The Disquiet Junto activity this week is to "Record a 20-second clip of the sounds of an insect that you yourself have invented."
I've managed to record the renown Australian Stutterbug (Cicadoidea Interruptus).
Showing posts with label circuit bent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label circuit bent. Show all posts
Disquiet Junto 0374 Glitch Glitch
The Junto this week asks "what happens when you glitch something that’s been glitched?"
I took a recording I made of a song I wrote earlier this week, ran it through Glitchmachines' Hysteresis and then into my Rabbit Hole delay.
Disquiet Junto 0349 Got Glitch?
The Junto this week asks "what 'glitch' means in music/sound."
Since my responses are shaped by what I can show in a video, this prompt led me to use my circuit bent instruments.
I have a few machines that have been bent by Diabolical Devices, including two Casio SK-1s and a Kawai drum machine.
The gear is being driven by MIDI and I've recycled a piece from earlier this year but looped it a few times while trying different bends.
I then added a few glitchy effects in Ableton Live, particularly Beatrepeat and Audio Damage's Automaton.
The result could use an edit but time ran out.
Disquiet Junto 0274 Broken Sound
The Assignment: Record a piece of music in the genre called “broken sound.”The idea of broken sound suggested something intermittent.
I considered pulsing sounds before remembering the grainy warmth of the circuit bent Speak and Spell.
It fluctuates a lot, so it seemed to meet the brief.
After jamming with the machine a couple of times, I was going to take samples and put it together as a track.
Then it occurred to me that broken sound might not have a songwriting aesthetic.
Fried Ay
Jam with Microbrute, Kawai and Mochika XL going into a Filterbank.
The drum machine was circuit bent by Diabolical Devices and is reinforced with a Jomox Mbase. The Atomosynth is going into a Sherman Filterbank with a King Capitol synth. The Arturia goes through Eletro-Harmonics Ring Thing and Boss RE-20.
Naviarhaiku 149 - Let us be one
It might've been Seneca who observed that anger comes from disappointment.
Anyway, the idea of grounding an electrical charge came to mind with the haiku shared by Naviar Records this week.
I'd recorded a couple of drum parts and have been out of practice on my kit. I've been less inclined to sit down at the electronic kit, while the acoustic drums are packed away.
However, recording MIDI parts to record through circuit bent drum machines has been my aim in focusing on electronic drums. This week I've used the 707 again, as well as an Alesis circuit bent by Diabolical Devices.
The Mochika can also be heard in the mix, although more faintly as I was running it through a bass synthesiser pedal and the Filterbank. The result was a bit atonal.
I'd recorded a couple of drum parts and have been out of practice on my kit. I've been less inclined to sit down at the electronic kit, while the acoustic drums are packed away.
However, recording MIDI parts to record through circuit bent drum machines has been my aim in focusing on electronic drums. This week I've used the 707 again, as well as an Alesis circuit bent by Diabolical Devices.
The Mochika can also be heard in the mix, although more faintly as I was running it through a bass synthesiser pedal and the Filterbank. The result was a bit atonal.
Disquiet Junto 0175 Rough Play
The Disquiet Junto instructions this week were to combine part of the process of recording a piece with the result.
When the suggestions mentioned patching I thought of the circuit bent Casio I recorded recently. Here I've run parts through a Ring Thing pedal again for stereo.
While recording the patching I quickly moved from the auto-chord part to bends that would allow the drum part to play alone with a few glitches. Then I recorded a take of the drums, which I ended up looping and fading in later in the piece. These have Space Echo added, decaying at the end.
Once I'd recorded the backing, I realised I didn't have a piece in mind. So I improvised, sticking to the black keys. I recorded a pipe organ part, riffing on a few chords, and then a couple of vocal parts.
Because I forgot to record one of the vocal parts, the final piece has four takes layered up: patching, drum loop, pipe organ chords and vocal notes. The 'rough' part with the mangled auto-chord at the opening, ends a bit earlier than the final note before the decay on the drums. The video showed the chord could've continued for a bit longer, I think some parts went for another half a minute.
I added different effects to the video parts as well as the audio. The pipe organ part was widened with the pedal and then reverb and compression. Visually it gains an 'overdrive' effect. The drum loop is a lot more beefed up than the original drum sound on the Casio, although I ended up leaving out the loops video part because it cluttered the screen.
Circuit bent Casio SK-1
I'd been meaning to record my newest Diabolical Devices-modified Casio SK-1 and today was the day. Towards the end I turn on the Ring Thing pedal, adding a ring modulation effect.
