As the prompt requires, I recorded ice hitting a glass. I used my iPhone and loaded that audio into the Fluss app that I've been wanting to try out. It can be chaotic, so I ran that into Logic with an eq and limiter and recorded live as I adjusted the controls in the app. If I attempt anything ambient I end up making what sounds like a horror film score, so I just lean into it now. The sample I used plays at the end.

More on this 575th weekly Disquiet Junto project — On Ice (The Assignment: Record the sound of ice in a glass and make something with it) — at: https://disquiet.com/0575/

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

Subscribe to project announcements here: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0575-on-ice/

Overlook

Overlook (Disquiet0575)

Disquiet Junto Project 0576: Casual Resolution
The Assignment: Get a musical New Year’s resolution out of the way.

Step 1: Think of something, recording-wise, you want to accomplish musically this year — something you can attempt to accomplish now with the tools you have on hand and a little bit of time.

Step 2: Give the goal you set for yourself a go right now. Take a first stab at something that might, of course, require concerted effort over the remainder of the year to really make progress on. The first step is often the most difficult. Why not get it out of the way now?

My resolution is to learn more about synthesizers. I attempted to use the VCV Rack and was able to generate tones, but couldn't quite figure out recording. I wasn't thrilled with what I had done anyway, which is a great thing about this prompt--it's about process. 

I then decided to try to make a patch using what I learned from VCV and apply it to the Moog Model 15 app that I knew I could open in Logic. My track is an improvisation using the patch I made.

Ignis Fatuus [Disquiet0576]

If you are unfamiliar with the Disquiet Junto, you can check out the links below. 

The sample made me think about how much I loved finding Environments, Atmospheres, and field recordings in used record stores when I was growing up. I knew I wanted to use the sample and modify it as little as possible and hope it echoed those kinds of records and sounded like percussion instruments being played in the forest. 

I made three edits to the sample. One was to get rid of a pop at the beginning. My second was to use a short clear excerpt from the sample, and then the third was the edited loop. That looped track was then bussed to about 9 tracks of various delays, eqs, and pitch plug-ins in Logic. All were stock plug-ins except one use of the free Valhalla Super Massive delay/reverb to make the eighth-note loop towards the end. 

More on this 581st weekly Disquiet Junto project, Helsinki Downspout (The Assignment: Use a rhythmic field recording as the foundation for a new track), at: https://disquiet.com/0581/

Thanks to Scott Fletcher for having provided the original material. It is used thanks to a Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). Original track at: https://soundcloud.com/disquiet/helsinki-downspout/

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

Subscribe to project announcements here: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0581-helsinki-downspout/

Downspout Forestry Disquiet0581

Half Serenity: You Are The Temple Preview

Scott Bazar: improvised guitar with eq and battery-powered Christmas lights

Stephen McClurg: Other instruments/textures

Flowerdew's Timeslip Ensemble

Theme for The Terror Test podcast. First time I was asked for "more lasers."

http://theterrortest.com

The Terror Test

Continuing collaboration with improviser/guitarist Scott Bazar. I did some mixing and drum loops combined with two improvised tracks he sent me.
Scott Bazar: On one track I used light up Halloween masks and an oil pan. On the other, I used more Halloween masks and bike lights. They are combo of soundreactive LEDs and sequenced LED patterns. I have them like hand puppets where I can adjust the sensitivity wheel and its proximity to the guitar, while it's running through an eq pedal to the amp.

Zazel dans le Nitro

A friend asked me if I could make a version of "Jolly Sailor Bold" based on the one from a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I thought of a ghost ship floating over R'lyeh. I don't think it was the sailor he was looking for, but there may be treats for some. Headphones recommended.

The Loneliness of the Crow's Nest Accordion

Continuing collaboration with improviser/guitarist Scott Bazar. I designed the track around the improvised pieces he sent me. 

He used guitar, an electric Christmas tree star topper, touch and sound reactive LED puppets, GE LED light stock, an LED Halloween skull, Ebow with a metal plate, a portable Christmas projector with signal, feedback, and manual manipulations.

Stephen McClurg

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