20:46 it starts with square waves struggling to come in
he's standing at a table with a bunch of wires coming out that are red and green.
some pitch bends squeel up and then return and disappear. it's almost as though the square wave, which is coming in and out, is struggling to find resonance, like blowing on a bottle
it was in the back right part of the room, and now, the front left has a crushed flippity accompaniment.
far in the back, the veil of a thrumming pulse. is it possible that's the fan up at the top of the chapel?
now the squares come down low
now we have a pulse that's expanding out from in. there's a bit of a bass resonance. it has the feeling of a signal occasionally making contact. the deep bass is satisfying.
this one is enjoyable. there are pulses, but they are not all obeyed. it's like the oscillators each have their own motion.
how is somax2 involved here?
ok, I'm really digging this now. it's gently building a space that resonates in the quiet. it reminds me of swampcore.
now there's a skittering traveler buzzing behind me, going around the room.
the resonance is turned up high.
it threatens to break through - reminds me of a prelude to tristen perich loud circuits
there's the cycle of inner to out ...
and now, silence
some major tenths
TODO does Somax2 require pretraining before something like this #Question
Juan Parra Cancino studied Composition at the Catholic University of Chile and Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. In 2014, he completed a PhD at Leiden University with his thesis “Multiple Paths: Towards a Performance Practice in Computer Music.”
A guitarist trained in Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft, Parra has received grants from NFPK, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, and the International Music Council. Founder of The Electronic Hammer, Wiregriot, and Three States of Wax, he collaborates with Jan Michiels, Hermes Ensemble, and others. A researcher at Orpheus Institute since 2009, he currently serves as Regional Director for Europe of the International Computer Music Association (2022–2026).
#ComposerPerson/Harald Bode
Harald Bode (1909–1987) was a seminal figure in the history of electronic and computer music, whose work laid foundational principles for voltage-controlled synthesis and modular design. Trained in physics and mathematics, Bode began designing electronic instruments in 1935, including the innovative Warbo-Formant Organ and later the Melodium, both precursors to fully electronic sound generation.
After WWII, he introduced the Melochord, one of the earliest post-war electronic instruments, which was later installed at the Studio für Elektronische Musik in Cologne. In 1954, Bode emigrated to the U.S., joining the Estey Organ Company, where he helped design advanced electronic organs and explored cost-effective mass production techniques.
Bode’s most influential contribution came in 1960 with his Audio System Synthesizer, the first modular synthesizer to implement control voltage—an approach that shaped the development of modern synthesis. This work directly inspired figures like Bob Moog and Don Buchla. Bode also developed core audio processors such as the ring modulator, frequency shifter, and vocoder, many of which remain essential tools in electronic and computer music.
A relentless innovator, Bode later embraced digital computing, developing hardware and software on early home computers. His legacy endures in the architecture of sound synthesis and the ethos of exploratory design.
#Description
Harald Bode’s impact on the history of electronic music, particularly through his innovative design of musical instruments, is undeniable. Closely examining his diaries and interviews reveals his continuous pursuit of being a ‘well-rounded’ individual, which involved nurturing his creativity across various domains. This performance is the result of research conducted on Bode's musical output, specifically focusing on the reconstruction and preparation for a performance of the first section of his Phase 6. Through this experimental interpretation, the aim is to learn from Bode’s compositions and recordings, thereby deepening and broadening our understanding of his creative process beyond the musical tools he designed. The performance expands Bode’s initial sonic and musical palette by incorporating a digital component based on IRCAM’s Somax2, where a number of sonic elements related to the broader sound world of Harald Bode are analysed, recombined and incorporated to the live performance.