New Diabolical Devices Casio SK-1
I was surprised to discover the bends are very different between to two keyboards. Both have MIDI and mini patchbays but that's where the similarities end.
circuit bent roland jv 1010 by spunkytoofers
0E9s37E2(DBR7C(BVpC!~~60_12.JPG)
circuit bent and used by seller for approximately 2 years. item is a multitimbral synth. due to the unit easily driven into distortion with bends the item is only recommended for single voice (polyphony is okay) instruments rather than full 16 channel mixes. the variable results with the bends can lead to very imbalanced mixes and with only two outputs available i would only recommend this as a single timbral synth when circuit bent. the item has occasionaly crashed on me and requires a power cycle in order to restore normal operation. item has the spectrasonics sfx card permanently installed in the device.
the item will come with a power supply for north american countries only.
features:
-36 point freely assignable patchbay via color wheel
-6 rotary knobs with 12 positions assigned to each
-6 color wheel knobs patches a rotary knob to one of three colors: RGB or off
-color wheels allow free matrixing of all knobs in up to 3 independant pairs of circuit bends or up to 6 stack of bends
-every point to bend has been addressed and available in the most complex interface while retaining ease of use and intuitiveness.
-binding posts suspend a contoured painted blue metallic duraplex interface for all modifications
-new memory battery installed
sound sample: http://soundcloud.com/spunkytoofers/circuit-bent-roland-jv-1010
Squidfanny Trance Gate
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Circuit Bent
'TRANCE-GATE' AMSTRAD CKX100 Synthesizer.
By Dave Bradbury - SQUIDFANNY
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Up for auction - FINAL EVER 'TRANCE-GATE' AMSTRAD SYNTHESIZER
Hacked, Modded & Circuit Bent AMSTRAD CKX100 Synthesizer.
This is an original 8-bit synthesizer from the late 80's. The machine has been heavily modified and upgraded with an array of new custom circuitry to expand it's features and sounds well beyond it's original specs.
It is now capable of producing a range of unique sounds and modulations, many of which are well beyond the capabilities of conventional synthesizers and often beyond description....
Please scroll down to see a demo vid, and details of the mods and features -
The Amstrad CKX100 is an original 8-Bit artifact from the late 1980's. It has a distinctive lo-fi sound and uses WAVETABLE synthesis to produce a warm, pleasing and ultra-harmonic tones from a bank of very grainy 8-Bit waveforms. It has a distinctive sound, which is quirky and unique.
Hacked, Modded & Circuit Bent AMSTRAD CKX100 Synthesizer.
This is an original 8-bit synthesizer from the late 80's. The machine has been heavily modified and upgraded with an array of new custom circuitry to expand it's features and sounds well beyond it's original specs.
It is now capable of producing a range of unique sounds and modulations, many of which are well beyond the capabilities of conventional synthesizers and often beyond description....
Please scroll down to see a demo vid, and details of the mods and features -
The Amstrad CKX100 is an original 8-Bit artifact from the late 1980's. It has a distinctive lo-fi sound and uses WAVETABLE synthesis to produce a warm, pleasing and ultra-harmonic tones from a bank of very grainy 8-Bit waveforms. It has a distinctive sound, which is quirky and unique.
The
CKX100 has grainy Digital Drums with preset Rhythms &
Accompaniment, Bleepy Electronic Instruments (presets only) & Lush
Chord with a very cool 'Computer Aided Harmony' Feature (similar to the OMNICHORD).
It also has a MIDI output, so that you can use the 'Computer Aided Harmony' feature to play other MIDI synths, VST's, etc.
More info on the CKX100 HERE.
More info on the CKX100 HERE.
Click photo's for full screen and full album.
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- This machine works perfectly and can be used 'as stock' when required.
- This machine comes with a new set of Patch-Leads, a suitable power supply (for UK plug), and printed Quick-Start guide with instructions.
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Metallic
Keys are nicely painted in various shades and multiple colours of
Metallic Paint, and sealed with lacquer to protect the finnish.
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The various New Mods and features are briefly described below.
This machine comes with a printed DIY manual & Quick Start guide, with more details on the mods and features.-------------------------
The various New Mods and features are briefly described below.
This machine comes with a printed DIY manual & Quick Start guide, with more details on the mods and features.-------------------------
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-------------------------Right Panel contains Digital Glitch mods.
The real power of the Amstrad comes from these Digital mods, which are able to completely transform the Instruments, Chord, Accompaniment and Drums into unique sonic forms, many of which are beyond what can be achieved with conventional synthesizers.
Expect to find Lush Chords, Complex and Harmonic Arpeggios, Strange Delays / Echos, De-tuned Effects, Extended Envelope Effects, Digital Filtering, Ring Mods and an array of Modulating Compression, Strained Distortion and Bleepy modulating Sub-Tones.....
The CKX100 is able to produce some excellent 'Aphex' style Granular Effects and Dramatic Glitch Sounds which often defy description.... Use the GLITCH BUTTONS to generate Chorded Drones, Screaming Digital Noise and Granular Drum Rolls. Use the RESET BUTTON to Instantly reset the sound to normal again.
