Name: PLATO No. 10757 Howling Deserts by PLATO & the Western Tradition
Duration: 10 s
Description: Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded November 18, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Kybd—›Synths; PLATO, No. 1757, “Spells of Dissociation” (David & Boyd, Michiana Improvisational Music Festival XIX, No. 6, 5-29-09) 00:09-13:09. Boyd: Electronics—›Processors; Voice; PLATO, No. 0617, “Hymns & Whispers 1” (David & Boyd 5-10-95) 19:00-32:00.

Resynthesized sounds subject to resonant filtering to explore the natural overtone scales of the original sounds, like the non-valved horns of earlier times. Hence, the Mythical sounds of Gabriel's Horn.

Artifact-009-Gabriel's Horn

Overlapping pitch motifs driven by Gerstner wave equations controlling panning and mix of processed voices and found sounds. Float with it...

Artifact-010-Liminal Stars

Lament for our sorrows... 
Uses processed voice, exotic microtonal scales and dark tonal relationships. Made with Falcon 3.1.

Artifact-011-Lamentation III

Rememberance: Whispering and fluttering sounds convolved with night winter sounds, combined with granular frame drums.

Convolutions-3-Rememberance

FireBelly: Sustained wind-like convolved sounds, combined with processed bird songs and night sounds.

Convolutions-4-FireBelly

Any Other Day: Stretched piano notes convolved with tinkling sounds and pulsed box sounds.

Convolutions-5-Any Other Day

Wavesong III again uses Gerstner’s trochoidal wave equations to simulate the surface of ocean waves. We quantize points on the wave simulation as scalar events of long duration, creating streams of pitches to build texture and effect. Further processing via granular and spectral shaping creates an ever-evolving floating soundmass with shifting harmonic centers.

Artifact-012-WaveSong III

Highly modified sustained notes of voice, cello, and double bass, hinting of tonality in never-resolving suspensions: Yearning...

Artifact-013-Soul's Yearning

More sounds of voice, cello, and double bass:  Single notes expand into clouds of ambiguous tonality, suspended and fading...

Artifact-014-Soul's Ambiguity

Sadness for the world. Ambivalent chords static but not...

Artifact-018-Heart's Decline

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded November 18, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Kybd—›Synths; PLATO, No. 1757, “Spells of Dissociation” (David & Boyd, Michiana Improvisational Music Festival XIX, No. 6, 5-29-09) 00:09-13:09. Boyd: Electronics—›Processors; Voice; PLATO, No. 0617, “Hymns & Whispers 1” (David & Boyd 5-10-95) 19:00-32:00.

PLATO No. 10757 Howling Deserts

PLATO & the Western Tradition is a Postmodern Improvisation Ensemble that has been recording real-time improvisations using electronic and acoustic instruments since 1988. The founders and core members are David K. Barton of South Bend, Indiana, and Boyd Nutting of Niles, Michigan. As of December 4, 2016, we have recorded 4,054 improvisations, and would like to share our music.

PLATO & The Western Tradition invites others in the Electronic Music Community to participate in the creation of an on-line compilation called “Weaving Indra’s Net”. Here are the “rules”:
1. Download from http://www.soundcloud.com/plato-3 any of the improvisations by PLATO & The Western Tradition that capture your attention.
2. Use some or all of what you download as a part of your own music making.
3. Post your piece to SoundCloud, and post the SoundCloud link on Plato’s FaceBook page: www.facebook.com/PLATOandTheWesternTradition
4. Please comply with our Creative Commons attribution requirement (see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) by including in your description of your piece this language: “Includes material from PLATO & The Western Tradition, No. 2811, ‘Limitless Geometries’”. (You should substitute the number and title of the piece that you are using.)
5. PLATO will organize and maintain the compilation as a playlist titled ‘Weaving Indra’s Net’ on the PLATO SoundCloud site.

Please post any questions or comments on the FaceBook page listed above.

PLATO No. 10757 Howling Deserts

PLATO & the Western Tradition

Related tracks