Over the past few months, Joel David Palmer (World Abounding) and I had been trying to get together to meet for the first time and create sounds, but we kept getting delayed by work, life, and facility schedules that didn't cross.  I was finally able to rent a 4 hour block at the Environmental Education Center (EEC) at the rather unglamorously-named "East Side Recycling Center" in Iowa City on Sunday, May 11th - Mother's Day - at the only slot they had available:  7:30am to 11:30am.

The EEC is a very nice space:  high ceilings, glass walls, bamboo floors, and lots of echo.  Jon Harnish and I recorded here in June 2013.  The building is only a couple years old, but is LEED "Platinum" Certified, which means LED lighting, solar panels, "garden" walls and roof, waterless urinals, and so forth.  It definitely wants to be the building of tomorrow.

One thing I noticed in the kitchenette area of the EEC was that they had a typical compressor-based refrigerator with the usual rattle and high-pitched sound when operating.  And while I didn't have a die to roll for this week's Junto choice, I chose to identify the sound of a refrigerator 30 years in the future in the context of daily life.  This choice was solely because of my encounter with the compressor-based fridge sitting in a LEED "Platinum" building of today.

I definitely think refrigerators in 30 years will be mostly, if not totally, silent.  There has been a lot of advancement in "solid state" technology for cooling in the past decade, in particular studying the magnetocaloric effect at Iowa State University, ferroelectric polymers at Penn State, and other advancements in Peltier devices (thermoelectric cooling).

Some of today's high-end refrigerators feature lcd screens with wifi and apps, including audio services like Pandora, and of course there are companies that make "fridge mounts" for various tablets, so sound or music for personal space soundtracks be can accessed already.

But when fridges are silent, will we miss that extra sound?  Some might.  Think about all the people with cell phones with ringtones that could use any sound, but they opt for the old-school ringing bell on landline phones of the past.

That's where we come in.  We'll already have sounds created that are variations on old appliances or spaces.  Maybe not exact replicas, because they can be too harsh or annoying, but our own twist on present day "appliance music".

When Joel and I discussed the possibility of recording something for this week's Junto, we agreed that we'd take an edit from what we recorded and present it in our own individual way.

This 90 second piece offers "refrigerator compressor" replacement, "cooking sound", and other grey or brown noises seemingly blended from HVAC systems and faucets.

I think the future of most homes is towards more silent or quieter machines, but I suspect a niche will be created where nostalgia for boutique "old sounds" that are processed and smoothed into a more pleasing ambient soundtrack has some demand.

Mark Rushton - two iPads, Samplr
Joel David Palmer - Ableton-processed guitar 

More on this 123rd Disquiet Junto project — “Help Gizmodo.com record the soundscape of the home of the future” — at:  http://disquiet.com/2014/05/08/disquiet0123-homeofthefuture/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:  http://disquiet.com/?p=16588

Join the Disquiet Junto at:  http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

More on the Gizmodo.com Home of the Future at:  http://homeofthefuture.gizmodo.com/

Imitation of Noise (disquiet0123-homeofthefuture)

Disquiet Junto Project 0138: Video Sonic Void

Amniosis [disquiet0138-videosonicvoid]

I had the serendipitous experience of watching the video while a track I’d been working on was playing. To me, it just worked. I timed what I considered to be “events” in the video, found an appropriate section, grafted the opening (reversed) to the end so that it could be played as a loop like the video, and selected a short section from within to be used about 1 minute in, significantly altered and mixed down so that its effect was almost subliminal.

Amniosis is (in layman’s terms) a condition whereby the developed foetus is unable (or unwilling?) to leave its amniotic sac and be born into the real world.


----------------------------------------------


The Assignment: Compose a 2.5-minute soundtrack to complement a work of silent video art.

Many thanks to the San Jose Museum of Art for inspiring and encouraging this project.

This week’s project involves writing music to accompany a short video. The video is “Untitled #8, 2004″ by the artist Josh Azzarella. His original work is silent, and we’ll be adding music to it that complements the source material. Do note that the video is intended by the artist as a “Never Ending Loop.”

The instructions are straightforward:

Step 1: Watch the following video.

Step 2: Compose and record a piece of audio that matches the video in length.

Step 3: Upload your piece of audio to the Disquiet Junto group’s SoundCloud page, following the instructions below.

Step 4: Listen to and comment on the other tracks posted by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.

The “Untitled #8, 2004″ video is archived along with other works on the following page at the artist’s website. “Untitled #8, 2004″ is the fourth video in from the left. Its length is 2:31 (2 minutes and 31 seconds):

http://www.joshazzarella.com/videoworks200408/

https://vimeo.com/21678371

Background Information: The “Untitled #8, 2004″ video by Josh Azzarella is part of the permanent collection of the San Jose Museum of Art in San Jose, California. This Disquiet Junto project is the result of an invitation by the Museum for me to develop a sound installation to be displayed on its second floor from October 2014 through February 2015. Tracks submitted to this project will be considered for inclusion in that installation.

