"We have seen experimental electronics artists transform musical instrument design; we have seen them tinker with musical teory and composition; we have seen them advance the hands-on education system; we have seen them turn DIY performance art on its head! What will they do with micro-theater -- specifially puppetry?
The annual Midwestern Experimental Electronics Conference and Showcase (www.MEECAS.com) is a free, day-long, inventors' networking symposium highlighting the past year's innovations in the areas of Musical Instrument Design, Performance, Circuit Bending, Data Hacking, and Video Art.
There are lectures, demonstrations, interactive installations, a daytime circuit bent open mic, and an evening's showcase of the Midwest's most innovative artists and inventors.
Children welcome from Noon - 4:00 PM if accompanied by a parent."
"MIDI Creators and Innovators Alan Parsons, Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Jordan Rudess, George Duke and Craig Anderton to Discuss Past, Present and Future of MIDI at 2013 NAMM Show H.O.T Zone Session
Who:
Alan Parsons is British-born audio engineer, musician, and record producer. Parsons has been involved with some of the biggest recordings of all time, including The Beatles Abbey Road and Let It Be, in addition to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. He has been involved in all aspects of the music business and is well known for his own work, The Alan Parson's Project. When not engineering and producing, Mr. Parson's is a highly sought after guest lecturer, product and technology consultant and is the co-creator of the highly- acclaimed educational DVD series called The Art & Science of Sound Recording.
Tom Oberheim is a synthesizer pioneer having created several legendary synths, effects processors, and drum machines as the founder of Oberheim Electronics, Marion Systems, and SeaSound. Oberheim was a key contributor to the original MIDI specification and was an early evangelist of the technology.
Dave Smith was the co-author of the original MIDI specification with Roland's CEO and founder Ikutaro Kakehashi. Mr. Smith was the founder of Sequential Circuits while developing the MIDI specification, and has since developed dozens of synthesizers, drum machines, and effects processors. His current company, Dave Smith Instruments, continues to develop cutting edge MIDI-based instruments that enjoy a worldwide following.
Jordan Rudess, is an American keyboardist, clinician, composer and software entrepreneur best known as the keyboardist in the band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment. Rudess is a graduate of the Julliard School of Music and is an extremely well respected consultant to many music instrument companies, and has his own music software company called Wizdom Music, which designs innovative tablet- based musical instruments.
George Duke is a legendary musician, keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. Duke has composed, produced, and played on dozens of gold and platinum records, received numerous GRAMMY awards, and has toured extensively as a band member, music director, and as a solo artist.
Craig Anderton, is a musician, author and music magazine editor/writer who is well known to anyone who has ever picked up a music technology magazine. As the editor of Electronic Musician and author of hundreds of articles on music technology, Anderton is an esteemed journalist and expert in all aspects of MIDI and MIDI technology.
Tom White, (MC) is the President of the MIDI Manufacturers Association, and a highly- regarded contributor and consultant to several industry trade and technology groups including but not limited to CES, USB, IEEE, AES, IASIG, and as long-standing president of the MMA. White has had a long career in the music industry, including a lengthy period in marketing and business development for Roland Corporation.
What: Panel discussion “MIDI Creators and Innovators” For 30 years, MIDI has been always been at the forefront of music technology even as musical trends changed. Come hear from a star-studded panel of MIDI creators and innovators -- stories and opinions about the past, present, and future of MIDI.
