GLITCHEDELICA is an experimental rhythmic pattern generator. Forgoing the usual drums/chords/keys convention entirely, each button and key features a different loop, drawn from Pea Hicks' personal archive of oddball instruments, electronics, and other sound sources. These can be combined and recombined in an infinite number of ways to produce a wide variety of disturbingly funky effects.
GUITARSCAPE is the first Optigan disc in an asymmetrical meter- in this case, 5/4. The chord buttons feature bass guitar riffs, with drums on the SFX rockers. The keyboard scale features clean guitar tones, and like the other discs in our "scape" series, the notes are rhythmically articulated in a variety of syncopated patterns. This makes the scale generally more suited to chords than melodic playing, but both approaches produce nice effects, either forward or in reverse. The bass patterns have been specifically written to allow for a maximum of complimentary chord button combinations, such that pressing certain buttons at the same time produces composite, complex bass patterns. And if 5/4 is a bit too odd for your needs, you can always change chords on, say, every 4th beat, and you'll get even more complex pattern cycles. All of these effects are demonstrated in this demo video.
Arranged and produced by Pea Hicks
Guitar & Bass played & recorded by Kenseth Thibideau
Drums come from the Optigan Master Tapes
Photographic imagery by Kenseth Thibideau
(http://temporaryresidence.com/artists...)"
"Also, for a very limited two-week time period only, from now until March 3rd 2016, we’re offering an opportunity to buy discs from our back-catalog. Normally we’re not able to keep these titles in stock, because historically the vendor that makes the raw discs has required a minimum order of 25 copies of any given title. Since our cost for these copies is quite high, and the demand is quite low (the Optigan has a very devoted, yet very small following mostly limited to owners of the vintage hardware), we can’t afford to buy them in such large quantities and remain thousands of dollars in the red while the orders slowly trickle in. BUT, we've established a once-a-year arrangement where the vendor is willing to take a bulk order of titles from our back catalog without requiring the usual minimum number of copies for each title. This all has to happen in one fell swoop, so we’re limiting the time frame in which folks can place their orders. Once the deadline passes, we’ll order only as many copies as we have actual orders for. It will then take a month or two to get all those copies fabricated and sent out. Your patience is appreciated! Unfortunately, we cannot offer any sort of bulk discounts or other types of custom orders beyond what is offered in our store. In the past we’ve experimented with different bundle pricing schemes, etc, so the prices set for those bundles will remain in effect. All discs will ship with the printed jackets exactly as pictured on the product page for each item."
Uploaded on Jan 19, 2008
Landscape's 'European Man', featuring Barbie Wilde.
Pea Hicks who runs Optigan.com and the MC-8 blog, has a great post up on Richard Burgess and the use of the Roland MC-8 Micro-Composer. The following are a couple of excerpts and videos for reference. Along with synth talk there are some interesting historical bits on the time including the origin of the New Romantic label and scene. Richard Burgess worked with Rusty Egan who in turn was in Visage, a band consisting of him Billy Currie and Midge Ure of Ultravox, John McGeoch of Magazine, Siouxsie & PIL (Johnny Rotten of The Sex Pistols), and others. Lot's of cross collaboration at the time. If interested you can start with Visage on wikipedia and click through the names. The post-punk New Romantic followed by New Wave movement brought synthesis to many. In Pea Hicks' interview you'll find a great audio snip with some geeky synth talk on setting values for the MC-8 - this is in an actual track.
"Pea: I’m sure to you it probably seems like a head-scratcher why anyone in this day and age would voluntarily subject himself to the hassles of dealing with ancient sync dilemmas, but for me that’s part of the fun and also it’s a way of working that inevitably produces some idiosyncratic results that you wouldn’t get by doing things the “easy way.” I’m definitely after that metronomic Human League type groove.
