Darren Aronofsky’s Pi was the first film that got me into the idea of sound design for picture. Here is a great collection of the quick-edit segments now associated directly with Aronofsky’s overall style.

- Complete Details and Fundraiser

Thurs June 28th // South Street Seaport // 210 Front Street NYC
Control Voltage Faire 3-8pm
Buchla Recital ft Alessandro Cortini, Carlos Giffoni, Mark Verbos 8-10
Late concert ft Xeno & Oaklander and Loud Objects

Sat July 7 // Schimmel Arts Center // 3 Spruce Street NYC
Richard Lainhart tape piece
Morton Subotnick premiers “Energy Shapes”

Featuring:

Michael Barber – Weevil
Todd Barton – Etudes
Todd Barton – Vignettes
Lyonel Bauchet – 250e Sequencing
Johan Boberg – Four
Doug Clauder – 250 Enable
Alessandro Cortini – Paris 1
Richard Lainhart – Lines In Sand
Richard Lainhart – Ludus II
Jose Luis Maire – Noche Abrasada
Damon Menne – Particularumbrella
Bob Ostertag – Motormouth
Joe Pascarell – Talk 22 Air
Joe Pascarell – Kolor Me
Giorgio Sancristoforo – Les Hyper-Sons
Jon Schatz – Primal

4ms
Control
The Harvestman
Knas
Main Drag
Make Noise
Malekko
MeMe Antenna
Pittsburgh
Snazzy FX

- Complete Details and Fundraiser

To No Avail has finally arrived! 180 gram vinyl housed in a beautiful gatefold cover laced with artwork by Sarah Sitkin. It’ll be the best looking album in your collection. You can order it from Handshake Inc.

If you’re looking for something extra like a sticker, a shirt, Plague Diagram vinyl, or if you’re weird like Alessandro and want it signed – e-mail info@surachai.org.

To No Avail + Sticker
$23 USA
$26 CANADA
$28 INTERNATIONAL

To No Avail + Sticker + Shirt OR Plague Diagram
$33 USA
$36 CANADA
$38 INTERNATIONAL

Greetings all..
I am very happy to inform that I have completed a build of a Triple Video VCA. It’s an extension of the DIY circuits Lars had posted here in the forum.
As an Lzx user this is geared to fit right into the system. The module follows both the Lzx voltage and panel specifications. It’s a skiff-able SMT design based around 3 LT1251′s and 3 LM6172′s with Lars’ schematic shown below.

Currently I have 35 boards and 35 panels. I am looking to pre-order roughly 5-8 of these modules at a $25 discount for $175. This pre-order is designed to help me acquire a batch of parts to finish the rest of the modules. Once I fill some part orders my pre-order will close. If/When this run of panels would ever sell out. The panel graphics are subject to change based on whether or not I try to put out some other simple utilities.

This module was something that I wanted so I could free up crossfaders. You can patch a VCA in the TVFKG by using the B input and the CV(leaving A empty). But I just don’t have enough crossfaders. (or keyers sometimes). It’s a simple utility that I’m sure you can find plenty of use for.

It works wonders in the Vector world. And could be a big part of developing a rutt etra style block diagram. My NASA Com Truise video is nothing but a standard vector patch with VCA’s on the ramps and the video into a VBM with an envelope follower on the CV, and one slow LFO.

So please PM me with any interest on the discounted preorder. I’m currently waiting on knobs and ribbon cables before I’m able to ship the first completed modules. ($5 shipping) All sales would be through Paypal.

A little background.
I am an electronics tech living and working in Chicago Il. Many of you may have met me . I’ve been at just about every T_A meet for the past 3 years.

Since college I have felt as if I have lost elements of my education. Motivated to halt that sequence of events I started talking to Lars about making a triple video vca. Through these talks and a lot of hand holding, I got used to working with a new PCB design software. Lars’ really came through with tips/hints and encouragement to get this project done. (thanks Lars!)

Feel free to DIY yourself.

- Muffwiggler Thread
- brownshoesonly

Background
I’ve not traveled too far from home. I grew up in a rural Hamlet outside the city of Windsor, Ontario and moved into the city in my early twenties. I started working on the U.S. side of the border which provided more opportunities both within my career and artistically as well.
I started producing music while attending University. I was a fine art major but experimental audio eventually became a big part of my studies. I was in a multi-media program which focused on audio, video and installation art as a discipline. It wasn’t a very popular program at the time but it gave me a foundation for understanding the impact of time based media. Video production at the time was rather pricey so I started experimenting more with audio gear. It was the early 90’s and my work was also influenced by the evolving techno/warehouse scene in Detroit. I made some work at that time which might have been classified as “techno” but I never really took to it as much I as I had hoped I might. So my focus eventually turned to producing audio for video, installations and eventually performance. Producing sound continues to be a more accessible creative outlet for me. My studio is always a few steps away and I’ve found methods for working that can produce satisfying results quickly.