When: Sat. Jan. 26, 2013 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: The NAMM Show, Anaheim Convention Center Room 204B (Inside NAMM H.O.T. Zone)
Presented by the MMA
The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) is a non-profit organization formed in 1985 to encourage companies implementing MIDI to make their products interoperable through compliance with MMA Recommended Practices. MMA publishes the official MIDI Specification, provides education about MIDI, licenses MIDI trademarks, and promotes the use of MIDI technology for new applications and in various industries. For more information, please visit www.midi.org"
Bob Moog Foundation Announces “Moog Is Now” Exhibit and Sale At Moogfest 2012
October 19, 2010 - For Immediate Release (Asheville, NC) - The Bob Moog Foundation and David VanKoevering have joined forces to bring “Moog Is Now”, an exhibit and sale of vintage Moog inspired albums, to Moogfest 2012. The event will celebrate the early use of Moog synthesizers in popular music, with recordings from as early as 1967 to the late 1970s. "Moog Is Now" will be presented throughout the weekend in the Diana Wortham Theatre lobby in downtown Asheville. It is open to Moogfest attendees and to the general public
Over 300 albums will be for sale from VanKoevering’s private collection, some signed by Bob Moog. The signed albums will be part of an exclusive silent auction. More than 70 additional albums will be displayed in an exhibit created by the Foundation. Part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation.
The title of the event originates from a slogan that VanKoevering used in his marketing effort for the Minimoog in the 1970s, emphasizing the synergy of the 1970s cultural revolution and innovative Moog technology.
Acquired over decades, the collection on display and for sale will include recordings from such artists as: Wendy Carlos, Jean-Jacques Perry, Gershon Kingsley, Mort Garson, Isao Tomita, Keith Emerson, the Beatles, Kraftwerk, Michael Iceberg, Harry Brewer, Ralph Carmichael, Chick Corea, Paul Beaver, Bernie Krause and Jan Hammer. Each album will be sold with a Certificate of Authenticity.
David VanKoevering is a lifelong colleague and friend of Bob Moog. He began working with R.A. Moog, Co. shortly before the Minimoog was first developed. When the Minimoog was released, and met with initial mild success, VanKoevering pioneered the sale of the instrument, opening the market from a few hundred instruments to several thousand. His marketing saavy, legendary within the industry, has led him to be referred to as the man who brought the Minimoog to the world.
In his later career, Music Trades and other industry publications heralded VanKoevering’s collaboration with Bob Moog on an innovative interactive piano stating “Synth pioneers Bob Moog and David VanKoevering team up on interactive CD based piano.” Bob Moog is quoted as stating “Never before has so much technology been introduced in a single instrument” about the piano.
"Moog Is Now" will be open in the Diana Wortham Theater lobby from 12-6 on Friday and Saturday of Moogfest and Sunday from 1-5.. VanKoevering will be present during those hours. The Bob Moog Foundation will also be hosting Dr. Bob's Interactive Sonic Experience and SYNTH: A Group Art Show Inspired By Bob Moog, in the Theatre lobby throughout the weekend."
Sound designers to converge on St Cloud Minnesota for over 24 hours of lecture/demonstrations, 9 hours of hands-on workshops, and 3 nights of live music, cinema and improvisation
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, June 26 - The fourth annual Kyma International Sound Symposium (KISS2012) - to take place September 13-16 at St Cloud State University School of the Arts in St Cloud, Minnesota - will include over 24 hours of technical sessions presented by Kyma experts, 9 hours of hands-on labs, and evenings filled with live music and live cinema showcasing some of the most outstanding work created in Kyma this year.
Since the inaugural symposium in Barcelona in 2009, KISS attendees around the world have benefited from the extensive technical training, aesthetic inspiration, and opportunities for collaboration that KISS is known to deliver. This year, more than 100 sound designers, composers, performers, filmmakers, game designers, authors, audio engineers, educators, and students are expected to participate in KISS2012.
"The dual nature of this year's theme - reel time || real time - has attracted an incredibly diverse group of people! It's just a great learning opportunity for everyone involved." - Scott Miller, professor of music composition at St Cloud State University School of the Arts and host of this year's KISS.
Throughout the four-day event, sound designers will be able to explore the latest innovations, features, and capabilities of the Kyma Sound Design Language and learn how to optimize their work flow so they can create amazing new sounds for film, games, music and more. Kyma practitioners are invited to bring their own Sounds to the labs where they can work with Kyma developers and fellow Kyma practitioners to enhance their results.
