Art + Music + Technology

Tim Weaver is one of the people in my life that inspires me - but also pushes me into things that might be challenging. He helped me get into grad school, helped me get a gig teaching and is always helping me out with my academic stuff. But beyond that, he is an artist with a very particular method to his work: he uses biological data as the spine of his work. Whether it is using protein data for melodic moves, or using the structure of a moth as an instrument to be played, biology always plays an important role within his work. And it makes sense - because Tim is a trained biologist. The path that he took from protein-geek to art-geek is quite fascinating, and he spells it all out in this podcast. Additionally, we talk about the difficulties in having artist works with scientists (which can be more significant that you'd think). Enjoy! If you'd like to find out more about Tim's work, you can check out an overview at http://www.primamateria.org/ or get more detail at http://tweaver.biotica.org/.

I first met Nick Ciontea at a Max/MSP/Jitter workshop in Madison WI, and it was clear at the time that he was (creatively) on fire. He wanted to know about everything, and wanted to understand how it all worked together. In my experience, people with this attitude end up doing great things... Well, in fact, Nick has done just that, but in a very unexpected way. He decided to focus on live video art, but did so by being one of the first people to embrace the LZX modular video system. As a result, he was doing work unlike most others, and it ended up getting him a lot of attention. As a result, he's been doing work for a number of high-profile artists, doing live gigs around the world, and doing work preparing video for large-scale shows. And all of this happened over the course of three years! This is a great podcast for people that are wondering how to get into video art, but is also a great discussion for peple that are not sure if their hard work will make artistic sense. I really enjoyed this discussion, a

I was having an email chat with Mark Vail when he suggested that I think about an interview with Tim Caswell, one of the founders of Studio Electronics. I jumped at this chance, since I've long been a fan of SE's work, and wanted a chance to find out more about the start of the company and what it is going to do for the future. The discussion was wonderful, and I got a chance to dig into Tim's head about design (and especially filter design), old-school music and new-school electronics. Additionally, we find out a little about Studio Electronic's future product plan (a scoop!!!), and learn more about Korg filters than anyone has a right to know! I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did; Tim is a gracious and thoughtful synth designer, and it was an honor to be able to talk to him.

I first met Dan (virtually) regarding my ArdCore Arduino-based module (www.20objects.com/ardcore) - a master's project for DU that helped me graduate. Dan was into it, built it from the breadboard up, then asked me if he could develop a commercial version. I gave him the thumbs-up, and the Euro ArdCore was born. But from that contact, I started looking into his effects and chaotic modules - you can check them out at snazzyfx.com - and sort of fell in love with the whole concept. Dan talks about his background and his conceptual basis for his work. But there is also an interesting subtext: his concern about creating complex modules in a world that tends to preference instant gratification. It's an interesting area of discussion, and worth considering as the modular market continues to grow in size and importance. This is a good opportunity to point people to the MuffWiggler forum, where Dan has his own SnazzyFX subforum. If you want to interact with him and his users, that's a good place to start. Enjoy!

One concept that has come up several times in previous podcasts is the Deep Listening movement, a system of applied listening focus that was developed and is championed by today's guest, Pauline Oliveros. Ms. Oliveros was kind enough to spend a little time explaining the history, concepts and futures of Deep Listening, and helped me get a better feel for what is involved - and how it can help ones artistic perspective. I'll admit something here - I was a little flustered during this conversation. Pauline is a personal 'hero', and her history places her in the center of many of the things I hold dear. So please forgive me if I'm a little gushy... If you want more information, please check out the books mentioned in the podcast, or visit deeplistening.org (for Deep Listening information) and paulineoliveros.us (for information on Pauline's work). Podcast #40! Thanks to everyone for their support, all of the kind emails and social media messages that I get, and for your continued listenership. You all make this

Last week I mentioned that I had a release out on PoL with my long time collaborator, Gregory Taylor. I decided that, if I was going to mention it, I should also record a conversation with Gregory for the podcast. So here it is. Gregory is an incredible fount of knowledge about many things, but an interesting aspect of this is that much of his knowledge comes from experience. In this conversation, we focus on 'how we become the people we are', and we get an insider's view of the Cassette Culture world. This was a great chat, and I'm glad to be able to share it with you. Enjoy! BTW - you can check out his radio at WORTFM.org; the show streams live on Sunday evenings from 9-11 pm (CST), but the shows are also archived for a week for you to catch up. I find something new each week that I listen, and suggest that you give it a try.

