and uploading them to YouTube. Purpose is simple and triple:
- Share the joy of music with you, so that you may be inspired to play (or play more).
- Document my own internal mental state, so I can rewatch in the future and be aware of how I was articulating performance techniques, sound experimentation, and so on.
- Show off these awesome soft synth + effect plugin makers' creations. Even if they're just demo versions.
For example, I had a great time emulating glitch piano a la Ryuichi Sakamoto + Alva Noto thanks to Sugar Bytes Artillery. Haven't decided if I'm going to buy the full thing yet but maybe it helps someone out there make a more informed buying decision. (The official video they have is pretty helpful, and not slick in a deceptive way… hate those.)
Also, here I am showing off a demo version of Lennar Digital's Sylenth 1, it's got some really phat sounds reminiscent of the Access Virus and the combo FX remind me of Novation's "All effects onboard!" pioneering.
There'll be lots more and some I won't blog about here, so check them all out on Torley's YouTube channel and subscribe to be auto-apprised of future releases.
I film these on my Mac using ScreenFlow, which makes it easy to capture webcam + screen. Then you can see what my physical input's consequences are. I know I could edit further and I'm perfectly damn well capable of that… but that's not my intention, spontaneous creation is.
Special thanks to Synthtopia for sharing a number of these, like my 37-min. tour of a lot of the Native Instruments' Pro-53 sounds.
It's also my hope that when we've evolved to a generation that is as far beyond today's soft synths as we are beyond the keyboards Emerson and Wakeman grew up with, people will watch these and laugh at how primitive it all once was, before solemn smiles creep upon their faces and they pay tribute to their ancestors.
(And no, I didn't pay an actor to play stuff for me and air-keyboarded it. That is inevitably going to come up someday so I need to address it NOW.)
P.S. My watermelon pants come from Wal-Mart, my shirts originated from Thailand.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
When I was listening to you demo these programs, I was paying more attention how I felt the sounds (the loops and sounds you were using) as opposed to listening to the notes your were hitting. I usually just listen at the cool melodies you construct, but not this time. I think it was because of the pretty cool, phat, and originality of the sounds you were displaying. I noticed how some of them rang differently in my ears, I felt some more in my chest, sometimes my triceps, or down my back. Listening is such a visceral thing when you make your body an aural canvas I guess…
This reminded me of a documentary I watched several months ago. Have you heard of a percussionist named Evelyn Glennie? If not, I think it would be well worth your time to watch her documentary "Touch the Sound". I was able to watch it because I have Netflix and it is available for instant streaming, but I'm sure it is still easily available through Amazon. This film honestly changed my life is various aspects. Of course, you probably heard that from many people from many other situations, but I think I'm stumped on how to explain its power without writing a story, or not being biased/prejudice. The way you talk about how The Fat Man on Game Audio had an impact on you from its tastefulness and sweet anecdotes of creativity reminds me of how I felt of Touch the Sound. She has explains her unique perspectives of creativity and listening.
I saw a short demonstration she has at http://www.ted.com after I watched Touched the Sound, but it is not as in depth as the the documentary.
Those glitch effects were really sweet on a more related note. They have the potential to create so many types of atmospheres (for more ambient pieces) and spontaneous emotion (for more song-like pieces).
@Alexis I haven't heard of Evelyn Glennie but shall look her up, thanks for the recommendation! I always enjoy hearing people share their creative processes — there's so much that's visceral and internalized which may not be able to be effectively explained in words alone, so any other languages (using your body, music) help share what's going on inside of you.
Intentional glitches are fun!