"One of our passions is to partner with Kyma users to help bring their creations to life. There is no better way to maximize your Kyma skills and discover new collaborative opportunities than by participating in the Kyma International Sound Symposium." - Carla Scaletti, president of Symbolic Sound Corporation, co-host of KISS2012.
If you are obsessed with sound - whether a novice seeking to kickstart your career, an expert looking to take your mastery to the next level, or someone who's simply curious about sound design and Kyma - KISS2012 is your chance to immerse yourself in sound and ideas for four intense and inspiring days and nights. The deadline for discounted registration is August 10, 2012: http://bit.ly/J7URvC
"THE RAPCOHORIZON COMPANY SHOWCASES
i-JAM 3-n-1 AT THE 2012 NAMM SHOW
ANAHEIM, CA, JANUARY 19, 2012 ― The RapcoHorizon Company, a leading manufacturer of audio/video interfacing and cable equipment, is exhibiting the i-JAM 3-n-1 Smart Phone Interface at the 2012 NAMM Show (Booth 4558, Hall C). The i-JAM 3-n-1 is a three-in-one smart phone solution, ideal for every electric instrument player. In addition to its ability to interface with iPhone apps, such as recording and instructional play software, the i-JAM 3-n-1 also features a built-in amplifier and MP3 play along practice device.
Similar to the company’s i-BLOX, the i-JAM 3-n-1 serves as an audio interface that connects an instrument to iPhone applications. What’s different is that the built-in amplifier affords electronic musicians the ability to render the amplification of their instruments without additional equipment. The MP3 play along feature is also the perfect application for early learners to get their footing.
“Our customers were really excited about the i-JAM 3-n-1’s features when we first exhibited it at last year’s NAMM Show,” says Lucas McCulley, marketing specialist for The RapcoHorizon Company. “For musicians on the go, the i-JAM 3-n-1 has proven to be must-have piece of gear as it combines three interfacing solutions into a singular, portable device.”
To use the built-in amplifier, musicians can simply plug their instrument into the input and connect their basic speakers or headphones to the output jack, turn the interface on and jam away. The integrated circuitry and design of the box provides low noise operations and ensures a rich, clean, smooth sound. The practice amplifier does not require an amplification application but players are welcome to use one of their choosing.
Musicians can also use the built-in amplifier simultaneously with any MP3 player, for practice or small impromptu performances. By connecting their instrument, small speakers or headphones and an MP3 output device, users can play along with their favorite tracked music – whether it is their original work or a song by their favorite artist.
“For on-the-spot auditions, the i-JAM 3-n-1 is a great tool for local artists,” continues McCulley. “Ideal for players novice to expert, it’s an excellent tool to teach or be taught.”
As the most recent addition to The RapcoHorizon Company’s iPhone interfaces, the i-JAM 3-n-1 boasts a sleek aluminum design ready for any wear and tear. An added belt clip allows musicians to safely secure the box to their side, providing maximum portability. The interface operates off a 9Volt easily replaceable battery, which allows for extended play time.
The RapcoHorizon Company, located in Jackson, Missouri, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of audio, video, home theater, data and telecommunications cable in both bulk wire and assemblies. Used worldwide by concert touring sound companies, video and sound contractors, recording studios, system integrators, audiophiles and musicians, The RapcoHorizon Company’s products provide optimal flexibility and premium performance. The company’s state-of-the-art Custom Shop can modify existing products or build new devices to meet any need. For more information, please visit The RapcoHorizon Company’s Web site at www.rapcohorizon.com."
via Dr. Bleep (Bleep Labs) "Sunday, June 19th, 1-5pm, all ages, $10 donation toward supplies requested Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd., Austin, TX
New Media Art and Sound Summit and Artificial Music Machine present the fourth installment in a series of circuit bending events titled Get Bent! The afternoon will begin with a short presentation by Artificial Music Machine co-founder and sound artist Thomas Fang on the history and theory of circuit bending, defined as the creative short-circuiting of electronic devices that produce sounds. Background information.