Hardware
I think it’s difficult for me to identify only a few pieces of hardware that could be called current favorites. A couple of years ago I started down the treacherous path of working with modulars. I researched for months ultimately hoping to find a device that didn’t require that I be staring at a screen and that was instantly accessible to experiment with. The tactile nature of modular gear has satisfied that need perfectly. If you see the modular as a singular instrument, then that is my current favorite piece of hardware. But I see all the individual modules that add up to the system as being instruments as well. With that said, if I were to narrow it to a few modules I would say the last few Intellijel units I’ve picked up. I’ve been using a Dixie for the last few tracks and it’s incredibly full sounding. I really do need a few more.

My first piece of gear was a Yamaha TG-33 that I bought from a local piano dealer. It’s an FM based synth that combines samples that allowed you to morph between four quadrants with a joy stick. It was capable of multiple voices so it was a good place to start. I still own the unit and am not likely to part with it despite not having used it for years. Perhaps I’ll boot it up again in the near future.
The last piece of gear I acquired was the Flight of Harmony IMP eurorack module. I’ve been building and working with a modular system for more than a year now. Those familiar with modulars, especially eurorack, are aware that it’s continually evolving and you never completely settle on a finished hardware arrangement. I haven’t so far and I suspect I’ll keep at it for some time. I’m having some difficulty finding good uses for the IMP at this point. It’s essentially a noise machine that doesn’t take to tuning easily. I bought it understanding that but to force myself to think a bit less musically. I listen to a lot of work that would be classified as noise so you might think I could break my formulas, but old habits die hard.

Software
Other than building the modular more recently, I generally don’t update gear or software too often. I’ve been working with Reaktor for years and it still manages to achieve what I expect as well as continually offering new paths for experimentation. I use it for both sound creation as well as effects. I’ve worked in a digital semi-modular manner for years so the transition and integration of hardware and software has been fairly seamless and intuitive.

Workspace and Environment
I know plenty of musicians that are capable of working in a carefree cluttered environment. That is not my modus operandi. If my studio is too cluttered, I find it very difficult to work. Somehow my mind is on organizing rather than producing. I’ve had a few different work environments but I find the current location to be the most comfortable. A few years ago I was determined to produce work on a laptop in any number of locations, but I’ve found that in foreign environments, I’m continually distracted by my surroundings. My studio is a safe haven from disturbances…for the most part.
Ergonomics play an important role in my studio in that I want to have most everything in easy reach. If it’s trouble to set up or assemble, it doesn’t seem to get used. I think there is a balance between comfort and function as well. I like my studio space to be relaxed but not at the sacrifice of productivity. I don’t want to waste precious time being indolent.
I think at one time both Windsor and Detroit contributed to the kind of music I made as well as providing an audience. Over the years my sound has changed and as a result so has my listening audience, which was small to begin with. I think the art scene was as equally important as the music scene was in contributions. I feel the ability to reach out online via social media channels has provided me a good substitution for exposure to a wider audience.

I’ve always imagined creating a studio in a remote location. Imagine something akin to Philip Johnson’s Glass House. It’s likely to have poor acoustics given the amount of glass, but I can’t help but think I’d be extremely productive in such a tranquil environment.
My studio has been in about 4 locations over the years. It really did start out as a bedroom studio but I started buying larger vintage synths and they really can take up some room. I then moved to a basement studio with more than enough room but it ultimately lacked the comfort needed to spend extended periods of time in. Eventually I reduced the size of my studio as I was working mostly digitally and figured I wouldn’t need bulky hardware as much. I sold a few things I wish I had kept, but realistically I didn’t need them. Too many options can be paralyzing.

Routine
There is no question that the “less is more” philosophy applies to my creative process. More accurately I believe “inventiveness is a direct result of working within constraints”. I’ve had more gear at one time and gear lust is by nature part of music production it would seem. But I’ve learned over the years that it’s far too easy to get distracted by a multitude of options. That includes software as well. I’ve restricted myself to essentially three software programs, a couple of outboard processors and a modest sized modular setup. As well, when producing a new track I often restrict my sound sources, attempting to create as many variations with a limited selection.

- Christpoher Bissonnette
- Facebook

Harvestman – Bionic Lester Overview

The Bionic lester is a two channel -12db/oct switched capacitor multimode filter.

Each channel has 3 outputs: Dedicated lowpass, dedicated bandpass, and a multimode output selectable between highpass, allpass or notch. Filter mode selection is shared between filters. When no LEDs are selected, it is in secondary notch mode. Secondary notch mode has less distortion and a higher maximum resonance compared to the lit LED notch.

