Apparat review by Kunsten.Nu

Posted in Documentation on October 26th, 2010 by admin

The first workshop we visited, took place at the Utzon Center and was led by the American sound artist Derek Holzer. Under the title Neanderthal Electronics went about building his own synthesizer of simple electronic components and colorful spots such as old toys. Holzer with no technical training built his own large appliances, reminiscent of an old Moog from the 1960s, and the workshop will inspire you to start from scratch and acquire the technology in a punk-esque “Do-it-yourself’ style .

Thus, he will also bring artists and engineers closer together. As he says, it is often the case that when artists need anything from technicians, they say something like “Make me something sad” while the technician will answer “How many units is it?”. It must be possible to find a common language, and you can do at the workshop over the soldering iron.

Text & photos by Kristian Handberg, translation by Google. Read the original here.

Bonus track: live set and workshop photo by Søren Skjødt:

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UH Go Social videos by Jackie Triste

Posted in Documentation on October 26th, 2010 by admin

Videos from the first two days of the UH Fest Go Social! Tour by Jackie Triste

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Neanderthal Electronics Aalborg

Posted in Documentation on October 25th, 2010 by admin

The Neanderthal Electronics workshop in Aalborg was a success. A small but dedicated group from Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Lithuania created a selection of incredible little instruments, with an emphasis on found toys, contact mics, feedback and chaos! Thanks to Edit, Christian, Mads, Gabi and Isa for a colorful time at the Apparat/Platform4 event!

More photos from Apparat by Sami Sänpäkkilä of Fonal Records here!

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Lost in Transit

Posted in Text on October 20th, 2010 by admin

I’m currently waiting to see if Scandinavian Airlines can locate the suitcase containing my synthesizer, misplaced somewhere between Bergen, Norway and Aalborg, Denmark on Tuesday morning. After 36 hours a kind of delirium sets in, thinking about two and a half years of (uninsured) work floating around out there somewhere in the world.

Is it a sign I shouldn’t have brought such a precious thing out of the house? Or maybe just a sign I am traveling too much?

I saw quite a few lake-forest-and-mountain-view cabins around Norway that I wouldn’t have minded settling down in with that very synth, a pair of Genelec speakers, some tape to record onto and maybe a spare change of clothing for the next year or two. Someone please tell me how to follow those dreams!

Or at least tell me where my goddamned electronics are…

EDIT: SAS finally did tell me where my electronics are, and I should be reunited with them shortly as of morning of 21 Oct. Leaving this entry up as a snapshot of my mental processes…

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Videos x 2

Posted in Documentation on October 11th, 2010 by admin

One video from my Neaderthal Electronics workshop in Malmo last week, and a roundup of the UH Festival night where I played last Saturday. Enjoy!

Neanderthal Electronics: Kajonimba (Electric Cajon Kalimba) by wihle

Here’s a small presentation of my newly built electric rhythm instrument I made in a workshop by Berlin-based sound artist, Derek Holzer. The result sounds something like Tom Waits with semi-constant feedback.

The box includes a primitive spring reverb, two piezo-mics, a broken baby monitor set (a send and a receive unit), two super simple amplifiers and a built-in speaker for acoustic performance. I’ll add an output later to be able to play my kajonimba through external speakers.

UH FEST DAY #4 Oct. 9 by UHFEST
Featuring Bartha Mark & Takacs Borza Akos, Valerio Tricoli w/ Robert Piotrowicz, Piotr Kurek, Derek Holzer, Kria Brekkan, Lasse Marhaug and Thomas Fehlmann, but sadly no Lau Nau

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UH review…practice your Hungarian!

Posted in Documentation on October 11th, 2010 by admin

Derek Holzer zajzenész, aki mindenféle talált tárgyakból szeret zenét előcsalni, néhány héttel ezelőtt többek között a devecseri piacon is járt. Az ott beszerzett eszközöket is felhasználva zenélt-zajongott például a bicskei menekülttáborban. Az UH Fest Go Social programjának keretében meglátogatott több magyar civil szervezetet, és látott olyan dolgokat, amilyeneket egyáltalán nem szoktak ide érkező zenészek. Úgyhogy amikor a fellépése elején arról beszélt, látta a tévében, hogy gyakorlatilag megsemmisültek olyan részek Devecseren, ahol ő maga is járt, az nem csak a tragédia súlya miatt volt más, mint amikor az egy estére ideérkező zenészek alibiznek valamit arról, milyen Budapest…

Full review (plus the beautiful Lau Nau, a shy Kría Brekkan (ex-múm) and the ever-uncompromising Lasse Marhaug) here: http://quart.hu/cikk.php?id=5532. Seems like they gave me an “A”!!!

I had a few words to say before my set, maybe it would be good to record them here:

As you can see from the photographs projected in the lobby, a few weeks ago I went on the UH Go Social! Tour. One topic we discussed on that trip was how all this experimental sound stuff relates to the world around us, to the bigger picture. I still don’t know if I have any answers to that question, but I do know that one of the places we visited–Devecser–has been wiped off the map since then, if you believe the pictures on the evening news.