The bulk of the event will consist of a hands-on workshop in which participants will modify electronic devices to produce new sounds. Soldering irons, wire, switches, potentiometers, and some devices will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring screwdrivers and inexpensive electronic toys to bend. Examples: small keyboards, Speak & Spell, Furby, Barbie karaoke machine, toy guitars, etc. No previous knowledge of electronics is required.
After the workshop, from 4-5pm, everyone with a device can plug in for an open jam session!
To ensure a space at this event, please RSVP by sending email to: thomas.fang@gmail.com [let them know you saw this on MATRIXSYNTH!]
SoundCloud Description: "Raised by Machines features Steven Sciulli "the father of Pittsburgh Electronic music" on synthesizers, computer and programming and Paul Ferraro on guitars.
Steven Sciulli's music is heard all over the world. He is in heavy rotation on radio shows and have been featured in the “Living Room Concert” series on the National Public Radio program “ECHOES.” His music has been aired on the syndicated radio show "Music From The Hearts of Space,” as well as many Internet radio stations like Astreaux World and Ambient US.
Steven Sciulli has composed themes and background music for the International Sculptural Society and dance groups, film/video, and over 20 meditation and healing CDs/DVDs. He has appeared on both local and national television/radio programming performing in hundreds of venues, some big in size others big in spirit. Steven built his first synthesizer at the age of 10 and started playing flute at 14. A founding member of the early 1980’s progressive group Carsickness (which Trouser Press compared to Van der Graaf Generator) and the Celtic rock band Ploughman’s Lunch.
Steven has played support shows for such diverse groups as: U2, Jon Serrie, Red Hot Chile Peppers, Echo and the Bunnymen, Rusted Root and Flaming Lips. He has composed and recorded music for over thirty major theater, dance, film and performance art groups. He has organized numerous musical events though out the Western Pennsylvania region. His solo music has been featured in major Hollywood films and many nationally syndicated radio shows. He has over 8 CDs currently available, including 3 on major labels.
Paul Ferraro: Shifts the boundaries of the electric guitar. He has preformed with countless Pittsburgh musicians including recently as a member of the Ronda Zegarelli band. Paul uses his guitar as a color within a very imaginative paintbox."
Update: video
Raised By Machines @ Bloomfield Live
watch your volume levels on this one. YouTube Uploaded by Cyberinga on Jul 15, 2011
"Raised by Machines playing at Bloomfield Live July 14, 2011"
"The video was captured with a iPhone so its a bit distorted. We rocked the block that evening and made this into a summer full moon street party. Steve Sciulli: Korg Radias, Camel Audio Alchemy, EWI. Paul Ferraro: Guitar."
"The 3rd annual Midwestern Experimental Electronics Conference And Showcase (MEECAS) is a free, day-long symposium highlighting the past year's accomplishments in the areas of Musical Instrument Design, Performance, Circuit Bending, Data Hacking, and Video Art.
CONFERENCE Saturday, November 13, Noon - 3:00 PM Lizard's Liquid Lounge, 3058 W Irving Park Rd. (map)
A three-hour circuit bent open mic, and an open “horizontal lecture series” structured around a free hardware hacking workshop wherein all participants are both teacher and student. The conversation will focus on networking, hacking techniques, projects demonstrations, and setting goals for the next year.
SHOWCASE Saturday, November 13, 8:00 PM - Midnight Lizard's Liquid Lounge, 3058 W Irving Park Rd. (map)
Interactive installations, video presentations, and performances. Featured performers include:
* Tim Kaiser, Duluth, MN * Roth Mobot, Chicago, IL * Welcome Tomerica, Chicago, IL * The Spright Light Puppet Theater, Minneapolis, MN * Alex Inglizian, Chicago, IL * Will Soderberg, Chicago, IL * CMKT4, DeKalb, IL
VIDEO In addition to videos from some of the Midwest's leading Glitch artists, we will be featuring the live video work of The Machinist.
