Robot Music

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I produced this sound by playing one note in a virtual instrument called “Harmonic Dreamz” which is part of Pluggo by Cycling74. After that I automated random patch changes so that all of the twenty eight parameters included in the Harmonic Dreamz instrument were flying all over the place creating a frenetic passage of electronic mayhem. Then I arpeggiated the note with some slight randomness to the pattern and ended up with this.

To me it sounds as if it could be speech or perhaps singing in a robot language. I recorded several examples of it. Some of the other examples have slight variations and others have significant variations, so I may post some other versions at some point. This recording is in mono with no processing. The output is exactly what the virtual instrument produced given the parameters sent to the device.

Robot Instigator

Feedback Saturated Radio Static

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I looped this section of radio static where I was quickly swapping between two channels of music with the analogue dial. Although cacophonous, it has a strangely attractive rhythmic and musical quality to it. So, of course that led me to experiment with some processing. I did not want to manipulate it too much so I could illustrate the drunken quality to the passage as it repeats, but I added a short, modulated, stereo delay to create some imaging on the mono recording. After that I decided to map a couple of controllers to the left and right feedback of the delay, allowing me to over saturate the output dynamically over the recording’s one minute and six seconds duration.

Feedback Saturated Radio Static

AM Radio Static

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For some reason, the AM (amplitude modulated) radio static that I recorded recently is much noisier than the FM (frequency modulated) static. The noise is also at a lower frequency than the FM noise which makes sense since the FM band is at a higher frequency than the AM band. The AM band is in the kilohertz range (535 to 1705kHz) while the FM band is in the megahertz range (87.5 to 108 MHz). In any case, I think you will find this recording familiar.

AM Radio Static

Piano Mallet Loop

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I extracted this loop from a recording of my piano that I made with the specific intention of not using the keyboard to make sound. I used a metal mallet to gently strike the strings and got lucky with this short ascending melody. It’s a one bar loop in 4:4 time at 67 beats per minute. I’ve looped it four times at full volume and then faded it out during the last two loops. I’m also including this sample in the “Share Remix Adapt” category, so if anyone wants to have a go at making a track out of this, please post the results in a comment so we can all have a listen. As stated in this post, all the examples in the “Share Remix Adapt” category have been licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

Piano Mallet Loop

Ultraviolet Amphibian Live Segment

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This segment of Ultraviolet Amphibian was recorded during a live performance at the Nomad in Minneapolis on June 10, 2008. I’m including it as today’s sound to give you an idea how Keston and Westdal’s live performances sound compared to our studio recordings. There’s more improvisation during our live shows as well as the addition of live drums. This performance features Graham O’Brien.

Unfortunately board mixes like this one are rarely balanced because the sound is being mixed for the room. Anything loud or amplified on stage like bass guitar or drums don’t come through very well. Since the laptops, Rhodes and synth are going direct they are much louder in the board mix. I ran the recording through some pretty complex equalization and compression to try and bring out the bass guitar, but it still lacks the luster of the mastered studio version.

Tonight we are playing at the Kitty Cat Klub in Minneapolis. Tuesday, September 2nd we are performing at Peavey Plaza in downtown Minneapolis for a pro-art and political progress rally put on by TheUnConvention.com, and held during the Republican National Convention. For more information please visit our shows page on unearthedmusic.com.

Ultra Violet Amphibian Live Segment

Studio Version of Ultraviolet Amphibian