Damn Hoss

The first of seven new videos from edison

2008 Creative Year In Review

I started this blog primarily to serve as a central distribution point for the things I've created. Looking back, 2008 was a fairly productive year.

I released two free ambient albums, A Towering Achievement of Indescribable Beauty and Brood XIV. These releases were recorded very quickly, using the brief quiet time in the house as the defining creative limitation. The bulk of he music was recorded on piano and augmented with signal processing and sometimes modular synthesizer.

I spent some time working on a monome 256 app called gomé. Gomé was interesting, but in the course of development, I had an idea to turn it into something more interactive and polyphonic. The result was polygomé. I was bowled over by the response from the monome community, and the large number of videos of the application in use. Gomé is still uncompleted.

I created a number of videos this year. The highlights include two abstract visualization of music, Ghosts 13, based on the Nine Inch Nails track, (created for their Ghosts Film Festival that seemed to go absolutely nowhere) and Coalescence and Luxation which uses a 100% modular track by me. Miraflores Locks, which appeared on Brood XIV was composed specifically for this time-lapse video by by Stephan van der Palen. I also completed the first two installments of the Visual Synthesis series.

MOTU released Digital Performer 6 and Cuemix FX.

It'll be interesting to see what 2009 brings. What did you make in 2008? Share your works in the comments.

Awesome Ribbon Controller Prototype Demo

Prototype ribbon controller by Scott Stites. Lovely demonstration. Want.

kling glöckchen

Tetramorph had been brainstorming an app he called tintinnabulome. I had thought a bit about what he was describing and worked up a rough application while I was traveling - sans monome. To my astonishment, occular from Cologne posted a video using the application. Even as I write this, I have yet to use my own application on the monome.

Aman Amun - Scapegoating

Brian McGaw brings us this interesting video. The Munome you see is running mlr and my TR-256 alongside Reason for the drums sounds. Brian is using Johnney Lee's Wii Whiteboard to take the performance from behind the computer screen and place it out in front of the viewer.

Charles Graef's Symphony #1

I've long been a fan of Charles Graef's clever musical creations. He has posted a large amount of music at his website, including some very interesting electronic pieces. More recently, he has been focused on crafting orchestral sketches using sample libraries. Charles has been strangely silent for a long time, until recently, he unveiled his Symphony #1. This is a solid hour's worth of finely-crafted music, humbly offered for your enjoyment.

Billy Death - Holiday Cheer

My friend Dan posted this on twitter, with embedable goodness. Yes, that is a trash can lid.

Vulcan Modulator

Each kind of oscillator seems to have a unique strength. The AFG's strength is sounding like 14 oscillators... only better. If you layer multiple oscillators, you get a thicker sound, but you get something else too... a kind of mushiness. The AFG achieves the extraordinary by sounding huge and thick, but with exceptional presence. It has some other tricks up its sleeve that enable it to produce sound aggressive and cutting, but this isn't intended to be a post about the AFG. I want to talk about LFOs.

Were you aware the Livewire Audio Frequency Generator eats LFO outputs for breakfast, lunch and dinner? It does if you want to use the waveform animation features. I'm admittedly a little short on LFOs in my system, so I recently acquired a Livewire Vulcan Modulator as a different cyclic modulation source. The Vulcan Modulator provides two LFOs in a single package with some built-in cross modulation and output summing features.

I know a module is a keeper when it produces smiles and the Vulcan has plastered a maniacal grin on my face for two nights straight. Another good sign is when a module is bristling with patch cords in use. While it is certainly useful as a less-than-vanilla LFO, I also see it as a critical module for anyone interested in auto-generation 'noodle' patches, or if you need a ultra-slow modulation source that subtly changes the character of a patch over time.

I'd make a video, but that would be pointless as James Cigler has produced a very nice overview of what the Vulcan Modulator can do, complete with compelling examples.

MLR V

The monome community is abuzz over a new version of mlr, originally by Brian Crabtree, but this release is extended by Trent Gill, called mlr V. This teaser video came out earlier, but the application is downloadable now.

