with DEREK HOLZER and VASULKA KITCHEN BRNO

Tuesday, 20 October, 2020 – 18:30 to 20:30
Thursday, 22 October, 2020 – 18:30 to 20:30
Tuesday, 27 October, 2020 – 18:30 to 20:30
Thursday, 29 October, 2020 – 18:30 to 20:30

The Vector Synthesis workshop, led by audiovisual artist and researcher Derek Holzer, investigates the direct relationship between sound and image. It draws inspiration from the work of artists such as Mary Ellen Bute, Nam June Paik, Steina and Woody Vasulka, and Gary Hill; from the media archaeology of computer graphics; from obsolete technologies such as the Cathode Ray Tube monitor, the Scanimate, and the Rutt/Etra Video Synthesizer; and from contemporary laser display techniques. This workshop is ideal for musicians, sound artists, animators, and visual artists who want to work with oscilloscope and laser imagery.

DATES: OCT 20/22/27/29 2020

TIME: 18:30-20:30 Central European Time

MAX PARTICIPANTS: 12

COST: FREE

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Participants will learn how to draw Lissajous figures, render simple two- and three-dimensional shapes, and process photographs and video into vector artwork which can be displayed on oscilloscopes and ILDA laser displays using audio signals. These vector shapes can animated and further modified in real time using external audio sources such as voice, amplified instruments, or electronic synthesizers provided by the participants.

The core of the workshop will be ready-to-use examples written in the Pure Data programming language.

The language of this workshop is English.

The maximum amount of participants is 12.

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REQUIREMENTS

• No experience with Pure Data is required to participate, beginners are welcome. 
• A background with either digital audio or digital moving image is helpful.
• Participants are required to attend all four days of the course, and to complete three assignments in total between the sessions.
• Participants should have their own computers, with software installed according to pre-event instructions sent by email.
• Participants may wish to use an external audio interface or MIDI controller, however neither are required.

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TIMETABLE

All sessions from 18:30-20:30 Central European Time.

• Pre-workshop: participants should make sure all software required is installed and configured before the first session. Detailed instructions will be sent once participation is confirmed.
• TUE 22.10.20: Installation questions, introduction to Vector Synthesis principles (vector vs raster images), introduction to Pure Data environment, working with signals to generate sound and image, first assignment.
• THU 24.10.20: Viewing of first assignments, assignment questions, working with 2D and 3D image files, external audio inputs, second assignment.
• TUE 27.10.20: Viewing of second assignments, assignment questions, working with digital image and video files (scan processing), MIDI and presets, third assignment.
• THU 29.10.20: Viewing of third assignments, assignment questions, working with hardware (oscilloscopes, vector monitors, Vectrex consoles, ILDA laser displays), capturing with video cameras, conclusions.
• By the end of the workshop, participants will have written at least three Pure Data compositions, one of which will be chosen and recorded to video for public presentation on the Vasulka Kitchen website.

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HOW TO APPLY

Please write an email to Vasulka Kitchen vasulkakitchen@gmail.com with the subject line VECTOR SYNTHESIS WORKSHOP by the end of 04 OCT 2020 (23:59 CET). In this email, please describe:  

• Your artistic background.
• Why you are interested in taking this workshop.
• Any experience you have with the creation of sound, moving image, and/or interactive media on the computer.

We will make a selection to ensure the most diverse group possible, and inform the selected participants by the end of 06 OCT 2020.

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WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR

Derek Holzer (USA 1972) is an audiovisual artist, researcher, lecturer, and electronic instrument creator based in Stockholm. He has performed live, taught workshops and created scores of unique instruments and installations since 2002 across Europe, North and South America, and New Zealand. He is currently a PhD researcher in Sound and Music Computing at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, focusing on historically informed sound synthesis design.      

http://macumbista.net

https://www.instagram.com/macumbista/

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FURTHER INFORMATION

You can see examples of what you might do here:         

https://vimeo.com/macumbista/

You can view the Vector Synthesis code here:         

https://github.com/macumbista/vectorsynthesis/

The homepage of the Vasulka Kitchen with a listing for this workshop can be found here:

https://vasulkakitchen.org/en/vector-synthesis

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There have been some big changes for me in the last few months, and soon I will be moving to Stockholm to begin a PhD focused on recreating historical synthesizers used in Sweden during the 1960’s and 70’s. Before I move, I will do one last batch of instruments in July, to be shipped by mid-August.

If you have any interest in one of the following instruments, please get in touch by email to macumbista@gmail.com before Monday 06 July.

Macumbista Benjolin V5

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4770

The original Rob Hordijk Benjolin with some special modifications. They are licensed by agreement with Hordijk and lovingly hand made.

EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus shipping costs.

