Sorry for the silence throughout the last weeks but I am still in the process collecting a few interesting pieces for my next release. Despite my focus on computer based stuff, the new release won’t contain a single sound produced by software. As soon as I have received the last 2 items, I’ll start working. Thanks for your patience! TO users: The final part of Love your Tenori-On will be online within the next couple of days. Again sorry for the delay!

Today’s late night news from London has blown me away. The Glam Machine and mad scientist Dave were on BBC News! Now, how cool is that? I knew this box was going to be a star and Dave,… your hardhat deserves a design award.

Watch the video: A visit at Dave’s Noise Laboratory (DNL)

It was just coincidence when Peter Kirn asked me to do a Tenori-On interview for his createdigitalmusic blog and I came across this video. Though being a laptop music evangelist, I was immediately on fire.

A few days later I found myself in conversation with Dave, who made this crazy box. We had a chat about a new custom made device for one of my later projects. I guess the rather unconventional situation made my briefing look a bit vague: retro, weird noise, sampling option, impressive amount of knobs and LEDs, just a mixture between Perry Rhodan and Kraftwerk. Enjoy reading the final technical outline of the ‘Glam Machine’…

“The instrument will consists of three main sections: two modified toys and a lo-fi sampler. The first toy is a complex modern educational toy that can be altered to produce amazing organic soundscapes, sweeping orchestral sounds and strange percussive loops. It also has a stereo output, which is rather nice. The second toy, in contrast to the mellow tones of the first, produces harsher sounding staccato blips, crunches and bleeps. This section can also make several different animal sounds. The sampler can record up to 20 seconds of audio, either as one long sound or four shorter ones. This is useful as the unpredictable nature of circuit bending can sometimes make it difficult to recall a particular sound. Last but not least: there is also a loop function.” Any questions? :)

More info about Dave’s spectacular projects at: www.nervoussquirrel.com

What you see here might admittedly look a bit like a remote control for some sort of crazy 60’s particle accelerator but Dave (the creator) promised me clearly I should not be afraid working with it. Dave is cool, so I trust him.

Thanks to his latest trick as well as some impressive amount of coffee this dark-red work in progress circuit bending beauty will soon be with me in order to shorten my nights where I expect to do some extraordinary experimentations with (hopefully meaningful) noise.

You think this can’t be wrong? Let’s see.

1. A few years ago I have decided to go ‘pro mobility’ which for me means a) not more than 3 pieces to make music (3 = headphones, soundcard, laptop) plus b) it all has to fit into a single messenger bag. Well, with this wooden box I am everything but mobile but don’t worry, I’ll take it only for sampling. Fine!

2. According to my personal theory about the - how I call it - ‘global sound pollution problem’ (far too much music everywhere - btw: great to see even Mr. Byrne sharing this opinion in an interview about his “Playing The Building” sound installation) I shouldn’t even bring this lady in red  … more » »