MEECAS STORE Exhibiting and performing artists will be selling recorded works, experimental musical instruments, electronics kits, and apparel to offset the cost of the show."
"Xavier van Wersch (NL 1976) obtained a degree in Sonology at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague after having studied visual arts and philosophy. His work reflects an organical approach to the field of electronic music. In his compositions, performances and installations there is always an element of controlled chaos. He explores the relation between man and machine by conceiving the two of them together as hybrid systems in which erratic behaviour is the principal condition for interaction. Another common theme in his work is recycling. Like a modern Frankenstein, van Wersch constructs his machinery from parts of deceased equipment and disfunctional devices.
To balance his usually rather noisy live performances, van Wersch produces more beat-oriented tracks under the alias 'xaf'. As a sound designer he worked with a.o. Nederlands Dans Theater, Icelandic National Ballet / Maska Ljubljana, the Poni Collective and Ivana Müller. He is the director and founder of re.Bug, an organisation that supports and develops projects in which art, technology and ecology meet. After a 4 year stay in Belgium, van Wersch now lives in Hungary. He has been invited to teach at Novus School of Arts in Budapest and is currently setting up a studio in the school.
YouTube via Percussa "We just got an email from Spyro who lives in Venezuela and is a heavy FL Studio User. His real name is Mat and he did a video tutorial on using AudioCubes with FL Studio. Check it out!
Also, Watch the blog at www.percussa.com - Spyro made a package of FL Studio examples for AudioCubes which well be posting in the next weeks.
Graduate as Bachelor in Music under composition area at the IUDEM, Caracas. Spyro has worked in areas such as movies, short films, TV spots, documentaries, theater, art exhibitions, plain gigs and fashion shows
His recent works includes the soundtrack and sound design for Plan B (a local action movie) Also 2D Animation and music/effects for the Prolapio series of humour shortfilms, and around 200 TV spots for clients including Toyota, Ford, Schick, Coca-Cola, SubWay, Kraft, Movistar, Bayer, Glade, Pfizer, Energizer and Kosiuko.
In 2005 after his participation in the Red Bull Music Academy on Seattle, Spyro is very proud to release a 5 Songs EP called Biodegradable with the label Yoruba Records, owned by his fellow friend, great musician and master DJ, Mr. Osunlade
Spyro also spend a lot of time making VST plug-ins for his brand called KlangLabs, his most known plug-ins are Vokko a stereo vocoder, StompBud a virtual body sounds sample player, and BackMan a realtime in-sync backwards audio processor."
Archaic game and home computer hardware is recast into the unlikely role of musical instrument and motion graphics workstation in the BLIP FESTIVAL 2008, a four-day event showcasing nearly 40 musicians and visual artists occupying the international low-res cutting edge. The Blip Festival takes place DECEMBER 4—7, 2008 at The Bell House, and is presented by Manhattan art organization THE TANK and NYC artist collective 8BITPEOPLES.
***We are pleased to announce that there will be 2 for 1 drink specials from 7-8pm NIGHTLY during the festival! Also, the complete schedule is now officially ANNOUNCED!***
Of particular note, we are extremely excited about the international performers set to play this year, particularly those making their US DEBUT:
"sfSoundSeries Presents:
DOUBLE - NEGATIVE
An evening of theatrical works from the 1960's San Francisco Tape Music Center alongside chamber works composed in the "new (and old) complexity" tradition.