Macumbista Butterfly Benjolin V3

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4956

A double Benjolin with extensive cross-modulation possibilities including the ability to clock both Rungler control voltage generators from the same source.

EUR 1065 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 895 (shipped outside the EU), plus shipping costs.

Macumbista FuzzTone SoundBox

http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4372

A battery-powered, 1 Watt amplifier with Germanium transistor feedback and circuit bending touchpoints.

EUR 225 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 190 (shipped outside the EU) plus shipping.

A 50% deposit will be required to secure your order. All instruments ship from Helsinki, Finland.

This will be the final batch of instruments I sell within the foreseeable future. So if you have considered ordering something, now is the time to do it. Unfortunately, I do not have time for any custom work, nor for other instruments not on this list.

I wish you safety, health, and well-being during these wild times.
Derek

I #staythefuckhome making analog synthesizers so you can #staythefuckhome playing analog synthesizers.

Six Macumbista Benjolin V5 instruments available in green, blue, and grey. Email macumbista@gmail.com for details.

All BV5 backorders shipping soon. Butterfly Benjolins next in the queue. Thank you all for your support in these strange days!

PRICE

The price of the Benjolin V5 is EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus express shipping costs. Every Benjolin ships with two banana patch cables and a universal 110/220V AC to 12V DC power supply.

DETAILS

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled filter and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. Hordijk refers to the Benjolin as a circuit which has been “bent by design.”

These hand-made Macumbista Benjolins are officially licensed by Hordijk, and have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further control voltage feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, attenuators on the three control voltage input and LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler.

The latest Macumbista Benjolin V5 instrument has been redesigned during the spring of 2019 in collaboration with Pete Hartman of Frog Leg Synthesis. The filter input has been improved, and the main output of the instrument buffered for lower noise and ease of use with a wider range of mixers and DI boxes.

The wooden enclosures used to create these handmade analog synthesizers all date from the 1960’s and 1970’s. There are individual variations in the exact color, the size, and the marks which history have left upon them. A number of different colors are available, including a natural finish as well as three different types of “hammered metal” paint finishes in grey, green, blue, and (infrequently) red or purple. Please see the photos at the bottom of this page for examples.

Please contact me using the CONTACT page here, or through MACUMBISTA at-the-domain GMAIL dot COM.

VIDEOS and PHOTOS

More images and video can be seen on this page: http://macumbista.net/?page_id=4770

MODIFICATIONS

The Benjolin V5 contains the following modifications from Hordijk’s original Benjolin circuit:

LOOP SWITCH: The LOOP switch locks the otherwise chaotic pattern of the Rungler into a loop. The LEFT position is a loop of 4 steps going forward, the MIDDLE position is the normal chaos of the Rungler, and the RIGHT position is a loop of 4 steps forwards and 4 steps backwards.

EXTERNAL INPUT SWITCH: The external input 6.3mm jack on the back of this Benjolin allows a signal from another source to be sent through the Low Pass Filter of the instrument. Selecting EXT on the FIL INPUT switch sends this signal to the FIL input, where the cutoff and resonance controls of the filter can be used to affect it. When the FIL INPUT switch is in the INT position, the PWM signal, mixed with a small amount of RUN voltage, is sent to the FIL (this is the normal Benjolin signal path).

EXTERNAL RUNGLER CLOCK:: A banana jack on the back panel of the instrument provides a switchable clock source for the Rungler of the instrument. The EXT switch position clocks the Rungler from OSCILLATOR 2 of the instrument, the INT switch position clocks it from the external clock input.

The Vector Synthesis workshop, led by sound and light artist Derek Holzer over three full days, investigates the direct relationship between sound and image. It draws inspiration from the media archaeology of computer graphics, and from obsolete technologies such as the Cathode Ray Tube monitor, combined with contemporary laser display techniques. This workshop is ideal for musicians, sound artists, and visual artists who want to work with laser imagery.

Participants will learn how to draw Lissajous figures, render simple two- and three-dimensional shapes, and process photographs and video into vector artwork which can be displayed on oscilloscopes and ILDA laser displays using audio signals. These vector shapes can also be further modified in real time using external audio sources such as voice, amplified instruments, or electronic synthesizers provided by the participants.

The core of the workshop will be ready-to-use examples written in the Pure Data programming language.

A presentation of pieces created in the workshop is planned for the final evening, where participants will show their creations on the laser with sound.

The language of this workshop is English. The fee for the participants is EUR 50. The maximum amount of participants is 12.

Requirements

• Experience with Pure Data is not required to participate, beginners are welcome.
• Participants are required to attend all three days of the course
• Participants are required to bring their own laptops with software installed according to pre-event instructions sent by email.
• Participants should bring any external audio interface or MIDI controller they would like to use, however neither are required.