You might want to move around the room during this set, you will find different things in it. Move around. And wait for the flood.

On the whole, the evening was fantastic from my point of view–excellent venue and PA combined with a wonderful, open-minded audience who were ready for anything. Earlier sets in the small hall by Kuupuu, Piotr Kurek and Valerio Tricoli with Robert Piotrowicz provided a more intimate initiation to the festival. It did seem like I landed on a strange planet, however, were all the women were delicate, lovely folk-birds and the men were knuckle-dragging noise beasts!

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Berlin Workshops Nov-Dec at NK

Posted in Announcement on October 8th, 2010 by admin

“Ich bin ein Objekt”: Learning Pure Data as a Language
DATES: 13-14 November 2010 12:00-17:00
COST: EUR 35
LOCATION: NK, Elsenstr. 52/2.Hinterhaus Etage 2
12059 Berlin Neukölln

Pure Data (or Pd) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing. This introductory workshop is ideal for new users of Pure Data who are finding the “vocabulary” and “grammar” difficult to grasp. We will learn Pure Data as one would learn any other language, taking a series of very basic examples from the Pure Data FLOSS Manual. This workshop gives a good starting point for more advanced Pd workshops, or participation in the Berlin Pure Data users’ group. The workshop will be taught in English ;-)

Participation is limited to 12 participants.

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

Links:
http://puredata.info
http://en.flossmanuals.net/puredata
http://puredata.info/community/organization/pd-berlin/pd-berlin-users-group

***

Neanderthal Electronics at your Fingertips
DATES: 27-28 November 12:00-17:00 / Presentation 28 November 18:00
COST: EUR 35 + EUR 10 materials fee
LOCATION: NK, Elsenstr. 52/2.Hinterhaus Etage 2
12059 Berlin Neukölln

Learn how to use simple objects from our modern environment (resistors, capacitors, transistors, LEDs, integrated circuit chips…) to design and build your own personal, touch-activated primitive noise synthesizer. 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 should bring some sort of box, container or other creative enclosure to put their circuit inside of–past workshops have seen synthesizers made in suitcases, flashlights, film cans, coconuts, children’s toys, super 8 cameras, cigar boxes, knaackebrod, books and hand-sewn masks. Check the videos on the Macumbista website for some ideas and inspiration. This workshop will end in a free public presentation of the instruments you have created, invite your friends!

Participation is limited to 12 participants.

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

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

***

Now Splice the Tape: Working with Soundfiles in Pure Data
DATES: 04-05 December 12:00-17:00 / Presentation 05 December 18:00
COST: EUR 35
LOCATION: NK, Elsenstr. 52/2.Hinterhaus Etage 2
12059 Berlin Neukölln

Manipulating recorded soundfiles is one of Pure Data’s most powerful features. However, the process of doing this remains one of the most confusing tasks for newcomers. During this two day workshop, we will cover the basics of loading soundfiles to tables, live capturing and looping, adjusting tempo and pitch, changing the looping, starting and stopping points of your playback and an introduction to granular synthesis. We will also examine ParticleChamber as an example of a full-fledged soundfile manipulation application built entirely with Pd. Some previous experience with Pd and/or participation in the “Ich bin ein Objekt” workshop is recommended. This workshop will end in a free public presentation of the instruments you have created, invite your friends!

Participation is limited to 12 participants.

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

Links:
http://puredata.info
http://en.flossmanuals.net/puredata
http://macumbista.net/?page_id=514 (ParticleChamber)

***

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.

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Activities in October (SE, HU, NO, DK)

Posted in Announcement on October 2nd, 2010 by admin

SWEDEN
Oct 4-8Neanderthal Electronics workshop, Nordic Sound Academy, Malmö SE
Oct 8, 19:00Neanderthal Electronics presentation/concert, Nordic Sound Academy, Malmö SE
Workshop limited to students of Nordic Sound Academy, presentation/concert open to the public
Venue: Inter Arts Center, Bergsgatan 29, Malmö

HUNGARY
Oct 9, 21:00Macumbista performance, UH Fest, Budapest HU
Info: www.fest2010.uh.hu
Venue: Merlin, Gerlóczy utca 4, Budapest

NORWAY
Oct 11-16Regenskog/Rainforest workshop, Piksel, Bergen NO
Oct 15-16Regenskog/Rainforest installation/performance, Piksel, Bergen NO
Info: www.piksel.no/2010/09/regnskog-bergen-kjott
Workshop by invitation only, guests welcome to visit. Installation/performance open to the public as follows:
– Friday evening from 20:00
– Saturday afternoon 14:00-18:00
– Saturday evening 20:00-23:00
Venue: Bergen Kjøtt, Skutevikstorget 1, Bergen

DENMARK
Oct 21-23Neanderthal Electronics workshop, Apparat, Ålborg DK
Oct 23 20:00Macumbista performance, Apparat, Ålborg DK
Workshop registration via APPARAT
Info: www.apparatlab.dk/2010
Performance venue: Platform 4, Rapsgade 4, Ålborg

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