Richard: I think the machine definitely influences the result so I don’t see it as odd to want to use the MC8. I have thought about it myself.The same thing applies to analogue sequencers. Like I said, we synched the MC8 to the CR78 by programming a square wave to come out of the mulitplex outputs and then we adjusted the level through a console until it ran the CR78. Most of those old drum machines run on simple square waves with no flags. Getting them to run in the same time is less of a problem than getting them to start at the right time. I used the MC8 in preference to later machines because of the timing. I found early Cubase to be shaky (it’s fine now) and SMPTE Track from Hybrid Arts was very sensitive to processor load. I always liked the timing of the Linn 9000 and I still have mine. I don’t know about the DMX but the 808 should lock tight – it’s only one machine later than the CR78 if I recall correctly."
And on Shock's Angel Face:
"Richard: Oh yes, that was all me. Rusty Egan brought the group and the song and I programmed everything in my home studio and recorded it at Mayfair Studios in South Moulton St. with John Hudson engineering. It was the System 100Ms with the 10x gate modification on the bass line for sure. I did all their recordings and I wrote the rest of the songs with various members and Rusty."
You might remember Ralph Dyck as the Godfather of the Roland MC-8 MicroComposer. His home-brew sequencer served as the basis for the MC-8. See this post for a video featuring a track he wrote titled "Odd Rhythms" that was included in the MC-8 manual. Ralph Dyck was also featured for his DIY modular work in this 1972 news article.
"A couple years ago, Ralph mentioned to me that in the early-70s he had built a couple of custom analog synthesizers for local schools – UBC and Carson-Graham Senior Secondary. I attempted to contact the music departments of both of these schools. The UBC music department still had theirs, but the Carson-Graham synth was missing in action. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I get an email from Ralph that an acquaintance of his in Vancouver recognized Ralph’s handiwork in a craiglist ad for a homebrew synth- it was the long-lost Carson-Graham synth!
The asking price was only $75, but try as he might to recover it, Ralph was too late, and it was purchased by a young guy interested in making 'bloopy synth sounds.'"
Click here for the full story including audio and pics.
Side note: Pea Hicks aka peahix who wrote the article is also the man behind Optigan.com.
"Now available for pre-order at http://www.optigan.com/shoptigan/inde... is our brand new Optigan disc: SURF ROCK! When we've reached 15 pre-orders, we'll go to press with the limited run of 25 discs.
Surf's up! It's time to wax the board and catch a wave! Optigan.com is proud to present Surf Rock , featuring the vintage sounds of the 1960's surf scene. For this music program disc, we've gone into the recording studio with a couple of SoCal's best surf rockers.
Reverb enthusiast Matt Quilter is one-half of the guitar assault from the award-winning Reventlos http://www.reventlos.com/ whose quirky instro albums alternately intrigue and horrify surf music purists. In addition to his duties on guitar, he co-produced the documentary feature Pounding Surf! http://www.surfdrums.com/surfdrums.html an insider's look at the SoCal surf music scene from 1961 to the present day. For the Optigan session, he chose from his arsenal a Fender Stratocaster played through a blond Fender Tremolux and Reverb unit, both from 1963.
Lee "Kix" rarely strays from playing Death-Surf / Afro-Billy music with the Reventlos. However in days past he has recorded with world famous instrumental guitar gods, The Ventures. As a veteran of many Linn Drum sessions, Kix is no stranger to having his drums sampled for posterity. The Optigan session was recorded with vintage 1960's Oaklawn Camco drums, 20x14 bass drum and 14x5.5 metal snare. T he 12x8 and 14x10 toms used in the session were obtained when Kix was a Los Angeles Camco endorsee in the mid-70's.
Guitar and Bass played by Matt Quilter.
Drums played by William Lee "Kix".
Music arranged by Matt Quilter and William Lee "Kix".
Music produced, edited, and mastered by Pea Hicks.
Engineered and Mixed by Jon O'Brien. Recorded at The Music Box Studios, Garden Grove CA http://themusicboxstudios.com/
Disc creation software, disc production cover artwork and jacket layout by Robert Becker .