Timetable

28.2–1.3.2020, 12–18 daily
The first day is devoted to a technical overview of possibilities, and the following two days to experimentation and development of a demo to be projected on the final evening.
1.3. 18–20 public presentation

How to apply?

The participants are chosen in order of enrollment. To apply, send mail (in Finnish or English) to valotaiteenseura@gmail.com, including your full name and phone number. The first applicants will get confirmation and instructions for paying the course fee. The fee must be paid in three days and is non-refundable.

There’s a quota of 50% for members of FLASH (the Finnish Light Art Society Helsinki). This only applies to members, whose membership fee has been paid. Please state your membership status, if you’re applying in this quota.

Workshop Supervisor

Derek Holzer (USA 1972) is a sound + light artist based in Helsinki & Berlin, whose current interests include DIY electronics, audiovisual instrument building, the relationship between sound and space, media archaeology, and participatory art forms. He has performed live, taught workshops and created scores of unique instruments and installations since 2002 across Europe, North and South America, and New Zealand.

http://macumbista.net

Holzer will be assisted in this workshop by sound and visual artist Jani Hietanen, who is also a student of Sound in New Media at Aalto University.

Further Information

You can see examples of what you might do here:
https://vimeo.com/macumbista/

You can view the Vector Synthesis code here:
https://github.com/macumbista/vectorsynthesis/

FLASH is most grateful to AVEK, The Governing Body of Suomenlinna and JT-Laser for supporting the workshop.
FLASH website
https://www.facebook.com/valotaiteenseura/

I’m proud to announce the next Vector Synthesis workshop, taking place Feb 08-09 2020 at New River Studios in London.

The Vector Synthesis workshop investigates the direct relationship between sound+image. It draws inspiration from the media archaeology of computer graphics, and from obsolete technologies such as the Cathode Ray Tube monitor, combined with contemporary laser display techniques. This workshop is ideal for musicians, sound artists, VJs, and visual artists who want to work with oscilloscope or laser imagery.

Participants will learn how to draw Lissajous figures, render simple two- and three-dimensional shapes, and process photographs and video into vector artwork which can be displayed on oscilloscopes and ILDA laser displays using audio signals. These vector shapes can also be further modified in real time using external audio sources such as voice, amplified instruments, or electronic synthesizers provided by the participants.

FULL DETAILS HERE:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vector-synthesis-workshop-london-tickets-89654808947

The first 700 copy edition of the Vector Synthesis book has completely sold out. If you are one of the Kickstarter campaign supporters, or if you ordered a copy directly from me, I would like to thank you for making this book such a success. To keep it available, I have placed it as print-on-demand through the Lulu website.

Vector Synthesis: a Media Archaeological Investigation into Sound-Modulated Light is a computational art project inspired by theories of media archaeology, by the history of computer and video art, and by the use of discarded and obsolete technologies such as the Cathode Ray Tube monitor. This text explores the military and techno-scientific legacies at the birth of modern computing, and charts attempts by artists of the subsequent two decades to decouple these tools from their destructive origins. Using this history as a basis, I then describe a media archaeological, real time performance system using audio synthesis and vector graphics techniques to investigate direct relationships between sound and image using analog CRT displays. Key to this system is a didactic, open source approach which encourages reuse and modification by other artists. The conclusion of the book reflects on how the project and the research surrounding it has contributed to the larger experimental audiovisual arts community through events such as the Vector Hack Festival.

Copies can be ordered at the following URL:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/derek-holzer/vector-synthesis-a-media-archaeological-investigation-into-sound-modulated-light/paperback/product-24379956.html

An Ebook PDF version is also available. Please note that Lulu is responsible for the shipping and handling of your order. For wholesale orders, please contact me directly for a discount.

Thank you for your kind attention.
Derek

The Benjolin is a standalone synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk from the Netherlands. It contains two oscillators (one LFO and one VCO), a voltage controlled filter and a circuit called a “Rungler”, which allows chaotic cross-modulation possibilities between the different parts of the circuit. Hordijk refers to the Benjolin as a circuit which has been “bent by design.”

These hand-made Macumbista Benjolins are officially licensed by Hordijk, and have been further customized with a patchbay, which can be used to interface with other modular synthesizers or to setup further control voltage feedback systems within the Benjolin itself, attenuators on the three control voltage input and LEDs displaying the internal state of the Rungler.

The latest Macumbista Benjolin V5 instrument has been redesigned during the spring of 2019 in collaboration with Pete Hartman of Frog Leg Synthesis. The filter input has been improved, and the main output of the instrument buffered for lower noise and ease of use with a wider range of mixers and DI boxes.