As an electronic music-head, I've been using computers, DAW's, synths and other tech crap for decades now. However, one of my favorite software packages is a program that doesn't try to do everything - in fact, its creator steadfastly refuses to take one certain tasks that he doesn't feel belong in his bit of code. That creator is Jim Coker, and the software is Numerology (found at five12.com). I started using this at version 1, and it is now up to version 3 (with 4 right around the corner). In this podcast, I take the opportunity to corner Jim, talk to him about his background, his vision of the software/hardware combo, and his view of the future. This is another case where I've known someone for a long time, but this is the longest conversation we've ever had. What's wrong with me? I need to spend more time with these people!!! Enjoy!

Tom Hall is one of my ‘pocket’ favorite artists, and I’m pleased that he was willing to be interviewed. His music is a blend of many influences, but the end result is very particularly his own. We talk about his background growing up in Tasmania, touring off his MySpace connections and even his favorite guitar pedals (as a non-guitarist).It all ends up quite a lot of fun, and informative as well. If you’ve not yet heard Tom’s work, the best place to start is at tomhall.com.au. Try it out - I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Brad Garton is the head of the CMC (Computer Music Center) at Columbia University, but he doesn't wear any of the pomp that such a position might imply. He's an engaging, fun and funny guy that is always up for a rousing chat. The weird thing is that, well, he doesn't think he is very interesting! How wrong could a guy be? We skate around his history coming up through the computer music ranks, talk about the current setup at Columbia, discuss the position of code as artistic content - and even get into the future of books. All of this in an hour - what a ride! Even if you aren't into academics, you will find this to be a cool view of the world, and you can get a sense of how people help others to succeed. In fact, this is probably the thing that Brad excels at (beyond cutting code): he is able to help students, co-workers and collaborators focus on the thing they are best at, then helps them to acquire the tools necessary to nail it. Thats a skill that we should all seek. Enjoy!

I've long been a fan of Robert Rich's, and we've gotten to know each other over the years - mainly through hang-outs at the NAMM trade show. But this is easily the longest conversation we've ever had, and it's a treat to have him share his background, his philosophy of art creation, and his views on community and sharing. Robert is one of the most thoughtful people I've ever known, and this podcast reveals some of the depth that makes Robert a special artist. If you are looking for Hot New Modular tips, this might not be the interview for you. But if you struggle with releasing your work, or if you are wondering how to engage with others in our increasingly virtual world, you may find Robert's words both an inspiration and a comfort. Damn, I'm going on a bit. Listen to the conversation and hopefully you'll find something to help you grow - just as I did.  

This is an interview with Jeff Snyder (of Synderphonics), the creator of the Manta instrument interface, and a performer in several New York groups. Jeff shares his history with us, from a young Minnesotan learning about Elliot Sharp and John Zorn through his tenure at Columbia under Brad Garton and Douglas Reppeto. And, through all of this, he seemed bound and determined to create instruments that would allow him to move past the typical bracketing of the classical musical world. This was an interesting and inspiring conversation, and one that's got me thinking about how I create the tools that I use. I hope it is equally inspiring to you. Enjoy!

Les Stuck is one of my teachers - but he probably doesn't really know it. Everytime I speak with him, I find my mind expanded, and he subtly points me in directions I need to go. He has fulfilled this role for many others; at Mills College, he has helped many people find their way through the jungles of Media Art. In this conversation, we cover a lot of ideas about doing media for dancers - one of Les' specialties. In talking about this, we also end up exploring the development process, what works in collaboration with dancers and choreographers, and how to prepare for performance. A great chat with a quiet but strong artist. Enjoy!

I couldn't believe it. I got an email message from Todd Reynolds that he was coming to Denver and wanted to get together. I asked him if he'd be up for a podcast-chat, and he agreed enthusiastically. I met up with him and a friend for breakfast, then we retired to the work space at DU to have a chat. I've been wanting to corner him on some of his processes - as well as his background - and came away having completely enjoyed the morning. I don't want to give away too much, but if you don't already know Todd's work, you should spend a little time tracking it down. It bridges the gaps between classical, experimental and electronic music, and is as influenced by world music as by Shostakovich. Todd is one of the best musicians I've ever seen play, and I consider it an honor to know him as a friend. I hope you enjoy this talk as much as I enjoyed having it!