Cover artwork by Mark Crafford.
RHYTHMS: 4/4
LEFT HAND: Bass, guitar, and drums.
RIGHT HAND: Tremolo electric guitar.
SPECIAL EFFECTS SWITCHES: 1. Guitar Gliss, 2. Drums, 3. Tom-
Toms, 4. Snare Fill, 5. Guitar C Chord.
Be sure to check our other videos for a mini-documentary of the Surf Rock recording session!"
Making of the Optigan SURF ROCK Disc
"peahix — June 01, 2010 —
Here's a mini-documentary of the recording session for the Optigan SURF ROCK disc, shot and narrated by Pat Quilter, co-founder of QSC Audio Products http://www.qsc.com
Featured are Matt Quilter (Pat's brother) on bass/guitar and Lee Kix on drums. Matt and Lee are both members of The Reventlos http://www.reventlos.com. Also appearing are Pea Hicks (optigan guru), Robert Becker (new optigan disc guru) and Jon O'Brien (sound engineer).
Please see our other videos for a demo of the Optigan disc that resulted from these sessions, and visit http://www.optigan.com/shoptigan/inde... to order a copy of the disc."
Like our popular PIANOSCAPE disc, VIBRASCAPE presents the sound of the vibraphone in a uniquely Optigan fashion. The keyboard tones are arranged as a series of rhythmic patterns that create hypnotic, pulsating soundscapes when chords are played. (This disc is not particularly suited to melodic playing). The chord buttons feature sustained bowed vibraphone chords. The special effects switches help keep the groove going with a selection of rhythms from the Maestro Rhythm King MRK-2, an old-school beatbox and technological contemporary of the Optigan. Optigans equipped with a spring reverb will provide the most haunting sound, which is further enhanced by inserting the disc upside-down for backwards play.
LEFT HAND: Bowed Vibraphone.
RIGHT HAND: Vibraphone Rhythms.
SPECIAL EFFECTS SWITCHES: 1. Samba, 2. Rhumba, 3. Bossa Nova, 4. Bolero, 5. Go-Go.
Vibraphone played and recorded by Mark Greenberg
Music produced, edited, and mastered by Pea Hicks.
Disc creation software, disc production cover artwork and jacket layout by Robert Becker.
Photography by Pea Hicks."
YouTube via MellotronMovie | January 26, 2011 | 1 likes, 0 dislikes
"Pea Hicks of Optiganally Yours demonstrates the Optigan after the Museum of Making Music "Mellodrama" screening in San Diego 2010 www.optigan.com www.mellotronmovie.com"
via Pea Hicks of http://optigan.com/
"i stumbled across this old cassette i picked up somewhere, thought you might like to post it on the blog. it goes along with the first issue of a very obscure music tech rag from the mid-80s called "Music & Electronics" magazine. it was published by the same folks that brought you "99'er" and "Home Computer" magazines. It may not have survived past its first issue, as I've never actually seen a copy and a google search brings up nothing.
anyway, i only have the tape, which features musical examples to go along with the magazine articles. synths include Casio CZ-101, Yamaha DX7, Roland TR-707, etc. note that the first couple minutes of side b were recorded over by the previous owner, so i just faded in after the missing bit.
would be great to hear if anyone out there has a copy of the magazine itself!"
Update: Note the reference to "Techno Bach" at 32:15. According to wikipedia, "The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988." Yes, this is not Techno techno, but interesting. I wonder when the term "Techno" was first used in reference to any music.
If anyone out there has more info feel free to comment or send me an email and I'll updated the post.
Update:
via pea in the comments:
"YMO, "Technopolis," 1979
Kraftwerk, "Techno-Pop," 1986
the terms "techno-pop" and "techno-rock" were definitely in use before Kraftwerk's usage, though."
via electric454 in the comments:
"the b side of the Buggles single Clean, Clean from 1980 was a song called Technopop"
via Jim W on AH:
"In 1978 I co-founded Tekno Tunes indie label, Tekno Town Studio (Northampton, MA), and Tekno Tours booking. We booked acts as diverse as Buddy Rich, DNA, The Slits, Pere Ubu, & WKGB among others. The music I wrote & played from 77 - 83 as The Scientific Americans was described as " techno punk" by several major publications.
