Radon Atomic Resynthesis

Published on Jun 14, 2013 JeffreyPlaide·94 videos

"Radon Atomic Resynthesis is an ethereal, wildly-surreal experimental electronic music composition. The composition is inspired by almost random electronic tonalities and frequency modulations created on the Ionic Performer VST synthesizer. The beauty about the Ionic Performer (like the EMS Synthi synthesizers of which the Ionic Performer is a re-worked variation with integrated keyboard and a push-button matrix instead of patch pins) is that the envelope (trapezoid function) can be automatically re-triggered. This creates a repeating simple sequence of a single music event. By altering the oscillator controls, modulation sources and ring-modulation, many interesting and wild pulses can be produced in real-time and recorded. It was the raw stream of re-triggered pulsations and modulations that became the basis for the whole work. Inspired by early science-fiction electronic music, the Ionic Performer VST could deliver the sonic combinations and unexpected tonal collisions that cross-modulated audio oscillators can create if connected in this way. The first mix consisted of a bass track created on the Ionic Performer VST - low pulses with shrieks of higher modulations. Next came the mid-tones. Again created on the Ionic Performer, but with higher pulsations and strange FM collisions. It was then necessary to create an ambient texture "wash", so the bass line was slowed by a factor of 300% and processed with heavy reverb - sounding very science fiction and somewhat alien in context. An organ-like chord was created on the ORGANized trio VST with the Valhalla Frequency Echo for added effect. This 5-note chord gave added strange texture. The low-frequency background vibration is the same chord slowed by a factor of 500% and processed with flanging. The chorus of voices was created using the Tapeotronic (Mellotron emulation) keyboard playing a 3-note chord with added delay. Another Tapeotronic chord was used for the higher "alien voices" that fade in and out. This whole first mix was slowed by a factor of 200% with added reverb, and added to the first mix session. This gave the feeling of a kind of infinity feedback sound. All of these elements became part of the main master first mix. This main mix was then further added to by a ring-modulated and convoluted version of itself. In the middle portion of the composition a ring-modulated, convoluted, filtered, flanged, reverberated and 300% slow version came into being with added low-frequency background vibrations and pulsating bass sinewave tones created by signal generation. The middle portion is bracketed by falling nodulated inverted sinewaves. The last element is a high sinewave tone - rather like a singing tone. This final mix created the strange combination of forces that married all the textural elements into a full and atmospheric collage of electronic tone structures and modulations. The visuals were created by pure video synthesis techniques - electronic texture weaves, linear pulsations and sinusoidal moire patterns. Superimposed are strange solarised and edge-processed derivations of elliptical formations. The atom is represented by rotating moiré ellipses, with a cloud of particles representing the nucleus. Many kinds of solarised rotating forms are included to graphically illustrate the process of atomic synthesis. The end represents just a cloud of electrons being swept away by quantum forces in the matrix of space-time."