I've been working with Mike Metlay, in some capacity, for almost two decades. Mike is one of the people that I know that represent a fount of knowledge about the history and current vector of electronic music. I've been wanting to record a conversation with him where we could talk about the history of the internet and early media arts. Mike was over to my home studio to do some research for Recording Magazine, we needed to take a break; we grabbed a recorder, hopped in my truck, and headed out for dinner. Of course, the recorder (a Tascam DR-07 mk2 - now considered an offical EVIL DEVICE to me) gave me a lot of grief and provided some pretty poor audio. But we also get to capture Mike in full-on, ultra-opinionated, ultra-open mode. Once I pieced together all of the segments, we end up with almost an hour and a half of interview time, and fly all over the place. You see: Mike likes to talk, I like to remember, and the next thing you know we are in full-on 'old guy radio' mode. During an early part of the conve

In my first two-person podcast, I meet with Pete Dowling and Matt Jackson of Surreal Machines (http://www.surrealmachines.com). Pete and Matt have just released a new MFL-based Live pack, and I hit them up for an explanation of the concept, a discussion about what it is like to collaborate on this kind of project, and how one might ever be satisfied with ones work. This is a revealing interview that provides insight on code-based collaborations. If you haven't gotten a chance to test drive the Dubmachines Live pack, you should give it a try. The two devices are cool to work with, and have a very unique sound (and vibe) to them. Enjoy!

Reza Ali is someone that seems to have infected the brains of a lot of people I respect. His visual work as a solo artist is quite compelling, but he has also worked with many names (other artists as well as commercial companies) that you know very well. He was kind enough to take some time out of his schedule for a nice chat, and we ended up diving into interesting branches of art, creative coding and the art-tech life. When working with visual artists, I like to be able to provide some links to their work. Here are things that Reza has available online: His blog: http://www.syedrezaali.com/blog/ His Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/rezaali His most recent showing: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/codame-featured-artist-reza-ali-showcase-tickets-11362277879 Enjoy!

Often, when we think of art/music technology, we imagine that people get into it by watching YouTube videos, or seeing things in concerts, or through some other indirect method. But often, a hands-on experience is what lights people off in a new direction, and Jason Kramer is at the heart of that process. He is the co-owner and in-store manager of Control Voltage, one of the few US stores that carry modular and analog synth gear, and on a daily basis he has the opportunity to introduce people to the gear of their future. It was fun to talk to Jason - an incredibly personable guy - about how a community develops around art/tech, what it's like to run a store filled with dreamy gear, and what he thinks needs to happen in the music world. This was an in-store interview, so it is a little echo-y, but the interview is well worth it!

I first met Mark Verbos when I was selling a Roland MC-202, and he was looking for analog gear. Soon thereafter, we ran into each other in the basement of Grant Richter's house, where we both were hanging out and talking smart about the upcoming Wiard modular system. We continued to see each other over the years (often at trade shows - especially AES when it was in New York), and kept in touch. I watch him grow from analog-gearhead to repairman of the Buchla Stars to a great designer in his own right. But neither I nor anyone else was prepared for the storm that occurred early this year, when he announced the Verbos modular system for Eurorack. In this interview, we dive into his background (from live PA guy through industry engineer/producer), hear how he learned electronics (from Grant), got advice (from Don Buchla) and came to be one of the most exciting designers in analog music electronics. We also take the time to chuckle at how we each got to where we are. This provided a great chance to get caught up

Sorry about the missing podcast last week - I was working up in Portland, and was a little network challenged. Now I'm snuggled at home in the middle of a mid-spring snow storm, and am remembering the Pacific Northwest quite fondly. This week we talk to Ben Bracken. I wanted to talk to Ben for a number of reasons: he's a graduate of Mills' MFA program (which has an incredible history in the electronic music sphere), he has done almost every type of art and music imaginable, and he is an active collaborator. Currently, he is working with Ashley Bellouin on installations and performances that feature handmade instruments, and the work is quite compelling. So I take the chance to quiz Ben on his Mills experience, how he manages working in so many environment, and how he is able to manage collaboration. A great and informative talk, and one that is sure to teach you something!

I mention it during the intro, during the interview and during the outro - I'm a fanboy of the work of Olivier Gillet. As the designer/developer behind Palm App "Bhajis Loops" and "Microbe" (as Chocopoolp) and the Mutable Instruments modules (with Braids as one of my alltime favorite modules), Olivier is on the front lines of music technology creativity. If you haven't yet heard of his work, I'm glad to be introducing you to him. In this interview, we talk about Chocopoolp's creation, how this morphed into Mutable instruments, and how a DSP-trained student became a leader in the mostly-analog world of modular synthesizers. We also learn a little about how he works, and where he is taking Mutable for the future. The conversation flys around a bit, but Olivier keeps me on track... Enjoy!