Algorithmic, stereo. Composed with Csound.

Shape07

nematostella_2025_6

A quick example using the first of three Morphagene reels I made using existing recordings of IPA phonemes. This one uses the vowels reel. The Morphagene is being manipulated by various Wogglebug outputs. A bit of the way through, I add delay processing with Mimeophon. Reverb: CXM 1978.

The three reels (vowels, consonants, a diaphonemes) are available on Freesound: https://freesound.org/people/DaveSeidel/packs/43523/

IPA Vowels Morphagene Reel example

Demo of current setup, prepping for Wire Factory (Lowell, MA) show on June 7. The central devices are the Ciat-Lonbarde Clicker and the Ciat-Lonbarde Peterlin. There is some serious low-frequency content.

Multinoise in-progress demo

My version of a chaconne, an application of a bit of Henry Cowell's ideas for rhythm (as previously embodied in Leon Theremin's Rhythmicon). Written using a seven-note subset of a microtonal Meta-Slendro scale. This is my first published work to incorporate percussion (albeit synthesized or sampled)

This was recorded in a single take. There is post-processing (mixing and mastering) but no edits or overdubs. Some effects are digital, but all sound sources are analog, as are some of the effects.

Layers:
- a cloud of tones from two Wingie2 resonators, triggered by chaotic/stochastic triggers
- a slow repeating melody rendered on modular synth (XPO + DPO) with multiple layers in unison (including a layer processed by the Cosmodio Glitch Witch pitch-modulated fuzz pedal), using Make Noise 0-Ctrl as sequencer
- a bass line that follows the melody, produced by the EAE Prismatic Wall resonator pedal with the Red Panda Labs Radius ring modulator, also driven by the 0-Coast 
- synthetic percussion, a combination of the Neutral Labs Scrooge (triggered by the Beast-Tek Amoeba and Mystic Circuits IDUM modules) and Disting EX sample playback (also triggered by Amoeba)

Image credit: https://throughlightandtime.com/ldn-122-lrgb-dr-350-29-june-2025-2/

A Furious Calm

Sonification of sea anemone larvae. Part of the EU project SHORES (https://shores.pt)

nematostella_2025_7_organ

My first investigation into musical interaction with computers. In 1997, after growing impatient with improvisation over jazz harmonic progressions, I searched for other ways to organize improvised music performance. The software was written in Max, recording notes played on an acoustic vibraphone via MIDI. Melodic lines and chords were stored sequentially, and rephrased by the use of an independent rhythm generator. The rhythm generator was based on aleatoric recombination of small rhythmic cells formalized from my own improvisation style at the time. For each rhythmic trigger, the next note or chord in the sequence was played back via MIDI. As the melodic sequence would grow as fast as I played new notes, I also made mathods to clear the memory and start over. This enabled a "catch up and come closer to me" switch that I could key to the software when needed. Playback of MIDI data was in this recording made on a Yamaha Disklavier. 

FollowMe1997

A heavy, multilayered drone tuned to 60 Hz. Made with modular synth (mostly Make Noise Shared System, with Mutable Rings and 4ms SMR) and pedals (WMD Geiger Counter, 4ms Noise Swash). This was created as a single live take with no overdubs. I will probably update this description soon with details of the patch and signal path.

The result was convolved with IRs recorded at the Pool of the Black Star at the Manitoba Legislative in Winnipeg, CA. The IR's were created by Edouard Morin-Fournier who kindly made them available via Hainbach (see https://www.patreon.com/posts/impulse-of-pool-28297187). For more information, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitoba_Legislative_Building#Pool_of_the_Black_Star.

I did the convolution using my csound-convolver tool, available from https://github.com/DaveSeidel/music-tools/tree/master/csound-convolver.

Update: there's now a video version of this piece, a live recording of a different performance than the one here. Because it was made all in real time, it does not include the convolution post-processing, and instead uses Red Panda Context and Ekdahl Moisturizer for reverb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcgdOGC3cLA

Photo by Paul Armstrong, found at http://www.manitoba-eh.ca/legislative-virtual-tour.htm.

Shape07

loucohen