As I look to the coming year, I’m realizing I have many things in the works right now, and likely too much. There’s no danger in having an endless, constantly added to list of things to do and learn… but on occasion you are working within deadlines.
In 2019 I have a hard deadline I’ve created for myself. I need to have a studio recording of CORM completed. I don’t want the work to be lost in past live performances, as the documentation I gathered of my performances were far from ideal. In 2020, it’ll get a bit more interesting. I’d like to finish some releases, I have some tech to develop/learn, and a short tour in the works with RM Francis, planned for Spring 2020 leading up to the SuperCollider symposium at Wesleyan (March 27-29).
For the past number of years, I’ve put a lot less time aside to work on recording and releasing new work. It hasn’t been entirely intentional; it’s been more due to needing to prioritize other projects and being more focused on creating live performance work. In 2020 I hope to finish 3 releases: one as LIMITS, one as Spare Death Icon, and a solo JEA Supercollider/synth release.
The LIMITS release will basically be a compilation of my last 5 years of studio work, most of which has been presented live, but its important that its recorded as it defines a significant part of the LIMITS universe that can live beyond performance. Fortunately most of this is recorded, but the challenge is assembling the puzzle in such a way, that it reinforces what we’ve created.
The Spare Death Icon release will be less of a conceptual challenge. The SDI will be a sequel to a prior work Highlander/Seahorse. For years now the working title has been Highlander II. I imagine I’ll utilize SC to create it, but I’ll focus on very simple structures.
The new SuperCollider controlled synth based experiments. I’m curious about a few things:
- Deep control of the zeroscillator synth
- Modulation of the signal within sc that becomes cv pitch for oscillators
- Voice resynthesis via SC to an oscillator
- SC virtual ugens/oscillators > audio out as modulators
- Stereo filters
For these things I just purchased two new modules: a new synthesizers.com q107a State Variable Filter, and an Octal Linear VCA Model 1510 (which is 8 linear VCAs). But I don’t plan to necessarily restrict myself to modular synth. I’m actually hoping to break that tenancy to of approaching my work from a sort of ‘purist’ standpoint. In preparation for this, and a desire to have some polyphony, I’ve ordered the Vecoven 4.x PWM mod for my Roland MKS-70. If I don’t brick the thing, I’ll likely snag the MPG-70 controller to have real access to parameters.
I’m also working on some tech for new instruments and some designs for both live performances and for a specific dance/installation project.
- SC brain on a Pi with a Teensy for using sensors to control SC and/or modular, MIDI or DIY circuits
- Teensy Quad sound system and or processing, activated by sensors
- Pi system that uses the ribbon cameras, for 4 channels of video capture/streaming
- A lighting system that can be used for LIMITS and for the dance/installation.