Roland Jupiter 8 vs. MKS-80

Is the MKS-80 a rack mount Jupiter 8? According to Vintage Synth Explorer, and Gordon Reid, it is.

Unfortunately, they're wrong.

In a nutshell, the MKS-80 rev 3/4 shares a lot in common with the Jupiter 6, and the rev5 is completely different from both the rev4 and the Jupiter 8. There is no rack mount Jupiter 8.


The matter gets even more confusing when you take into consideration the different revisions of the MKS-80. The MKS-80rev3 and MKS80rev4 have identical hardware. The only change is a software revision. The MKS-80 rev3/4 shares the same voice board as the Jupiter 6, and the the Jupiter-6 leaves two voices unpopulated. Additionally, the MKS is has a bass boost circuit. As you can see from the chart, the rev5 is based around a completely different set of chips. The IR3R05 filter is the same chip used in the later JX-8P, Super JX-10 and MKS-70.

It is also worth noting, the IC used is only part of the total circuit. Even though some instruments may use the same chip, the sound can differ. This is especially true for the IR3109. The Jupiter 8's filter circuit shares more in common with older instruments like the Jupiter 4rev2 & Juno 6/60, than it does the 'next' generation of instruments like the Jupiter 6 & SH-101.

Speaking of the Juno 6/60, this instrument can produce a class of sounds very similar to the Jupiter 8. The Jupiter 8 is a more sophisticated 2-osc per voice instrument, so there are many things it can do that the Juno can't, but the Juno 6/60 shares the same VCA, filter, and envelope ICs as the Jupiter 8. When it comes to arpeggiator work, which requires a nice plucky character, the Juno 60 has a very Jupiter 8-ish quality in my opinion.

The Jupiter 6 and MKS-80 are both wonderful synthesizers - but they're not a Jupiter 8. Also keep in mind the MKS-80 can do a bunch of things the Jupiter 8 can't, like respond to aftertouch and velocity, for example.

ABAP-BO PUDUP BOOP-POO

I favorited these two videos which places them temporarily in my FriendFeed sidebar, but I think these deserve special attention. Both were created in Flash by animator, Alex Budovsky. Music is by The Real Tuesday Weld/Stephen Coates, creatively mixing vintage samples, vocal loops and subtle electronica. The videos are dense - you'll notice new details with each viewing.

Bathtime in Clerkenwell (2002)


Last Time in Clerkenwell (2007)


I'm tempted to buy the quicktime video at the director's site, but I can't get any confirmation of the resolution before I buy. I'd like to know if the quality is substantially better than what is posted on youtube.

Substitution suggestions to the Doepfer Basic System

In all fairness, the price of the Doepfer Basic System is less than if you bought the individual modules ala carte. But, if you're using the suggested basic system module list as a starting point for building your own modular, here are a few suggestions.

Basic system: 2x Standard VCO A-110
The TipTop Z3000 does everything the A-110 does, tracks better and provides a built-in frequency counter. Two A-110s and a Doepfer ring modulator are about the same price as a single Cwejman VCO-2RM. The Plan B Model 15 is an excellent oscillator. The triangle core of the model 15 produces a more ideal sine than any of the above, including the Cwejman, which is important if you're doing frequency modulation or amplitude modulation as each harmonic present creates sidebands - the more sidebands, the more enharmonic the result. This is why clean sines are desirable - you can't filter out unwanted sidebands from the resulting FM waveform.

Basic system: 2x ADSR A-140
The A-140 is a fine, snappy envelope, but it lacks VC inputs. The A-141 ADSR provides VC inputs, but it is a little soggier. I suggest a combination of one 140 and one 141. I like my Cwejman ADSR-VC2, but I'm not sure if I would want it as my only envelope as it tends to favor the shorter end of the segment spectrum. The Analogue Systems RS60 is a great all-around envelope, and excels at long, evolving textures, but it is pricy compared to an A-140. Maybe the best solution is the Plan B M38 ADSR. At 4HP, it consumes precious little frame real estate, and you can add the 38A expander for voltage control.