So far I haven't found an earlier instance, so for now I claim naming rights for techno as a musical genre. Actually, my music partner, Craig O'Donnell (author of Cool MAC Sounds) came up with it. We used it constantly for 5 years."
via C.R. in the comments: "The song "Techno City" is from 1984.
I think that's the first use of "techno" in the sense of techno music."
via Pea of http://optigan.com/: "saw Alan Wilder's RECOIL set last night and managed to get him to sign my Drumulator. This is the drum machine he used heavily on DM's 'Construction Time Again' album, notably on 'Everything Counts.' Also, if you listen to 'Work Hard' (a b-side), they even used the click pulse from the Drumulator as part of the rhythm track in addition to the regular drum sounds.
He told me he still has his, and dug it out recently, but it wasn't working. I also asked him why they chose the more "budget" priced Drumulator at a time when they could have afforded something a bit better like a Linn, and he said 'because we were cheap!'
also, here's a pic of the Recoil set, with Alan playing a Korg MS-20. I'm pretty sure he was just using the filter section, processing stuff from Ableton Live."
"By special request, here's another Yaz track re-created w/ the Sequential Circuits Pro-One synth. The original actually has a fair amount of ARP 2600 in it, which means that the sounds in my version are a bit hit-and-miss, but I was able to get reasonably close with most of the sounds. My starting point for this was four patches posted at http://www.unease.se/proone.htm which I modified to get closer to the original sounds. The kick is the same patch from the Vince Clarke magazine article that I used on "Only You." All the other sounds I programmed from scratch. Everything was sequenced in Cubase, and the Pro-One sounds were recorded one at a time via a Kenton Pro Solo MIDI/CV interface.
Note that, as with 'Only You,' the original recording is actually pitched a bit sharp. I've decided to record my versions at concert pitch (A440) for the sake of keeping things standard.
The snare, clap (heavy reverb), and hi-hat (heavy flanging) are all 808. The kick and toms are Pro-One.
For the record, I don't view these re-creations as "covers" or creative projects. They're more like jigsaw puzzles to me. A way to challenge my ear, a way to find out the limits of my limited gear, and a way to try to get into the head of musicians/producers I admire. Otherwise, they're relatively pointless and aren't meant to be creative statements in and of themselves.
Here you can download my midi file and patch sheets if you want to have a go and make your own version. Just let me know and give me a mention if you post your version anywhere. https://www.dropbox.com/s/s5342gtfi6o...
Thanks again to frankperri.com for the blank patch sheets!"
Here's a hot new sound for the 1970s, straight from New York City! Mesmerizing musical kaleidoscopes throb from East Village loft windows and trendy art gallery doors, where less is definitely more More MORE! And you can be right there on the scene with the new Optigan Minimalism program disc!
Your left hand conducts a tight ensemble of organ, flute, saxophones and bass clarinet- pulsing bass on the special effect tabs, and whirling arpeggios on the chord buttons. Your right hand plays vocal solfege melodies, sung for you by none other than Tara Busch of AnalogSuicide.com!
So fill up your glass and take a deep, satisfying gulp from the sonic ocean of Minimalism!
Performance Notes:
The Optigan Minimalism program disc was arranged specifically to allow for a large variety of extended harmonies by pressing two or more chord buttons simultaneously. For instance, holding down C Maj and E Min will produce a C Maj7 chord. G Maj and D Min combined will produce a G9 chord. Also, since the basslines on the special effects tabs contain no thirds, they can be used equally well in major or minor keys. Let your own imagination be your guide, and make your own kind of music!
