adventures in circuit bending, diy electronics and experimental music
Sean Cuttlefish photo set here
A.S.M.O. Live at Interact2, Fabrika Independent Arts Centre, Leicester.
Friday 13th January 2012
Recorded on iPhone 3GS with Blue Mikey and FiRe – Field Recorder
http://www.bluemic.com/mikey/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fire-field-recorder/id309378684?mt=8
13th January 2010
7:30pm – 11:00pm @ Fabrika, Humberstone Gate, Leicester.
As part of the Max Conference at Phoenix Square the Interact Gallery will be hosting an evening of live music and interactive arts.
Entry £5 or £4 for Max Conference attendees.
Live music and visuals (downstairs) from:
ASMO – Circuit Bent Electronics - http://asmo23.wordpress.com/
Fortran – Live Electronics - http://marktowers.net/fortran/
Protofuse (France) – Ambient and drone soundscapes - http://protofuse.net/
Wife Divorces Man Accused of Hotel Leap - http://www.myspace.com/wifedivorces
Blend Visuals - http://www.facebook.com/weareblend
Exhibition of interactive artworks (upstairs) by:
Jackie Calderwood – “Colour Chords” - http://www.gatherer3.com/
Sean Clark – “Memory Mirror” - http://www.seanclark.me.uk/
Lee Scott – “Laser Harp”
Craig Clarke – “Simaesthesia” - http://vimeo.com/30920315
Honest Dave – “Bath Time”
Stuart Smith and Mike Gatt – “Sound Tree” - http://asmo23.wordpress.com/
(The exhibition will run for three weeks after the live event)
This is a mod I built of the Dirty Electronics Mute Synth, it is a pretty straight forward mod, the touch controls are hard wired to potentiometers with a switch to turn on and off. There are 2 oscillators, feedback, sequencer controls, filter switch and an additional LFO pitch modulation circuit. The circuit works exactly as the normal Mute Synth except with complete control over pitch and sequencer timing. Below are 3 jams I did with this using a Mooogerfooger lo pass filter, Monotron filter, Korg miniKP and my circuit bent Barbie Karaoke Echo Destruktor .
2 Dirty Electronics ICA Synths linked and synced, the 2 boards are linked with an IDC ribbon cable, the 2 sequncers interact with each other to produce more complex patterns. Circuit and PCB designed by John Richards, housed in a wooden cube by Stu Smith (A.S.M.O.)
These little puppies are custom modded Gristleisms I’ve recently finished building for Throbbing Gristle, one for each member of the band. They have LFO pitch modulation, auto loop advance and audio out jacks. They’ll be using them at an upcoming performance later this year (details TBC). More pictures on my Flickr page.
Every once in a while something quite special comes along in the crazy sonic world of the Dirty Electronics Ensemble.
In the past our leader John Richards has arranged for us to collaborate with some great names in the world of experimental music, including Pauline Oliveros, noise legend Merzbow and Nic Bullen amongst others. Our recent performance with Chris Carter (Throbbing Gristle, Carter Tutti) at Phoenix Square, Leicester was no exception.
The core of the performance revolved around the Dirty Carter E.S.G.I. a postcard sized instrument designed by John and Chris and built by the members of the ensemble in an earlier workshop. Six pieces we’re performed in total by various members of the ensemble.
Set list as follows
Shake ‘n’ Crackle (2mins)
4 Dirty Carters are shaken with increasing intensity
(Photographs by Chris Carter)
Expanding n II (15 mins)
Rich harmonic drone piece with 2 diy spring reverbs accompanied by 2 Dirty Carters
Chris Carter accompanied by John Richards (20 mins)
Improvisation with various instrumentation
Petit Coronation (10 mins)
Rhythmic piece with oscillators, balls and objects plus 4 Dirty Carters
Bed of Nails (20 mins)
Improvisation, Chris and John creating a sonic bed plus 3 Dirty Carters and myself on the Echo Destruktor supplying the nails
Glowworm (10 mins)
The entire 25 piece ensemble and Chris with Dirty Carters
Interview with Chris and John plus excerpts from the concert
http://phantomcircuit.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/phantom-circuit-37/
Blog about the concert by Miki Strange plus interview with Chris and John
http://mikistrange.blogspot.com/2010/04/chris-carter-dirty-electronic.html
My photos from rehearsals and soundcheck
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asmo23/sets/72157623830589575/
Chris Carter’s photos from rehearsals and soundcheck
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_carter_/sets/72157623967404864/
Pictured here fresh off the workbench is The Dirty Carter Experimental Sound Generating Instrument, designed by Chris Carter from legendary industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle and Dr Noise John Richards. The instrument has been designed for a special performance by Carter and the 25 strong Dirty Electronics Ensemble ( of which I am a member ) which will take place at Phoenix Square in Leicester on 28th April 2010.
We built the instruments during a workshop last week and we rehearse tonight and tomorrow for the gig on Wednesday, click the Phoenix Square link above for tickets.
The Dirty Carter Experimental Sound Generating Instrument uses a dual 4-stage shift register. Each register is controlled independently. Two oscillators are used per register: one as a clock, the other as input data that is cascaded through the four stages. The outputs from the stages are mixed together. A fast clock rate produces a crude form of wavetable synthesis, whilst a slow clock rate creates audible pulses and clicks. The clock speed and the data input’s frequency are controlled by touch electrodes/pads. By tilting the instrument, sound from both the 4-stage shift registers can be mixed together. A second tilt switch engages the low pass filter. It is the size of a postcard and the art work designed by Chris is etched into the copper on the front panel.
These are a couple of custom controllers I’ve recently completed for my Bathysphere and Threep cohort Chris Cousin using the Overtone Labs Create USB Interface. They are housed in old wooden cutlery cases with vintage radio knobs.
Flickr photo set here
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