Video: Panic by Proxy Live at the Walker

Posted on November 15, 2018 by John C.S. Keston

On August 23, 2018 I debuted a new piece in remote collaboration with Syrian artist and filmmaker Khaled Alwarea. PANIC BY PROXY is an audiovisual translation of clips from Alwarea’s award winning film Panic Attack. The piece was commissioned by MN Artists for their MN Artists Presents series at the Walker Art Center, curated by Essma Imady.

The performance featured audiovisual objects projected and amplified while being granulated using Audiovisual Grain Machine (AVGM) — software I developed that performs audiovisual granular synthesis in realtime using a touch controller. Other instruments included Rhodes, Moog Sub 37, Novation Circuit, Korg KP3+, and an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Delay. The dissonance, distortion, and uncanny synchronization in the sound and visuals illicit feelings of disturbance and confusion as an expression of the artist’s anxiety.

This video includes most of the performance and has only been edited for length. Thanks to Esmaa Imady for inviting me to participate in the event, Khaled Alwarea for his amazing film work, and Emily Gastineau at MN Artists for organizing the event. Read more about Esmaa Imady and the other artists who participated in this event on Hyperallergic.

ISSTA 2018 and Ableton 10 NRPN Morphing

Posted on October 29, 2018 by John C.S. Keston

Soon I’ll be on my way to Ireland for my second appearance at the Irish Sound, Science and Technology Association (ISSTA) annual conference. This year ISSTA will be held at Ulster University’s Magee campus in Derry, Northern Ireland, November 9th and 10th, 2018. Tickets are still available.

This time around my work is entirely rooted in FM synthesis. Particularly around my explorations of the amazing PreenFM2. I have designed a Max for Live patch that allows me to degrade, morph, and/or scramble sets of parameters on the synth. This is similar to a device I designed for the Yamaha TX81Z. This process creates an algorithmic approach to the sound design.

I have titled this series MODULATOR and recently made an album (unreleased) of material based on the technique. There is a lot to mine here, so I am finding that while I prepare for ISSTA a whole new range of material has emerged. These new compositions developed through a sequence of stochastic, deliberate, and arbitrary processes. Through algorithmic and improvised methodologies textures evolve beyond aesthetic considerations allowing peculiar, harsh, and even grotesque sounds to emerge. Have a listen to this series of clips I recorded while practicing for the upcoming performance:

Continue reading →

Generative, Animated, Graphic Scores for Parking Ramp Project

Posted on September 12, 2018 by John C.S. Keston

This video is one of the six generative, animated, graphic scores that I have composed for Parking Ramp Project. The music was performed live and recorded while the screen was being captured. This piece is called Connected. Colored circles are generated on the screen with connecting lines. One of the three colors is randomly selected to change the color of circles with which it collides. Once all the circles are the same color they fade away and a new set is generated with a different color as the changer. This continues for seven minutes.

Musicians respond to this score by producing a sound event when circles of their assigned color collide with another circle or the boundaries of the screen. This process produces phrases with arbitrary yet continuous rhythmic patterns. The dimensions, velocity, x-axis, and y-axis of each circle serve as parameters that can be interpreted and applied to the frequency, timbre, dynamics and/or duration of the sound event. This interpretation is left up to the discretion of the musicians.

Purple = Peter Hennig (Drums)
Grey = Cody McKinney (Bass / Electronics)
Green / Cyan = John C.S. Keston (Rhodes / Synths)

Bloodline will be performing the music live for the piece, directed by Aniccha Arts choreographer Pramila Vasudevan, with nearly fifty dancers at a parking ramp near the Mall of America, September 29th and 30th, 2018. Learn more about Parking Ramp Project below: Continue reading →

VIDEO: John C.S. Keston at ISSTA

Posted on April 23, 2018 by John C.S. Keston

Last September 2017 I performed at the Irish Sound in Science Technology and the Arts Conference (ISSTA.ie) in Dundalk, Ireland (video by Daryl Feehely). The performance makes use of a custom Max patch controlled by an iPad, a Novation Circuit, a KeyStep, and a Minifooger Delay pedal. It occurred to me that it might be interesting to share the roots and evolution of this piece, so here goes. Continue reading →

StoryCorps at the Fitzgerald Theater

Posted on April 4, 2018 by John C.S. Keston

I am excited to announce that I was commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio to compose music with Cody McKinney for a StoryCorps event at the Fitzgerald Theater on Thursday, April 5th at 7:00pm. Tickets are free and can be reserved on the event page.

As we have learned in the last couple of weeks, composing music to be performed live as accompaniment for recorded stories poses a number of interesting challenges that are significantly different from composing music for film, animation, games, and even podcasts. First of all it is important to stay out of the way. The compositions are short and simple vignettes that may simply emphasize a point or enhance an emotional state. More than that might obscure the story or twist its message. Secondly, fewer is better than more parts. Often one instrument is enough, but more than two and you might be starting to interfere with the dialogue. The parts generally need space and atmosphere rather than density and complexity.

Thirdly, sound design is music. Yeah I said it. I believe it shouldn’t be separated from the music in this instance. Treating the sound design as an instrumental layer in the compositions has been a very good way to approach this task. Giving the sound design meter, dynamics, and rests allows it to fit well within the piece. Rests and dynamics might seem obvious, but what about meter? I don’t mean meter in the sense of literal tempo and time signature, but instead a sense of pacing so that the sound design elements enter and exit with purpose.

Fourth, but not last, including an element of theater is a valuable approach. Theatrics in music definitely gets me out of my comfort zone. Generally I am the last to agree to anything that resembles theater. However, because the stories are not being delivered by a performer, it’s helpful for the audience see what the musical performers are doing to illustrate the depth of the narratives. To that end we will be providing “tells” for many of the sound design elements, and performing most of the parts on instruments and noise making devices.