Restrictions: Please do not, at the museum’s request, post the video online with your audio.

More on this 138th Disquiet Junto project — “Compose a 2.5-minute soundtrack to complement a work of silent video art″ — at:

http://disquiet.com/2014/08/21/disquiet0138-videosonicvoid/ 


More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/?p=16588


Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/    




Amniosis [disquiet0138-videosonicvoid]

About three years ago I got really interested in field recording as the main sound source for my pieces... especially different techniques to listen to hidden sounds in structures and trees. I made the piece "Inaudible Communications" from two recordings. The main sound throughout the piece is a contact mic. recording of a wire mast (approximately 150 feet tall) holding cell phone antennas and satellite disks. The other sound is a coil pickup recording of the electromagnetic radiation from a cell phone...panned and positioned in time...

Disquiet Junto Project 0139: Tech Technique
The Assignment: Create and upload a track that exemplifies explain one key process you’ve developed.

The Junto is as much about musicians listening to and communicating with each other as it is about making their own music. This week’s project aims to combine those two goals. The instructions are simple:

Step 1: Think of a specific technique that you are proud of having developed, perfected, or in some way folded into your work.

Step 2: Produce a short track that includes that technique.

Step 3: Upload the track to the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud, and in the notes field associated with the track describe the technique.

Deadline: Monday, September 1, 2014, at 11:59pm wherever you are.

Length: Your finished work should be between 1 and 4 minutes.

Information: Please when posting your track on SoundCloud, include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto.

Title/Tag: When adding your track to the Disquiet Junto group on Soundcloud.com, please include the term “disquiet0139-techtechnique″ in the title of your track, and as a tag for your track.

Download: It is preferable that your track is set as downloadable, and that it allows for attributed remixing (i.e., a Creative Commons license permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution).

Linking: When posting the track, please be sure to include this information:

More on this 139th Disquiet Junto project — “Create and upload a track that exemplifies one key creative process you’ve developed″ — at:

http://disquiet.com/2014/08/28/disquiet0139-techtechnique/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto

Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at http://disquiet.com/forums/

The image associated with this track is by Wesley Fryer and was used thanks to a Creative Commons license. Originally posted here: https://flic.kr/p/2xz92x

- end -


“disquiet0139-techtechnique″ Inaudible Communications

Disquiet Junto Project 0139: Tech Technique

Gamalien [disquiet0139-techtechnique]

Audacity plugin: Sliding time scale

This is a simple plugin that is part of Audacity. It can also be used to provide a glissando, sliding pitch change. 

The time scale change stretches the duration of whatever piece of sound you sample, but in an irregular way – the longer the time selected, the more the sound is stretched at completion. It does this without breaking the sound up (as Tempo Change does, also a useful effect). Used over and over, and applied to a large sample, it stretches into something approaching a sine wave, but retaining the tonalities of the sample. Used to extremes, it begins to take on very strange characteristics and pulls the sound apart like toffee being stretched, with odd grains and sub-melodies appearing. You can take this further by repeatedly applying the effect to the tail end of the stretched sample.

This track is made from a random sampling of gamelan sounds (see http://ketuk-ketik.com/ ), treated in a number of ways using Audacity plugins. The first half is me having fun. The second half displays the Sliding time scale effect better than I can describe it.


----------------------------------------------


The Assignment: Create and upload a track that exemplifies explain one key process you’ve developed.

The Junto is as much about musicians listening to and communicating with each other as it is about making their own music. This week’s project aims to combine those two goals. The instructions are simple:

Step 1: Think of a specific technique that you are proud of having developed, perfected, or in some way folded into your work.

Step 2: Produce a short track that includes that technique.

Step 3: Upload the track to the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud, and in the notes field associated with the track describe the technique.


More on this 139th Disquiet Junto project — “Create and upload a track that exemplifies one key creative process you’ve developed″ — at:

http://disquiet.com/2014/08/28/disquiet0139-techtechnique/ 


More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/?p=16588


Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/    




Gamalien [disquiet0139-techtechnique]

My Technique may not be so fancy. This is created from only one breakbeats, one midi note triggered of each.  5 layer of samplers applied various controls. the pitches and harmonies you can hear are all processing results, extremely short loop oscillations, colored ambience from the snippet of drums. as usual such way is so hard to soften wild artifacts. bit heavy compression still harsh.