Assimilative Epitrochoidal Sirens

YouTube Uploaded by JeffreyPlaide on Apr 9, 2012

"Assimilative Epitrochoidal Sirens is an original, experimental and entirely electronic musical composition. It has a very strange atmosphere associated with it resultant from the background atmospherics created by processed generated test tones that give the impression of "singing sirens". Experiments were made using the VS-1 Oscilloscope VST synthesizer. With three oscillators to work with, chord functions and a great regenerative delay feedback effect, the VS-1 is a great instrument to work with - it even has its own version of an oscilloscope display. The idea was to emulate the tape delay systems of the past whereby two open-reel tape recorders were used to create long delays. One tape recorder recorded a sound. The same sound was then fed to a secondary machine separated by a distance to the first, with the first machine recording the output from the second machine. The result is a delay feedback system creating repeating recorded loops of sounds - decaying away as desired, controlled by the musician. I used a similar approach, but with software, I increased the feedback level of the delay setting until the regenerative sequences almost reached unity. I then played some melody lines for a couple of minutes and recorded the result. Two versions were made - the first being the original experiment. The second was slowed to exactly 200%. By themselves, the sequences sounded too familiar as organ tones, so I ring-modulated both by pure sinewaves. The result was a glistening or shimmering ringing resonance that was quite pleasing. The ring-modulated versions of the sequences recorded from the VS-1 Oscilloscope synthesizer were mixed together, but something was missing. To create a kind of choral background conclusion, generated test tones created within Adobe Audition provided the solution. Modulated inverted sinewaves from rising frequency to falling frequency covering 30 seconds were generated. These were processed by a modulating chorus and multi-tracked four times - each track delayed or shifted by a certain amount. The stereo mix of all these created an eerie and strange falling alien choral pad that is quite unusual and intriguing to listen to. A low frequency extract was taken from this recording with a forwards and backwards sample joined to create a smooth loop. This provided the strange low-end pad throughout the work. A high-frequency extract (treated in the same way as the low-frequency extract) loop provided the higher chorus effect faded in towards the end of the composition. The result is an ethereal, ambient glistening and cascading work shimmering with ring-modulated arpeggios created from the delay feedback effect, and the strange choral effect created by just using inverted sinewaves treated with modulation, chorus, and then multi-tracked to create a further chorus effect. The visuals comprise electronic modulating textile weaves superimposed with mythological creatures and god-like figures to create an other-worldly or angelic representation to what the music may be implying."

Aschendar Alpha & Omega.wmv

YouTube via JeffreyPlaide
"This original musical experiment was created to explore a more disco, techno, dance or electronica genre of music with a certain perspective on sequenced melody lines, and the interaction of alternative sequences with alternate bass lines, and seeing where this might lead within a composition. A rhythm track was first created with a 125 bpm time from the Hammerhead Rhythm Station. Each rhythm element was separated on a different track of Adobe Audition recording software and equalised, panned and effected to produce the foundational tempo. The TS 404 software synthesizer was then used to construct two distinct sequences, each made from two timbres and set also within a 125 bpm framework. These two sequences were alternated alongside the rhythm track. The Korg R3 synthesizer was used to create the alternating bass line, the introductory melody, and also the ethereal atmospherics at the end of the composition. The Hammerhead Rhythm Station was also used to create additional rhythm effects and the reverse cymbal crescendo heard primarily to introduce a different melodic sequence. During mixing, the volumes of the rhythm track and sequences were muted to create variety. The melody at the beginning was designed to evoke a certain feeling and fades out to the main sequences. The conclusion of the track tails off by the ethereal atmospherics. A sharper, more punchier rhythm sequence and melodic structure was desired here with a certain degree of variation built into the multitrack arrangement. The imagery of the video draws from a selected range of surreal sources - stills consisting of dolls, mannequins and masks as well as mythical creatures and statuary. Wild and alternating sequences are superimposed within a panorama of dreamscapes and photo-montage effects."