Music arrangement and production by Pea Hicks Vocal solfege scale sung and recorded by Tara Busch Disc creation software, disc production cover artwork and jacket layout by Robert Becker
Rhythms: 4/4 LEFT HAND: Electric organ, flute, saxophones, bass clarinet. RIGHT HAND: Female vocal solfege. SPECIAL EFFECTS SWITCHES: 1. Bb Bass 2. F Bass 3. C Bass 4. G Bass 5. D Bass."
Uploaded on Jan 7, 2009 by tuneup89 - The track is from 1984.
Along the lines of the recent post in via Pea Hicks on the story of a Roland MC-8, we have a story of the actual LinnDrum used in the track for the video above by November Group. That's the LinnDrum pictured to the left. This one comes in via XBS where you'll find the full post.
"The Linndrum we have has a long and illustrious lineage! It was originally owned by a good friend of mine who is now a great painter ( Alvan Long )! He is also a drummer and was in several boston bands long before my time! Here’s a Pure No Wave Gem from one of those bands called The November Group"
The bad news is it sat unused for 15 years with leaking battery and blown caps. The good news is it was brought back to life by Forat. Click through above for more pics and the full post.
"Here's your chance to own a monster keyboard - that originally retailed for $13k - at a tiny fraction of that price! $500 (or best offer). Anyone seriously interested in this item is probably already well-versed in its history, but you can find out all about it here. This particular K250 works fine and has the A, B, C and D soundblocks installed. Ideally the keys need to be reset/rebalanced, as the action is a little uneven, but all the keys work. There's one missing slider cap, but this doesn't affect performance. The original stand, pedal/ power supply unit and manuals (not pictured) are included. The little Yamaha monitor in the pic is NOT included, but is available seperately if you're interested in it. Due to the size of this item, I will NOT be able to ship it. It's available for pickup at my house near downtown San Diego."
Here's something you do not see everyday. It was sent my way via Pea Hicks of optigan.com. If you are not familiar with the Voder, it was a 1939 speech synthesizer from Bell Lab's. Yes, that is correct, the year 1939. You can find some previous posts including demos here. This brochure is as rare as it gets. It's hard to believe it exists in this condition. The auction description follows:
"A Vintage / Original 1940 New York WORLD'S FAIR Bell System Exhibit BROCHURE / BOOKLET of The VODER - The Worlds First Voice Electronic Synthesizer. The Bell Telephone Laboratory's Voder (from Voice Operating Demonstrator) was the first attempt to electronically synthesize human speech by breaking it down into its acoustic components. It was invented by Homer Dudley in 1937–1938 and developed on his earlier work on the vocoder. The quality of the speech was limited; however, it demonstrated the synthesis of the human voice, which became one component of the vocoder used in voice communications for security and to save bandwidth.
As found recently, it measures aprx 6" x 9".
Visually it appears to be in nice original condition showing light overall wear w/ some light creasing & a soft vertical fold/crease down the center (see pics)."
"A couple years ago, Ralph mentioned to me that in the early-70s he had built a couple of custom analog synthesizers for local schools – UBC and Carson-Graham Senior Secondary. I attempted to contact the music departments of both of these schools. The UBC music department still had theirs, but the Carson-Graham synth was missing in action. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I get an email from Ralph that an acquaintance of his in Vancouver recognized Ralph’s handiwork in a craiglist ad for a homebrew synth- it was the long-lost Carson-Graham synth!
via Pea of http://optigan.com/:
He told me he still has his, and dug it out recently, but it wasn't working. I also asked him why they chose the more "budget" priced Drumulator at a time when they could have afforded something a bit better like a Linn, and he said 'because we were cheap!'
"The Linndrum we have has a long and illustrious lineage! It was originally owned by a good friend of mine who is now a great painter ( Alvan Long )! He is also a drummer and was in several boston bands long before my time! Here’s a Pure No Wave Gem from one of those bands called The November Group"
This officially marks THE FIRST Synth Giraffe post EVER! Update: Make that the first post to inspire a label. Looks like I had it's baby here.
