[Moritz Ellerich / Fabelphonetikum (rhizome schematic)]

Vague Terrain 19: Schematic as Score launched, 2 May 2011.

At the end of 2010, I arranged to curate an upcoming issue of the Canadian online journal Vague Terrain. I wanted to cover some of my research into the deterministic tendencies of sound technology alongside a selection of artists I know who are all deeply committed to designing and constructing various types of electronic performance systems. Almost a half year later, it has finally arrived and I must say I’m pretty proud of it.

Featuring work by Peter Blasser, Jason R. Butcher, Moritz Ellerich, Lesley Flanigan, Martin Howse, Derek Holzer (with Mads Bech Paluszewski), Loud Objects (Kunal Gupta, Tristan Perich and Katie Shima), Jessica Rylan and Synchronator (Bas van Koolwijk & Geert-Jan Prins), the issue also includes two essays I wrote for the occasion, the issue introduction Schematic as Score: Uses and Abuses of the (In)Deterministic Possibilities of Sound Technology and Monkeys in the Trees: Systems Music, Electro-acoustic Autism and the Hungry Animals, on the Bergen and Berlin versions of David Tudor’s Rainforest which I co-organized over Fall/Winter 2010-11 for Piksel and Club Transmediale.

TONEWHEELS Live

02.May.2011 – Multiplace Festival, Brno CZ
03.May.2011 – Školská 28, Prague CZ
07.May.2011 – Fête01, Orléans FR

SoundBoxes Workshop

09-10 June.2011 – Proximos Festival, Tenerife, Canary Islands ES

Descubre las escondidas calidades sonicas de los objetos de la vida cotidiana en estos dos días de taller, combinando las artes de la electrónica, ruidismo, escultura y collage. Los elementos básicos del taller serán una caja de madera, un altavoz, un pequeño amplificador y un micrófono de contacto (piezo). A todo esto lo mas atrevidos podrán añadir sus propios objetos, gráfica personalizada, imágenes, memorias e ideas para crear una única caja de ruido electro acústica.

INSCRIPCIÓN AQUÍ

Other News

A friend of mine was murdered here in Berlin last week. Up to now, I believed this to be one of the safest cities I have ever lived in. She will be missed. Ladies, if your country doesn’t allow you to carry a handgun, please learn kung-fu.

Sound+Space Awareness
an acoustics workshop with Derek Holzer (US/D)
8-12 participants – please register!
(workshop language english)
11.-15.April 2011 daily 12-17

Buildings, urban locations and architecture are traditionally described in visual terms, but it is our sense of hearing that assists us in experiencing and navigating through the spaces we inhabit. Sound is an essential part of social experience, and that should be of the utmost concern to architects, planners and artists alike, yet this is overlooked all too often. When the sound in a space is disruptive or dysfunctional, then the aesthetics, communications and perceptions in that space are likewise disrupted.

Therefore, the first step for anyone wishing to work with sound is learning how to listen. We will spend the first workshop day doing a series of listening exercises, using a collection of field recordings to tune the participants’ ears to the various sounds present in them, to think about what kind of information those sounds transmit and to reflect on the effects they have on the listener.

The following book will provide participants with a list of concepts useful for discussing urban sonic experience:

Jean Francois Augoyard: Sonic Experience–A Guide to Everyday Sounds
http://mqup.mcgill.ca/book.php?bookid=1780

The second day will focus on fieldwork out in the city, using new listening exercises, digital recorders and the observations on the nature of sound from the previous day to experience the city with new ears.

On the third day, we will listen to the recordings gathered by the participants to see what they can tell us about the locations each person visited. And finally, on the fourth day, participants will develop and present a one-sheet concept for a project related to the sonic experience of the locations we have visited.

This workshop is directed towards sound interested laymen as well to architects and planners.

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=499

Neanderthal Electronics group presentation
Vinyl-terror & -horror
Macumbista
Avant-Reguard (DJ set)

Monday 28 February 2011, doors 19.00 show 21.00
Madame Claude Lübbener Str. 19, X-Berg 10997 Berlin

Sorry for lack of updates lately, been in constant motion since new years. News will follow shortly.

