For this work, I failed to follow directions and I failed to meet the deadline. However, I had fun. :-) I first took both tracks provided to us (I was to have selected one of them) and combined them into one track with the first track in the left channel, and the second track in the right channel. I then threw every software plugin I’ve ever bought and paid for onto the two sides … I don’t work “in the box” very often, so this is my tiny concept of “complicating” something … over-processing it to the point that it becomes essentially noise. Once I had that process complete, I mixed it down to a mono track. I then decided to treat recording it as a field recording exercise. I played it back on my laptop computer with its tinny speakers, and utilized a contact microphone to even further decimate the audio. I processed this microphone in realtime utilizing my modular synthesizer. I created a simple audio path of the left channel patched through a high pass filter, and multed through a low pass filter (effectively creating a notch filter), and then multing the microphone again to an envelope follower which opened and closed both sides of the filters. While all of this was taking place, I concurrently played back the original recording of “Complexification0010SH” on my desktop computer and tried to focus my listening on it exclusively … all the while hooked up to my Soundmachines BI1brainterface which monitored my brainwaves and converted them into CV messages to distribute throughout my modular. I selected specific waves to manipulate the filters further, and also used them to disrupt the signal flow through my reverb and delay. I manipulated nothing in real-time with my hands other than moving the contact microphone twice; once at about 3:15 to move from recording my heavily processed track playing on the laptop to the speakers on my desktop playing “Complexification0010SH,” and again moving the microphone when that song finished to place it against my chest to record my heartbeat which can be heard closing this track. I did not use headphones or monitor recording during this performance and instead relied 100% on the source material and my brainwaves to move things forward.
More on this 188th Disquiet Junto project (“Take a provided track and make it more complex”) at:
http://disquiet.com/2015/08/06/disquiet0188-complexcomplex/
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
http://disquiet.com/junto/
Join the Disquiet Junto at:
http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/
Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:
http://disquiet.com/forums/
(NOTE: I did not utilize this image)
Image associated with this project from the notes that accompany the album Complexification (Entr’acte), by Guy Birkin and Sun Hammer, and on which project is based.
More on Complexification:
http://entracte.co.uk/projects/guy-birkin–sun-hammer-e187/