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The real power of the Amstrad comes from these Digital mods, which are able to completely transform the Instruments, Chord, Accompaniment and Drums into unique sonic forms, many of which are beyond what can be achieved with conventional synthesizers.
Expect to find Lush Chords, Complex and Harmonic Arpeggios, Strange Delays / Echos, De-tuned Effects, Extended Envelope Effects, Digital Filtering, Ring Mods and an array of Modulating Compression, Strained Distortion and Bleepy modulating Sub-Tones.....
The CKX100 is able to produce some excellent 'Aphex' style Granular Effects and Dramatic Glitch Sounds which often defy description.... Use the GLITCH BUTTONS to generate Chorded Drones, Screaming Digital Noise and Granular Drum Rolls. Use the RESET BUTTON to Instantly reset the sound to normal again.
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When the various modification switches are turned 'Off', the machine will function exactly like a standard CKX100.
I don't have a manual for this machine, but operation is very simple and you'll most likely not need one. Give me a shout if you've got any probs.
I don't have a manual for this machine, but operation is very simple and you'll most likely not need one. Give me a shout if you've got any probs.
And so it is...........
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Thanks for looking, be sure to read usual Terms & Conditions below.
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Disquiet Junto 3 Parts
The Disquiet Junto this week called for three parts: a beat from an oscillator, form from a drum machine and a field recording for melody.
After experimenting with the low frequency oscillator in my Sherman Filterbank, I recorded a slow 'blap' sorta sound using one of the four in my Utopia synth going into the aforementioned filterbank, which really warped the waveform.
This was then manipulated with various effects in Ableton Live, including re-pitching, compression, transient designing and gating to get a big kick sound and another on a slower loop.
Drum sounds came from an Alessis HR-16 circuit bent by Diabolical Devices. I recorded a few passes with different bends, before editing takes together.
The field recording is a wetland on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga. You can sort of see it about a third of the way down the left-hand side below, opposite the water works on Marshall Creek that source town water from the Murrumbidgee aquifer. I have a theory that the reason the city has earned a reputation for sportspeople is partly due to this mineral-rich water supply but it does add a murky taste.
After experimenting with the low frequency oscillator in my Sherman Filterbank, I recorded a slow 'blap' sorta sound using one of the four in my Utopia synth going into the aforementioned filterbank, which really warped the waveform.
This was then manipulated with various effects in Ableton Live, including re-pitching, compression, transient designing and gating to get a big kick sound and another on a slower loop.
Drum sounds came from an Alessis HR-16 circuit bent by Diabolical Devices. I recorded a few passes with different bends, before editing takes together.
The field recording is a wetland on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga. You can sort of see it about a third of the way down the left-hand side below, opposite the water works on Marshall Creek that source town water from the Murrumbidgee aquifer. I have a theory that the reason the city has earned a reputation for sportspeople is partly due to this mineral-rich water supply but it does add a murky taste.
Chachi Jones on circuit bending
The instinct to make music with jugs, musical saws and washboards is an instinct that takes the abundant, inexpensive artifacts from your life and transforms them into something roughly musical. I don’t think there’s anything else that parallels that tradition more than transforming dollar-bin thrift store toys into magically glitchy musical instruments.
It’s really like a 21st-century junkyard band aesthetic. I think this generation is particularly reluctant to acknowledge the phenomena, possibly because many of the toys that are subject to the transformation — like the Speak & Spell, Casio SK-1, Touch & Tell — still have this aura of childhood futurism. It’s as if admitting that these toys are obsolete is to admit that the promise that they held for us in childhood is no longer relevant today. The reality, however, is that circuit-benders are turning trash into sonic treasure, a concept that I feel is rooted in American folk music.
50 Shades of Decay
Got one of my new tracks using circuit bent instruments on this compilation from US-based netlabel Waxen Wings.
The opening tracks are OTT but there are a number of good tunes on this album and I like that's there's another Diabolical Device, which is the name of the mods on the Casio I used too.
Illumiringer unboxing pics
Bought a Dr Blankenstein Illumiringer on Ebay recently and it arrived today. Still undecided where to install it, originally I was thinking a bass but now leaning toward a Speak and Spell. It allows you to control pitch via a knob or optical sensor but I'd guess it adds a lot of character too.
I'll post a demo when I'm decided. Only other comment until then is that Dr Blankenstein should quit smoking.
Omnichord, Casio and Mochika into my Kaoss Pad
Hooked up my circuit bent omnichord and Casio with my Mochika and triggered samples recorded on the Kaoss Pad.
The audio is clipped, so turn down your speakers a bit. Below is a sketch of the set-up I did for the sketchbook diary I've been keeping this year. There's more of that on my other blog.
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