Basic system: 2 x LFO A-145
A A-143-3 Quad LFO provides four LFOs in a smaller space than two A-145s. However, you lose a sine and downward saw output and reset input. The A-143 Quad ADSR could be drafted into service as an LFO module and could replace and surpass the functionality of the two A-140 envelopes. The Plan B M31 ELF LFO has sync and voltage control, and like the ELF ADSR, is only 4HP.

Basic system: 1 x Multiple I A-180
Quite often I've found voltage sag with unbuffered multiples driving pitch CV inputs. The Plan B model 13 buffered multiple rectifies this issue and functions as a single 7x mult or a 3x and 4x mult if the normaled connection is broken. Overall, the model 13 is more flexible and usable than a normal mult. Another option is to build your own passive mult.

Basic system: VCF2 A-121 (12dB multimode filter) & VCF1 A-120 (24dB low pass 1)
The A-120 and A-121 are both fine filters. The A-120 is a transistor ladder and provides something similar to the traditional Moog LPF sound at an attractive price point. The A-121 is Doepfer's standard multimode filter offering. It does what it says on the tin, albeit with the personality of a damp sock. If you add the cost of both filters together, you'd be about 2/3s of the way to a Cwejman MMF-1 which provides 12 and 24dB/oct slope modes, all the filter modes of the A-121, and then some, plus a double peak resonant filter mode with spacing like the Voyager. I use this filter more often than any other in my system. It responds very favorably to rapid (audio rate) CV control. Another option is to substitute the A-121 with the Livewire Frequensteiner. But, it is really unfair to single out any one filter for substitution. When it comes to filters, there are so many options available, you should really look around at all options before settling on the fine, yet decidedly vanilla options included with the basic system.

Basic system: 1 x linear VCA A-130
I'd swap this out with the A-132 dual VCA which is smaller, cheaper and provides two VCAs. If the lack of dedicated attenuators is off-putting, then pair it with the Plan B Model 36 Elf Leveler which provides open-use attenuators anywhere.

So, what do you think? Did I get anything eggregiously wrong? What are your substitution suggestions? What is your favorite eurorack filter!

Carol of the Bells

"I don't know about your brain- but mine is really bossy." - Laurie Anderson

Stupid brain. Always telling me what to do. So, not long after my brain told me to transcribe the chaotic barking of a malfunctioning dog and set it to music, it told me to record a version of Carol of the Bells using a nylon string guitar. Like I don't have enough to do already.

Carol of the Bells by stretta

I always wanted to record some Christmas music, but I usually figure this out too late in the season and then forget it until next year. With a blog, I don't have to commit myself to an entire album's worth of material - I can just do one thing and throw it out there. You should be able to download this track using the download button on the player. The composition is fairly well known and the execution shouldn't offend anyone. You can impress your family with the fact that you found some free, legal music on the web by some guy obsessed with synthesizers and boxes with blinkenlites.

It sort of sounds like if the California Guitar Trio recorded Carol of the Bells. After I typed this, I thought, hell... California Guitar Trio might have actually recorded this track. So I googled it and they did. OK, so this whole thing was pointless. Sigh.


Carol of the Bells by Matthew G Davidson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

My Week Off

I took the full week off to spend with my family during Thanksgiving and maybe work on some music. It turned out to be a fairly unproductive and horrific week.

I awoke at 3:30 am Tuesday morning to the sounds of screams coming from the street. I look out the window to find the house across the street on fire. Actually, this is a Cambridge triple decker - a home for six families. Many of the evacuees crowded into our house and watched their home burn. Then, we watched as the high winds carry the fire to the adjacent triple decker.




The good news is nobody lost their lives. Two residents were hospitalized and two firemen were injured. The bad news is many residents are finding their insurance doesn't cover the damage. So, we're having a second look at our insurance coverage. Maybe you should too - especially those of you with gear. We all hear how standard homeowner's policies rarely cover things like vintage synthesizers, so perhaps a few phone calls are in order.



There is a relief fund set up by the City of Cambridge.