Channel 1 is a standard filter setup with a Harvestman twist
Input 1 – Normalled to output 1 and output 2
Gain – Distortion starts to occur around 12 o clock knob position.
Alias – At low cutoff frequencies, you’ll be able to hear the aliasing/clock noise)
- When set to HI, self oscillation is possible with high resonance with no input.
- The filter cutoff is accomplished by clocking the switched capacitor filter with a high-speed VCO. The Cutoff knobs are basically controlling the frequency of this VCO. – The actual cutoff frequency is a divided down ratio of this high speed osc frequency – the “aliasing” control makes the ratio lower so the sampling rate of the system is worse.
Cutoff – Channel A cutoff controls are normalled to the B cv input attenuator if nothing is plugged into B.
Resonance – Shared between both filters

Channel 2 breathes chaos and has access to all functions of Channel 1 including its Resonance but the heart and distinct aural differences between this filter and every other filter is the Clock Source section.

Clock Source – Selects between clock source A (filter 1) or clock source B (filter 2).
-If there is a large difference in cutoff frequencies, the filters generate more beat frequencies than the input signal themselves.

Split-Peak example
Setup: Signal into Channel 1 input, outputs from Low Pass from both channels, cutoff B CV knob all the way up, both gains all the way up, resonance all the way up, cutoff b at a low value.
Sweep cutoff frequency A and you should hear a phasing type effect. The higher the value of cutoff B, the longer the distance between peaks.

A mixer expander is coming later that is a 2×3 mixer taking all of the I/O from the module and creating a mix of it, with VCAs on the two outputs. Mute switches are available too. It also works on external signals.

Introducing the Devine Expansion Pack for Animoog. 32 original presets & 43 new timbres handcrafted.

I have been a fan of Animoog since the day it was launched. Animoog’s ability to mix and match classic analogue waveforms and also digital waveforms is amazing! Being able to sweep, automate, and control them within the Anisotropic Synth Engine is what makes it such an expressive tool for creating new sounds. With the Devine Expansion Pack, I wanted to develop a sound set that took full advantage of all Animoog’s features. Something that was unique and could be played musically or controlled chaotically. The ultimate goal was to create a set of futuristic synth sounds that inspire new ideas and new music. I hope you all enjoy it,

- Richard Devine

- Animoog

Surachai shirt version 1.5

Male sizes S/M/L/XL/XXL.

Prices include shipping: US $19, Canada $23, everywhere else $25.
If you want one, e-mail info@surachai.org with your shirt size/location and instructions will be sent.

To No Avail test pressings have been approved and are currently in production.

- To No Avail

Picture from Juliana Jaeger

dual 12db/oct switched capacitor multimode filter with mode selction and clock disruption.

Bionic Lester is a dual multimode filter capable of many operational modes. Each side has dedicated lowpass and bandpass outputs, and the third output for each side can be switched between highpass, allpass, or notch. The input amplifiers for each filter are scaled to allow some distortion. The character of this distortion changes with the mode setting.

Bionic Lester has some normalled signal paths for convenient patching. The sum of the first channel’s manual cutoff control and CV input are normalled to the CV input for the second channel. This allows you to control both filter sections with a single hand (or CV), useful for dual-peak or allpass phasing applications. The audio input for the first channel is also normalled to the second to facilitate parallel filtering. The filter cutoffs are determined by dividing down a high-frequency clock generator.

For the second channel, you can choose either the first or second channel’s generator as a clock source. If you select both clock generators, absolutely horrifying audio garbage will result. A pushbutton control for selecting the desired amount of aliasing (minimum or maximum) applies to both sections. Resonance is voltage-controllable.

Because Lester is a switched-capacitor filter, the user must be warned of some of its characteristics. The aliasing, third output mode selection, and resonance settings are shared between both units. At lower cutoff frequencies, some aliasing may be present in the output signal depending on your resonance, aliasing, and mode settings, as well as the type of input signal. Bionic Lester does not self-oscillate using the onboard resonance control.

An expander unit will be released soon. It is a 2×3 bipolar mixer (with mutes) that invisibly attaches to Bionic Lester for patchcord-free mixing of the six outputs, with dual VCA feedback paths back into the filter sections. It also functions standalone as a performance mixer, with front-panel knobs and jacks that are also useful for injecting external signals and effects into the Lester core.

RISP is Richard Devine’s algorithm-based exploration of generative time structures for analog synths. If you missed limited vinyl boarding pass worry not — gain 3 additional original richard devine compositions plus five remixes by Loops Haunt, Vaetxh, Subjex, Valance Drakes & Balkansky with the release of RISP on CD. Expect to breathe air on distant planets as chaotic, broken machines speak harmonious mutant languages via RD’s human/alien soundesign and audio activist remixes. Thirteen new tracks to become alien.

- Video by Valentin Rodriguez of Dmas3.
- Released by Detund