The wooden enclosures used to create these handmade analog synthesizers all date from the 1960’s and 1970’s. There are individual variations in the exact color, the size, and the marks which history have left upon them. A number of different colors are available, including a natural finish as well as three different types of “hammered metal” paint finishes in grey, green, blue, and (infrequently) red or purple. Please see the photos at the bottom of this page for examples.

PRICE

The price of the Benjolin V5 is EUR 565 (incl. 19% EU VAT) / EUR 475 (for customers outside the EU), plus shipping costs. All my instruments are made-to-order, and require a 50% deposit to begin work. The current batch should be completed in March 2020. Every Benjolin ships with two banana patch cables and a universal 110/220V AC to 12V DC power supply.

Please contact me using the CONTACT page here, or through MACUMBISTA at-the-domain GMAIL dot COM.

MODIFICATIONS

The Benjolin V5 contains the following modifications from Hordijk’s original Benjolin circuit:

LOOP SWITCH: The LOOP switch locks the otherwise chaotic pattern of the Rungler into a loop. The LEFT position is a loop of 4 steps going forward, the MIDDLE position is the normal chaos of the Rungler, and the RIGHT position is a loop of 4 steps forwards and 4 steps backwards.

EXTERNAL INPUT SWITCH: The external input 6.3mm jack on the back of this Benjolin allows a signal from another source to be sent through the Low Pass Filter of the instrument. Selecting EXT on the FIL INPUT switch sends this signal to the FIL input, where the cutoff and resonance controls of the filter can be used to affect it. When the FIL INPUT switch is in the INT position, the PWM signal, mixed with a small amount of RUN voltage, is sent to the FIL (this is the normal Benjolin signal path).

EXTERNAL RUNGLER CLOCK:: A banana jack on the back panel of the instrument provides a switchable clock source for the Rungler of the instrument. The EXT switch position clocks the Rungler from OSCILLATOR 2 of the instrument, the INT switch position clocks it from the external clock input.

VIDEOS

Duelling Benjolins from macumbista on Vimeo.

Two Benjolins cross-patched to modulate each other function identically to the Dual “Butterfly” Benjolin.

PHOTOS

Please note that you can click the images on this page for hi-res details of the panel and design.

Book designer Claire Matthews and I got a Vector Synthesis print proof back last week, and since then we have been working like mad to get this publication ready for the printer. We have made so many improvements to the layout and flow of both the text and images, and I have also done several more rounds of corrections based on feedback from various reviewers. So now we really believe this is the best possible state this book can be in for sending for the final print.

   Over the course of this Kickstarter, the print run jumped from 100 to 700, and with that increase came a bit more concern from me over a few things–namely image permissions. I have sought permission to reprint most of the images in the book which came from other sources (something I would not have bothered with if it had remained a friends-and-family affair). This has lead to some interesting contacts with members of the David Tudor ensemble Composers Inside Electronics, or with Bill Etra’s widow Rozalyn Rouse Etra through the kind assistance of Benton C. Bainbridge. And in other cases I have redrawn or created new artwork from scratch (as with the Vasulka-esque scan processor examples at the start of this update) both to clarify images and to deal with the possibility that some image rights-holders may not answer in time (or ever!). This has caused a bit of delay in the publication process, but honestly I am very happy with the results and think that it is totally worth the wait and work.

  We aim to send this book to the printers in the coming week. Once I have the definitive delivery date, I will arrange for the shipping of the book to all of you, likely in the start of September. Copies of the book can still be ordered through me by sending an email with your postal address to MACUMBISTA at the domain GMAIL dot COM. I thank you all kindly for your patience and support.

   My best wishes from Helsinki,

   Derek Holzer

A massive thank you to the over 400 backers who supported the Vector Synthesis book Kickstarter. The final print run will be 600 copies. If you are interested in ordering one, please write me at

• MACUMBISTA at the domain GMAIL dot COM

with the SUBJECT =

• Vector Synthesis Book

Please include your postal address, and I will reply with further information.

With kind regards! D.

PUBLICATION FUNDRAISER:

The VECTOR SYNTHESIS: a MEDIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION into SOUND-MODULATED LIGHT book describes my research into the military and techno-scientific legacies at the birth of modern computing, and how early computer, electronic media, and video artists of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s attempted to decouple these tools from their destructive origins.

It also presents my Pure Data software library and live performance project which employs audio synthesis and vector graphics techniques to investigate direct relationships between sound and image using analog CRT displays. The book is 122 pages long, has 21 illustrations, links to several video examples online, and was fabulously designed by Claire Matthews.

I’m launching this Kickstarter to print and distribute at least 100 copies of the book, to get them to people who have assisted in its creation, and just as importantly to send them to organizations and schools who deserve one. Your support of this publishing project will help make that possible.

Details can be found here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/macumbista/vector-synthesis-book

Thank you for your kind attention!