Audio Cookbook » Sound Design

Video: Duet for Synthesizer and the Washing

John Keston — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:38:40 +0000

Note: This video was produced with binaural sound. Please listen with headphones to experience the binaural effect.

In this “duet” I am using the Korg Monotribe to join in with the laundromat ambience as if it were a conscious participant in an improvisational ensemble. The activity in the space produced oscillations that caused sound waves forming drones and rhythmic patterns. I responded with basic oscillators like pulse, saw, or triangle waves. I manipulated the filter, LFO and pitch to create more complex textures that alternately blend and contrast with the ambient sound.

The ambience was recorded with a set of binaural microphones. When wearing stereo headphones the playback of a binaural recording accurately positions the direction of each sound for the listener, immersing them in the spatial soundscape. In contrast the synthesis was recorded in mono, without additional processing. This simulates a process called phonomnesis, or imagined sound, by placing the signal in the center of the listeners sound-space.

Concept, Music, Sound: John Keston
Camera, Binaural Head Model: Web Baker

Diego Stocco at the Art of Music in LA

John Keston — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:38:46 +0000

I have recently become aware of an excellent sound design and music event series held at the Bleicher Gallery in Santa Monica, CA. The series is titled The Art of Music and on March 25, 2012 they will feature a showcase by one of my favorite sound artists, Diego Stocco, as well as a performance by Nat Evans. The purpose of the series is to present “…an oasis in Hollywood for criminally overlooked music, giving media professionals a unique chance to discover new resources, discuss upcoming projects and forge new creative partnerships.” Checkout the details at artofmusicla.com.

Eyeo: Using Digital Imagery to Generate Sound

John Keston — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:45:15 +0000

The first ever Eyeo Festival was last June and the second iteration looks to be just as amazing as the last. Here’s a video of a presentation that I gave at Eyeo last year on using digital imagery to generate sound. I also have the HTML5 slideshow available (use the left and right arrow keys to navigate). A big thanks goes out to Dave Schroeder for creating Eyeo and sharing these videos.

Barrio Drop

Saronni — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:23:15 +0000

I’ve had the week off from work so I’ve been able to spend some late nights in the studio. This piece was recorded and produced in only two sessions – long ones. I put aside my usual spastic bass playing and used a different left hand muting technique making for a more earthy or woody tone. I wish I could say I was even close to having a vintage synth collection such as John Keston does but I’m not even close. In this track I’m mainly using Analog Factory. All of the drum sounds were sampled and then programed with the exception of my skillfully played shaker! Barrio Drop is just a working title for now.

[soundcloud url="http://soundcloud.com/ten72/barrio-drop" params="show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=000000" width="640" height="81"]

Pro-One Self Oscillating Kick

John Keston — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:12:56 +0000

This Pro-One kick sound was whipped up quickly during a session with Michael Moline, Miditerranean using the self oscillating filter property.

Pro-One-Self-Oscillating-Kick

Roland MKS-80 Lead

John Keston — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:39:41 +0000

I recently came across this lead produced on the MKS-80 with the GMS during a performance last August. Throughout the recording you can hear the LFO speed changing along with my usual real-time filter adjustments made with the Bitstream 3X.

MKS-80 Lead from Live Set

Acculturation

John Keston — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:50:57 +0000

Acculturation

Sound Sample from Voice Lessons

John Keston — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:05:08 +0000

Voice Lessons is an interactive touch-screen installation that I recently presented during a graduate critique seminar at MCAD. The piece, developed in Max/MSP, granulates both sound and video as the viewer touches the screen while maintaining synchronization. I will be installing the piece again next month for an open studio night on December 9, 2011 at the MCAD Whittier Studios, 2835 Harriet Avenue South, Minneapolis. I will also be sharing more complete documentation about the piece soon. For now, please enjoy this short segment of audio sampled from the piece as it was in use.

Voice Lessons Excerpt

Brash Ice Video

John Keston — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:00:37 +0000

Jack Sack alerted me to the work of Cheryl E. Leonard who makes instruments, sounds and music from natural materials such as stones and ice. Visit her blog for more information about her work.

F1 @ Silverstone Grand Prix 2011

lost track — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:58:01 +0000

Having asked around the forums (http://socialsounddesign.com/) for tips, I headed up to Silverstone this weekend to camp & record some sounds for the F1.

The cars were LOUD. I must have been 50 metres away and had to wear ear plugs and cans…the gear changes kick you in the chest!

It was an entertaining race, and great experience. Tech below:

I was up by Abbey (and walking around) and managed to get lots of useable material. I sampled at 24/96 but there’s not much going on above 20-25k, only the really raspy exhaust stuff.
I hired out some low sensitivity DPAs and ran them into a fostex FR2LE at almost 0dB gain, coming up to -10dBFS.
The recordings do sound small and tinny. I remembered distinctly they had weight and size to them, although if you played them back at normal levels, you’d probably get near to the feeling – it’s the extreme volume.
The Lotus F1 engines had a new front firing exhaust and this made some entirely wierd noises, great for SFX.
(click for audio)