Month: September 2022

Last year I followed a guide on Github to create a Lom Preizor DIY electromagnetic microphone. Turned out really great. I soldered the microphone cable to the XLR connector and got the acrylic case laser cut in the 3D workshop. Then assembled the frame with the correct bolts and washers and then wrapped the copper wire around the antenna. Finally finishing with the solder of the copper wire into the microphone cable. This experience leads me to be curious about circuit bending and building further microphones or instruments/circuit bending equipment.

I was commissioned by Professor Angus Carlyle to make him one after he heard about my DIY creation so I’ll be attempting to make it better and sleeker than my previous version. I’ve already got the acrylic base cut and have ordered the parts to build it. Through making this microphone again I’ve been curious about other things I could create as a potential portfolio submission. Again I’m just letting things flow and following what I’m curious/interested in. I found this other DIY electromagnetic microphone that is a little more advanced than the Preizor and its stereo.

It’s called the Elektrosluch. There is a schematic and guide online and I think I might attempt to build it from scratch. I’ll first speak to Rory and see what he thinks. I’m unsure if it’s too complicated but I want to give it a go.

It looks rather simple but does seem to require some sort of knowledge. The guide goes step by step on how to do it so it seems pretty fool proof. I might also contact the creative tech lab downstairs and see what they think and if they have the components. I’ll also update my blog with the Preizor build I’m currently doing. I’m just waiting on parts to arrive at the moment.

The piece I’m choosing for this exercise is called Meatgrinder. A song from Madvillainy. I’m choosing this piece as this was one of the first pieces of music that opened my eyes to abstract vanguard styles of hip hop music. The album stretches between tasteful cuts of varied styles of music, looped up, chopped, and flipped into a completely new piece that pays homage to the original. Listening to this album sounds like an amalgamation of old cartoons and old music. The song Meatgrinder specifically shows this sort of aesthetic I’m speaking about.

Catalogue of attributes:

The introduction sounds like an old destroyed record playing a tv show.

It feels attractive because of the loop, feels like you’re ready to enter and tune in. It alerts the listener. The drum break Madlib has chosen alongside the sample “The jar is under the bed” Captures our attention and makes you want to nod along. It’s a crazy drum break where the player goes wild, alongside a horn instrument screaming which gives a chaotic vibe.

This goes perfectly into the first verse section, it’s very basic in comparison to the intro. Just a really attractive baseline and a shaker to give rhythm alongside bells and a nasty drum break. The drums are weaker allowing the bass line to really shine through. The rhythm section has a great swing, the balance between being on the beat and off the beat. Gives the beat a pushing sense that you fall into the pocket of the snare. As well as the mix and the sounds are chosen all sound noisy and dirty. Something I really enjoy, it sounds very DIY and authentic and creative. Non-conformitive. As well as the sample is tasteful. A ghostly slide guitar comes into the song, with sounds of mouths chewing and spitting throughout giving a textural sense to the beat. Something Madlib really does well is texture in his work. Something I want to try and use with field recordings.

In terms of the lyrics, it’s so unorthodox and intelligent, witty and complex. Alongside throwing the common hip hop/rap listeners off what they are used to. MF DOOM raps with complex rhyme schemes and a sense of uniqueness to his flow and lyrics. MF DOOM is a character and raps like one, he isn’t himself Daniel Dumile but MF DOOM the supervillain against the rap industry. The mask he wears represents being against the image and more about the music. I find the idea of making music from a different standpoint to be really interesting to me. I usually rap about how I’m feeling or my ideas and views but it might be interesting to put myself in a different point of view.

Key attributes are:

Uniqueness

Rustic

Original

LO-FI

Rough Mix

Tasteful

Breaks that knock

Passionate

Complex

Simple on the surface

Depth

Yesterday I decided to start my creative session slowly and explore things I taught myself last year. I played around with the new modules on the modular synthesis and figured out what they do. I find modular synthesis really fun to play around with, and I’m slowly getting more knowledge on how to use the modules and interact and control the signals.

I messed around and created a few patches, exported the sounds via Logic Pro X and have them in a folder now waiting to be used. I’m not sure for what reason I’ll need them but part of this process is to create constantly and see where things go. (Excuse my shakey camera it’ll be fixed soon)

Since our first lecture on Monday about our portfolio hand-in and Milo giving us an inspiring speech, I’ve been thinking about what I really want to do. I’m still not entirely sure and I feel I’m going to let my work dictate what I end up doing. I do see a possibility of my portfolio tying into my research project but I’m unsure at the current moment.

My first initial idea was one that I’ve had for a while. I’ve been meaning to create an abstract hip-hop album, inspired by Brazilian music I’ve been currently digging through and playing at my radio show on LOOSE FM. As well as my piece for the gallery 46 installation which had Brazilian music and videography installed into the space.

I’ve been wanting to create an album that encompasses my thoughts and aesthetics currently. More abstract and left-field, taking inspiration from MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt’s project Some Rap Songs, I enjoy the idea of making something without the constraints of genres or need to fit into what I think rap should sound like. More just make music and noise and see what happens.

I think the benefit of this is that it’s something I can use for my own professional career and benefit me as well as develop my skills as a creative and really push myself to create the best piece of work I’ve done so far.

I’ve also been curious about the second piece to either do a sound design element to a video or video game or a purely abstract sound piece. Perhaps relating to field recordings and what I can do with them, over the summer I’ve spent time reading and field recording and have found it a meditative practice.

I have also thoughts of doing engineering and learning mixing and recording to a better level than I currently am. I think it’s an important skill to know and I’m content at my skill level but I wish to learn more. Yesterday I purchased mixing secrets for the small studio as well as the recording secrets book and will learn the skills and apply them. I want to record instruments through the rack units in the Performance Lab and record instruments, drum kits and record musicians for myself to use in my album.

I’m curious to see the outcome of this but I think the first step is perhaps to do a lot of things and see where it leads.