again. Isn't that weird? I've tried numerous arrangements over the years. The more gear you try to shoehorn into your work space, the less pleasant the result will be. Thank goodness for software. I still have an absurd collection of various stringed instruments and hand percussion.

What was the first piece of hardware you remember obtaining?
My first keyboard was a Casio MT-40, which I dearly loved. My first MIDI keyboard was a Casio CZ-101. My most recent purchase was a second used Doepfer joystick.

What is on your current wish list?
I'm very interested in the Plan B model 30 triple digital oscillator when it becomes available. In the realm of the reasonable and achievable, that is about the extent of my wish list. In my dreams, I'd also have a Buchla 200e.

How many studio setups have you found yourself in?
Heh. Many. http://www.stretta.com/~matthew/resources/studio/history.html

Visit Stretta's Blog: Here