Sunday, August 10, 2008 : 8p : $5
ODC Dance Commons
351 shotwell st, san francisco
http://sfSound.org/series
[ Get there early - last month SOLD OUT !! ]
PROGRAM
"Play! no. 1" (1963) Morton Subotnick
Film by Anthony Martin, Tape by Morton Subotnick
Diane Grubbe, flute; Kyle Bruckmann, oboe
Matt Ingalls, clarinet; Christopher Jones, bassoon;
Andy Strain, trombone; Hadley McCarroll, piano
"GeorgeWashington Slept Here Too" (1965) Pauline Oliveros
sfSoundGroup
"In The Garden" (1965) Ramón Sender
Matt Ingalls, clarinet; Alexa Beattie, viola
Christopher Burns, visuals
Ramón Sender, tape and visuals
"Divertissement no. 1" (1967) Robert Moran
sfSoundGroup and electric popcorn cooker
"In nomine á 3" (2001) Brian Ferneyhough
Diane Grubbe, flute
Kyle Bruckmann, oboe
Matt Ingalls, clarinet
"Intercomunicazione" (1967) Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Monica Scott, cello
Christopher Jones, piano
"Double Negative" (2007) Christopher Burns
Kyle Bruckmann, oboe; Matt Ingalls, clarinet
John Ingle, alto saxophone; Tom Dambly, trumpet
Andy Strain, trombone; Graeme Jennings, violin
Alexa Beattie, viola; Monica Scott, cello
Ann Yi, piano
Christopher Jones, conductor
The recently-released book documenting the SFTMC, "The San Francisco Tape Music Center 1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde" (UC Press - David W. Bernstein, editor) will be sold in the lobby during the concert. http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10623.php
sfSoundSeries
is a concert series in the San Francisco Bay Area featuring contemporary and experimental music. Our programs reach from the latest music of the European Avant-Garde to the grittiest sounds of the West Coast Improv-Underground, encompassing the latest trends in instrumental technique, conceptual art, music theater, and electronic sound. http://sfSound.org"
"Hollywood, however, had already been utilizing instruments such as the theremin in movie scores for many years, and the first widespread American public exposure to the possibilities of the electronic medium occurred with the 1956 release of MGM's feature film Forbidden Planet. In addition to its elaborate space sets and advanced visual effects, Forbidden Planet featured an exclusively electronic musical score composed by Bebe Barron (b. 1927) and her husband Louis (1920-1989)....
Once they decided on the characters' moods and situations, the couple completed a series of electrical circuits which functioned electronically in ways analogous to the human nervous system. Decisions about the circuitry were strongly influenced by their studies of the science of cybernetics which proposes that certain natural laws of behavior are applicable to both animals and more complex modern machinary. The composers employed their noise-producing circuits to emulate such needed characterizations as serenity, anger, and love....
Bebe and Louis' success signaled the beginning of the effective use of electroacoustic music by the modern movie industry."
via Peter Grenader of Plan b:
"We have lost a bright little little light and a dear friend. Bebe Barron has passed. She has captivated us with her charm, her modesty and her enchanting smile and her memory will remain in our hearts, our art and our spiritforever."
It is with great sadness that I report the death of Bebe Barron on April 20, 2008 at the age of 82, of natural causes. Bebe was the last of the pioneering composers of classical studio electronic music. She was a close friend, an enthusiastic colleague, and a most gracious lady.
Bebe Barron was born Charlotte Wind in Minneapolis, on June 16, 1925. She received an MA in political science from the University of Minnesota, where she studied composition with Roque Cordero, and she also spent a year studying composition and ethnomusicology at the University of Mexico. In 1947 she moved to New York and, while working as a researcher for Time-Life, studied composition with Wallingford Reigger and Henry Cowell. That same year, she met and married Louis Barron (1920 - 1989). Shortly thereafter, the Barrons began their experiments with the recording and manipulation of sound material by means of a tape recorder that they received as a wedding gift. They created a private studio in New York and, in 1955, composed the first electronic music score for a commercial film, Forbidden Planet. In 1962 the Barrons moved to Los Angeles; they divorced in 1970. In 1973, Bebe married Leonard Neubauer, a screen writer. Bebe became the first Secretary of the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) in 1985, and also served on the Board of Directors. In 1997 Bebe was presented the SEAMUS Award for the Barrons life work in the field of electro-acoustic music. She is survived by her husband, Leonard, and her son, Adam.