Neanderthal Electronics 2011 @ NK Berlin

Wednesday 23 February 2011 – Sunday 27 February 2011, 12:00-19:00 daily.

This 5 day workshop is designed for up to 12 people, possibly with a background in sound, but with no previous electronics experience. They are shown how to use simple objects from our modern environment (resistors, capacitors, transistors, LEDs, integrated circuit chips…) to design and build their own personal, customized primitive noise synthesizers. Each is a tiny world of its own, using primitive analog computers in combination with feedback, sensors and audio inputs to create a unique sound. Even from the same plan, no two are alike!

Participants are encouraged to use found materials for the construction of their personal instrument, with an emphasis on discovering creative and physical methods of controlling them.

The workshop will conclude with a group performance at Experimontag @ Madame Claude on Monday 28 February and an invitation to the audience to experiment with each of the instruments which have been created. Previous Neanderthal Electronics workshop participants are welcome to join this performance with their own instruments, please contact “MACUMBISTA at_the_domain GMAIL.COM” directly to arrange.

More info and videos from previous workshops can be found here:
http://macumbista.net/?page_id=497

Participation is limited to 12 participants.
Registration: Pre-registration is required and can be done by sending an email to info@nkprojekt.de

DATES: 23-27 February 12:00-19:00 / Presentation 28 February 21:00 (Madame Claude)

FEE: EUR 120 including materials, with a deposit of EUR 27 to be paid beforehand.

LOCATION: NK, Elsenstr. 52/2.Hinterhaus Etage 2, 12059 Berlin Neukölln/MADAME CLAUDE, Lübbener Str.19, 10997 Berlin Kreuzberg

About the Instructor

Derek Holzer (1972) is an American sound artist living in Berlin, whose current interests include DIY analog electronics, sound art, field recording and the meeting points of electroacoustic, noise, improv and extreme music. He has played live experimental sound, as well as taught workshops in noise art technology, across Europe, North America, Brazil and New Zealand.

PARTICIPANT INFO

WHAT TO BRING

I will provide most of the tools and materials necessary for constructing your Neanderthal synthesizers, however there are a few things you should bring yourself:

1) A Box (REQUIRED): This should be made of thin wood or cardboard. Plastic can also be used, but it doesn’t sound very good, and metal is too difficult to cut and drill with the tools we will have. This box should be a minimum of 10x10x3cm, or bigger if you want to use a larger speaker or have more room to decorate and add objects. Cigar boxes, small suitcases, instrument cases or jewelry/silverware boxes are all good things to look for. At least one side of the box should be no more than 4mm thick, to allow the potentiometers, switches, knobs and jacks to be mounted.

2) A speaker (OPTIONAL): I will provide a selection of speakers ranging from approximately 6-12cm diameter. If you want to use a larger one, you’ll have to provide it yourself. Besides buying one, you can salvage one from old hi-fi systems or portable stereos.

3) Decorative materials/sonic objects (REQUIRED): Please bring as many found objects as you can to decorate your soundbox or use as a sound source via the contact microphone. Photographs, cloth, leather, paper or any other kind of material can be useful for covering the box and making collages. Bones, shells, small sticks, bells, springs, strings, wires or anything else made out of solid yet resonant material make great sound sources. Paint, markers and pens may also be useful.

