Following a couple of months of circuit development it was time to reconvene with our Manchester focus group to share our developments in the studio. We set up three ‘playing stations’ with different machines and combinations of projects we had been working on. These were a) Random pulse noise machine b) Polyphonic light delay c) sequencer d)mean machine. As the circuits have become much more developed it was clear to see the focus group envisaging them more and more as instruments and we are now starting to discuss more detailed parameters and the specifics of controls and sonic/light effects. Our key discussion points in this session were;
Thinking about combinations of circuitry, which elements can exist and are more versatile on their own. For example, the delay might be better as it’s own unit rather than combined with beats
Sequencer: drum sounds sound great but needs further investigation into reset mode, and step length control through light
Random noise machine, developing the range of play-ability within the instrument specifically to do with pot control
Talked about the possibility of some sort of auxiliary matrix mixer with distortion/overdrive , and other randomised sonic features such as volume and length of sequences.
We had some good jams, look and listen …