Bebe’s last public appearance was on January 12, 2008, at an event held at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, celebrating the work of her good friend, Anais Nin. Bebe was too ill to speak in public at this point, but she agreed to be interviewed for a video piece that was shown at the event. This is her final interview, and you can see it on YouTube.
Bebe’s final composition, Mixed Emotions (2000) was composed in the CREATE studios of the University of California at Santa Barbara. I'll be putting this work up on the Downloads 2 page of my website, along with some photos of Bebe and myself taken in 2005 at her home on the Photos page within the next week.
I first met Bebe Barron in the middle 1970s; I don't remember exactly when, but I think it was around 1975. I had asked Bebe and her former husband and composing partner Louis to attend a showing of Forbidden Planet that I had arranged as part of a class at CalArts. They agreed to do it, and I quickly became good friends with Bebe and we remained close over the years.
In writing about Bebe Barron, it's impossible not to focus on the pioneering work that she and Louis did in electronic music. They began their experiments in 1948, shortly after they were married. This early work was done using a tape recorder, preceding the work of Luening and Ussachevsky and the switch from disks to tape by Pierre Schaeffer and the GRM. But, to my knowledge, the Barrons' early experiments did not result in any completed works, a state of affairs not uncommon with early pioneers in the field. In 1949 they set up one of the earliest private electro-acoustic music studios and began their experiments with electronically generated sounds. They built their own circuits which they viewed as cybernetic organisms, having been influenced by Norbert Weiner's work on cybernetics. The circuits, built with vacuum tubes, would exhibit characteristic qualities of pitch, timbre, and rhythm, and had a sort of life cycle from their beginnings until they burned out.
The Barrons recorded the sounds from the amplification of these circuits and this formed the basis of their working library. They also employed tape manipulation techniques as part of their compositional procedures. The sound qualities of these various amplified tube circuits and the tape manipulations that they underwent formed the musical language that the Barrons created in their studio. Unlike some of the work being done elsewhere, the Barrons' music reveals long phrases, often stated in tape-delayed rhythms, with the stark finesse of the tube circuit timbres. They created a style that was uniquely their own yet married to the technology they were using.
The Barrons earliest finished work, Heavenly Menagerie (1951) does not seem to have survived in a complete form. But their score for Ian Hugo's film Bells of Atlantis (1952), based on a poem by Anais Nin, who appears on screen, does exist on the film sound track. This may be the earliest extant work of the Barrons and presages what was to come with Forbidden Planet, the music for which was composed in 1955, the film being released the
next year.
The music for Forbidden Planet is truly a landmark in electro-acoustic music. This was the first commercial film to use only electronic music, and the score for the movie displays an attitude towards film scoring that was different from anything that had happened before. In Forbidden Planet, while there are themes for characters and events in the film, as was traditional in the scoring of that day, the themes are composed and perceived as gestalts, rather than as melodies in traditional movie music. Even more important is the fact that the scoring of Forbidden Planet breaks down the traditional line between music and sound effects since the Barrons' electronic material is used for both. This not only creates a new type of unity in the film sound world, but also allows for a continuum between these two areas that the Barrons exploit in various ways. At some points it's actually impossible to say whether or not what you're hearing is music, sound effect, or both. In doing this, they foreshadowed by decades the now common role of the sound designer in modern film and video.