WHERE TO FIND THINGS

–Weekend flea markets at Mauerpark, Arkonaplatz, Schlesisches strasse, Boxhagenerplatz, the canal in Kreuzberg and the Obi parking lot near Templehof
–Your local Humana or other second hand shops
–Conrad.de at Hermannplatz (expensive!)
–Modulor.de near Südstern (architect/designer supply shop)

FURTHER INSPIRATION

Please check the videos from previous workshops here:

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=497

Some graphical inspiration from participants of Tore “Origami” Boe’s 2009 Acoustic Laptop workshop:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41681117@N05/

More advanced inspiration can be found by browsing the incredible selection of instruments on the Folktek website:

http://folktek.com/instruments

Regenwald 2011: a workshop/installation/performance in the spirit of David Tudor

with Derek Holzer (USA/DE) & Mads Bech Paluszewski (DK)

*Overview*

Regenwald 2011 is a contemporary re-interpretation of David Tudor’s series of compositions from the 1970′s entitled “Rainforest”. It uses various types of sonic transducers to play live sounds through various resonant objects in the performance space, as well as through architectural features of the space itself. Additionally, an 8×8 matrix mixer allows the sound from any of the objects to be sent to any of the performers, making the whole piece an experiment in generative chaos.

Regenwald 2011 will be developed in a workshop format with up to 8 participants over a period of several days. The resulting work should shift between relatively static installation-like moments and performative sections where the artists seek new relationships with the objects and each other. The audience is free to move around the performance space, engage in conversations and explore the resonant objects, thus adding new life to the rainforest.

A opening night presentation will introduce the concept of Regenwald 2011 and the context of “Schematic as Score” as seen in the works of both David Tudor and John Cage.

*Documentation*

A rough schematic of a previous transducer system (Regenskog 2010) can be seen here:
http://macumbista.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/regnskog_notext.png

Documentation of Regenskog 2010 can be found here:
http://macumbista.net/?p=1840

*Dates*

28 January – 01 February, 12:00-19:00 daily: Regenwald 2011 workshop in West Germany, Kottbusser Tor, Berlin

01 February 21:00 opening Regenwald 2011 presentation/performance, West Germany, Kottbusser Tor, Berlin

02 February – 05 February 18-22:00 daily: Regenwald 2011 installation, West Germany, Kottbusser Tor, Berlin

*Participate*

The Regenwald 2011 workshop is open for 8 participants who will be selected and notified on or before 16 January 2011. There is no fee to participate. Applying participants should be:

–Comfortable working in a collaborative environment
–Knowledgeable in the basics of acoustics
–Proficient in one or more chosen analog or digital sound instruments and/or systems for working with sound
–Capable of bringing any equipment they require beyond the basics of the transducer system (instruments, mixers, computers, etc etc)

Please send an email to regenwald2011@clubtransmediale.de by 12 January with the following information:

–Name, location and short bio (max 100 words)
–Short statement of interest (max 300 words)
–Short description of your chosen instrument or system (max 300 words)
–Links to audio/video documentation of one solo work and one collaborative work you have made

*Workshop Leaders*

Derek Holzer (1972) is an American sound artist living in Berlin, whose current interests include DIY analog electronics, sound art, field recording and the meeting points of electroacoustic, noise, improv and extreme music. He has played live experimental sound, as well as taught workshops in noise art technology, across Europe, North America, Brazil and New Zealand.
http://www.macumbista.net

Danish sound artist and cultural producer Mads Bech Paluszewski (1977) works with circuit bending, sound installations, tactile acoustics and performances from his Copenhagen base. Solo and as a member of several groups of experimental audio/visual music and performance groups, he has performed at many Nordic music and sound art festivals. He has also held several workshops in circuit bending and user driven sound installations in Denmark.

*Partners*

Regenwald is a join production of DISK/Club Transmediale and Tuned City/DOCK e.V.
http://www.clubtransmediale.de
http://www.tunedcity.net

I am transferring this blog to a new host over the next several days. Expect delays.

Here.

After 5 years, the end of an era has come. On the last day of 2010, the Soundtransit.nl site will officially close. The Waag Society in Amsterdam, who physically hosts our server, has more than quadrupled the rent in the past year. Relocating to a cheap commercial host is simply not possible based on the unique technical needs of the site, so we are forced to shut the project down. The archived field recordings will hopefully be relocated through the kind support of Soundcloud.com, however the ability to make and send transits will be lost.

I would personally like to thank each and every one of the contributors and users for their support, interest and enthusiasm over the last years, and I wish them all the best of luck with their future projects.