More on this 139th Disquiet Junto project — “Create and upload a track that exemplifies one key creative process you’ve developed″ — at:
disquiet.com/2014/08/28/disquie…139-techtechnique/
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
disquiet.com/?p=16588
Join the Disquiet Junto at:
soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

photo: https://flic.kr/p/n5zXm8 by Jonathan Potts


Cold War Kids [disquiet0139 - Techtechnique]

After reading the Disquiet Junto assignment this morning I knew that I had to perform a duet with my soundboxes and the birds, wind and distant traffic... I live en a rural area so there isn't a whole lot going on apart from the above mentioned sounds...I found it to be sufficent to perform a piece, though. The picture show the soundboxes and the stage where i performed... My amigo Derek Holzer (American, living in Berlin) invented the soundbox and holds workshops around the world, where participants build their own. It's a small (0,5W) amp build into a woodenbox with a speaker. You use it to create feedback with a piezo pick up...my pickups have springs and strings glued ontop. You can alter and filter the sound by placing various objects on/in the speaker or on the box.... I really like my piece around the middle (1:10) where I get a conversation going with a crow... 
Check out Dereks page here: http://macumbista.net/ 


Disquiet Junto Project 0143: Tuning the Hood
The Assignment: Play a live duet with the world outside your window.

The steps this week are straightforward, and fairly open-ended. You’ll be recording a live performance of between two and five minutes.

Step 1: Choose a single musical instrument that you feel comfortable performing on solo for an extended period of time.

Step 2: Position yourself near an open window.

Step 3: You’ll be recording your performance, as well as the sounds outside your window. Position the microphone in a manner so that, to whatever extent possible, the outside is at a volume level somewhat equal to that of your instrument. This might best be accomplished by using two microphones simultaneously, and adjusting the volume after the performance and recording process are complete.

Step 3: Upload the finished track to the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud.

Step 4: Listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow participants.

Deadline: Monday, September 29, 2014, at 11:59pm wherever you are.

Length: Your finished work should be between two and five minutes in length.

Upload: Please when posting your track on SoundCloud, only upload one track for this assignment, and include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto.

Title/Tag: When adding your track to the Disquiet Junto group on Soundcloud.com, please include the term “disquiet0143-tuningthehood″ in the title of your track, and as a tag for your track.

Download: It is preferable that your track is set as downloadable, and that it allows for attributed remixing (i.e., a Creative Commons license permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution).

Linking: When posting the track, please be sure to include this information:

More on this 143rd Disquiet Junto project — “Play a live duet with the world outside your window″ — at:

http://disquiet.com/2014/09/25/disquiet0143-tuningthehood/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto

Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:

http://disquiet.com/forums/



“disquiet0143-tuningthehood″ feedingthebirds

I wanted to stack more firewood today and figured one load would take about 3 minutes round trip. It seemed to encapsulate the nature of my recent walks, that being fall.

Processed channel was the original recording run through wah>phaser>comb filter>reverb

http://disquiet.com/2014/11/06/disquiet0149-processingthepresent/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto

Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:

http://disquiet.com/forums/

Photo associated with this project by Jerolek and used thanks to a Creative Commons license:

https://flic.kr/p/9piCmd

Getting Firewood [disquiet0149-processingthepresent]

A shimmering soft, meditative fragrance from Forelight Laboratories.


More on this 150th Disquiet Junto project — “Record a subtle personal mobile score” — at:

http://disquiet.com/2014/11/13/disquiet0150-sonicperfume/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:

http://disquiet.com/junto

Join the Disquiet Junto at:

http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:

http://disquiet.com/forums/

Photo associated with this project by Ben Crowder and used thanks to a Creative Commons license:

https://flic.kr/p/B5gLF

Parfum no.2 [disquiet0150-sonicperfume]

The Disquiet Junto project #150

My notes:
If this music is something that would be with us all of the time and be heard by others, I wanted to create something that I liked, but would not be offensive to others. Also, I wouldn't want something too up or too down, too dark, or too distracting. It had to have movement, but not rushed. That led me to the title, because my requirements are similar to the Buddha's teaching of The Middle Way. 
- I used six synths - 5 Alchemy and 1 Zebralette.
- During mix down I ran into a situation where one track just would not make it into the recording, yet I could hear it in the DAW (ReNoise) playback. I wasted about three hours trying to figure it out - and have yet to. I ended up pushing the audio output to Audacity. The irony of this challenge was not wasted on me, given the title and concept for this piece.

More on this 150th Disquiet Junto project — “Record a subtle personal mobile score” — at:
http://disquiet.com/2014/11/13/disquiet0150-sonicperfume/

More on the Disquiet Junto at:
http://disquiet.com/junto

Join the Disquiet Junto at:
http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/

Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:
http://disquiet.com/forums/

Photo associated with this project by Ben Crowder and used thanks to a Creative Commons license:
https://flic.kr/p/B5gLF

The Middle Way [disquiet0150 - Sonicperfume]

I used the track: Nightpatterns https://soundcloud.com/dascott/disquiet0350-nightpatterns      
vcvrack

R.e.m(disquiet0351)

I hope this helps you get to sleep...

I used Ethan's It's Oh Disquiet:
https://soundcloud.com/ethanhein/its-oh-disquiet-disquiet0350

 separated out the left and right channels to mono tracks, chopped it up and stretched it various amounts. added in the Shhhh from the Bjork track originally sampled and a ticking clock from freesound.org:

343130__inspectorj__ticking-clock-a

Imitation of Noise (disquiet0123-homeofthefuture)

Mark Rushton

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