The Barrons composed many other works for tape, film, and the theater in the 1950s. Their studio became the home for John Cage's Project of Music for Magnetic Tape, and they assisted in the creation of Cage's first chance piece Williams Mix (1951-52), as well as works by other members of the group such as Earle Brown and Morton Feldman. As a studio for the creation of their own and other composers' works, the Barrons' studio served as a functioning center for electro-acoustic music at a time when there was no institutional support of the medium in the United States. It's curious, then, that, for many years, the Barrons, their studio, and their works were largely overlooked by composers and historians in the field. Fortunately, that injustice has since been corrected, and, in 1997, it was my great honor to present to Bebe and, posthumously, to Louis, the SEAMUS Lifetime Achievement Award. Bebe was involved with SEAMUS from the very beginning of the organization. She was one of the ten original members who responded to my organizational call and met at CalArts in November of 1984 to form the group, and she was SEAMUS's first secretary. There may have been a little strong-arming on my part to get her to be involved so actively, but Bebe was always ready to support the cause of electro-acoustic music in whatever way she could.
Bebe created a firm legacy in her music. If the importance of one's work is to be judged in any regard by it's influence, acceptance, longevity, and innovative qualities, then the score for Forbidden Planet is an enormous success. It remains the most widely known electro-acoustic music work on this planet. For me, Bebe Barron will always be the First Lady of electronic music." Update: BTW, if you have Netflix, you can watch Forbidden Planet online in IE here.
" This is a unique keyboard. With a keyboard like this- traditional synthesizer concepts are meaningless. Oscillators, envelopes, and filters are as relevant as sample rates and memory capacity which is now a term used by family members accessing your mental state. The 3 1/2 octave keyboard starts on a B note which in itself makes this a collectors item. Inflate with air and amaze your friends! They won't believe you actually bought this. Great for gigs, gags, or games. Theater, visual aids, education, wall art. Anything except actually making music. Forget that phat heavy Moog sound. This keyboard is so light it floats on water. Seriously, you can place it in water and it will float. Try doing that with a modular system. No adaptor, no case, no MIDI, no velocity. no after touch, no software, no sound. Made of cheap thin glossy flammable black & white plastic.
# 6 Slider controllers # 20 buttons # 3 rocker switches # Almost Oberheim type logo # Two dimensional keyboard # Light weight 1/4 lb. # 24" x 8" x 1" # Waterproof # Recyclable"
A couple of bits from the June 19th Moog News Letter.
-New Little Phatty Samples are up: link. -The Little Phatty goes into production on July 19. Hand built. - Wendy Carlos' Switched on Bach Honored by the Library of Congress - Librarian of Congress names 50 recordings to the 2005 National Recording Registry including Switched on Bach: "'This meticulously recorded album introduced the Moog synthesizer to a much wider audience than it had previously reached. Many of the separate synthesizer voices on the album were recorded to tape individually and carefully mixed to create the final product. After the recording, Bob Moog’s musical circuitry enjoyed an enormous boom. Within a decade the synthesizer was well established in the idioms of rock music, dance music and Western art music. Wendy Carlos went on to record several more well-crafted Bach recordings.'"
For those of you in New York this Wednesday, here's your chance to see a Little Phatty before anyone else: "6/21/2006 5:00:00 PM - 6/21/2006 6:00:00 PM
Sam Ash and Moog Music cordially invite you to attend a special demonstration of Moog products by Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, accomplished solo artist) and Roger O'Donnell (Formerly of the Cure and now with a new solo album, The Truth in Me).
The demonstration will include the latest new product from Moog Music, the Little Phatty Analog Synthesizer. This will be the first in-store demonstration of this soon-to-be released product.
Also: "Moog Music has introduced a new photo gallery called Uniquely Moog: A Pictorial Journey. To be supplied by Moog subscriber submissions, we hope that it will grow quickly. Send in your photos to help build up the gallery. We are looking for creative images with the only prerequisite being that are Moog-centric. Take a look at a few current examples. Please send images to jared[]moogmusic.com"
And finally: "The Lothars will headline the Saturday night concert, August 5, 2006.
Well respected in the theremin community, the Lothars promise to entertain. We are very excited to bring them to Asheville.
For more information about them, check out their website- The Lothars.