The New Sound Of Music 1979 - BBC Documentary Featuring EMS & More

YouTube via JeffreyPlaide | October 17, 2010 |

"The New Sound of Music is a fascinating BBC historical documentary from the year 1979. It charts the development of recorded music from the first barrel organs, pianolas, the phonograph, the magnetic tape recorder and onto the concepts of musique concrete and electronic music development with voltage-controlled oscillators making up the analogue synthesizers of the day. EMS Synthesizers and equipment are a heavily featured technology resource in this film, with the show's host, Michael Rodd, demonstrating the EMS VCS3 synthesizer and it's waveform output. Other EMS products include the incredible Synthi 100 modular console system, the EMS AKS, the Poly Synthi and the EMS Vocoder. Most of the location shots are filmed within the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop studios as they were in 1979. Malcolm Clarke demonstrates the Synthi 100, also known as the "Delaware", Michael Rodd demonstrates musique concrete by tape splicing and manipulation and Paddy Kingsland demonstrates tape recorder delay techniques (also known as "Frippertronics"). The Yamaha CS-80 analogue synthesizer is demonstrated by both Peter Howell and Roger Limb. The EMS Vocoder is also expertly put to use by Peter Howell on his classic "Greenwich Chorus" for the television series "The Body in Question". Dick Mills works on sound effects for Doctor Who using a VCS3 unit, and Elizabeth Parker uses bubble sounds to create music for an academic film on particle physics. Peter Zinovieff is featured using his computer music studio and DEC PDP8 computer to produce electronic variations on classic vintage scores. David Vorhaus is featured using his invention, the MANIAC (Multiphasic ANalog Inter-Active Chromataphonic (sequencer)), and playing his other invention, the Kaleidophon -- which uses lengths of magnetic tape as velocity-sensitive ribbon controllers. The New Sound of Music is a fascinating insight into the birth of the world of recorded and electronic music and features some very classic British analogue synthesizers creating the electronic sounds in this film. The prime location for these demonstrations is the BBC Radiophonic Workshop where much creativity and invention took place during the period the workshop was in operation in the latter part of the twentieth century. Electronic music today is used everywhere, and many musicians gain inspiration from the past, as well as delving into the realms of sonic structures and theories made possible by the widespread use of computers to manipulate sounds for the creation of all kinds of musical forms."

The New Sound Of Music 1979 (part 2)

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Traffica Voca Electronica - Featuring Peter Zinovieff of EMS

YouTube via JeffreyPlaide.
"This track is a very unusual composition in that there are very few musical elements in the assemblage. Small samples of sound are spliced together to form various loops. Ethereal sinewaves connect various noises to the vocoded spoken word passages. The spoken word segment is actually the voice of Peter Zinovieff, whom with his EMS synthesizer company in Britain in the early 1970s produced the classic VCS3 range and Synthi 100 voltage controlled synthesizers. He is actually speaking about the advantages of making sequenced electronic music rather than by cutting up magnetic tape of recorded sounds. Today, it is much easier for the experimental musician to create music with computer software and editing techniques than it was in the late 1960s when Peter was experimenting. This sound collage represents a kind of special tribute to Peter Zinovieff and EMS, albeit in a very unusual arrangement of un-related samples and sinewave tones, culminating to the vocoded spoken word conclusion."

Resolving Ambient Sequences

YouTube via JeffreyPlaide
" Resolving Ambient Sequences is an original work using the analogue-modelled modulations and selected sequences created entirely on the Korg R3 synthesizer. The work uses a simple base sequence with layered ethereal pads and arpeggios to create an atmospheric and surreal listening experience. A base ambient sequence recorded at 114 bpm tempo reference creates the foundational rhythm using a noise-variant timbre coupled with a filtered sinewave and recurring spangle-like sequence. Made up of a delay-swamped tone with higher-frequency arpeggios fading in and out, this sequence was recorded in real-time, with adjustments made as recorded. The next track was recorded as a separate stereo mixdown and consists of three separate softened Korg R3 sequences blending in and out during the mix. Ethereal string pads interact with ringing tones and resonant sinewave electronic convolutions with smooth pitch transitions. During the middle of the work a bell-like sequence plays, but this sequence has been slowed down by the Adobe Audition software to 100%, and fades out with a smooth envelope. After this, an arpeggiated sequence plays at 114 bpm with very short decay times and with stereo pan delay. The background of this sequence also contains a minor etheral melody line created as part of the patch on the Korg R3. The final touch is provided by filtered and modulated white noise fading in and out bringing about an additional atmospherics and panned manually as part of the final mix. The result is a very enveloping and atmospheric ambient composition using various arpeggiated sequences with heavy reverb and stereo delay effects with white noise making the work surreal and meditative. The visuals used represent pure video synthesis. Electronic modulations and animated fluid transformations were created using the Adobe Premier Wave Warp function, with several orders of modulation and colour modification being applied. Each animated sequence is connected with very long dissolves and superimposed over this background is a fluid light wave created from the "bubble" sequence used in the background itself. The result is an organic and surreal kaleidoscope of modulating light sources and soft-focus geometrics. "