Concept:  Create a percussive work, using a Rucci 8-bit Power Synthesizer and a Rucci Clock Manipulator, that contains a variety of sounds as if from temple blocks, wooden Guiro scrapers, castanets, electronic ratchet noisemakers, and dampened triple bass drum pedal (for the pitter patter sound in the background throughout the work). 

Mastered on August 13, 2025 using Bandlab mastering: Mastering Preset is Universal, Intensity is 50%, Input Gain is -2.9. Effects were changed prior to mastering.

Instruments: Rucci 8-bit Power Synthesizer, Rucci Clock Manipulator, Dude Mixer. 

Setup:  Clock Manipulator out to Clock-in on 8-bit Power Synthesizer then audio-out to USB Audio Adapter mic-in to Chromebook to Bandlab DAW. I used the drum loop mode on the synthesizer (there are 26 loops selectable with each key). 

On the Clock Manipulator I used the Humanize knob that sets the amount of delay randomly applied to the clock pulses. I used the Swing knob that delays every other pulse to change the feel. I did not use the Improbability knob that would cause a clock pulses to be held back from passing through. I used the Speed knob to set the speed control of the internal clock.

60bpm, 4/4 timing

Bandlab effects: 
* Gain is -3.0 dB
* EQ3-M (3-band EQ with Mid Sweep) (Low is +3.4 dB, Mid is +5.7 dB, High is +4.7 dB, Mid Sweep is 3671 Hz)
* Graphics EQ (7-band EQ with Level) (100 is +4.7 dB, 200 is +3.5 dB, 400 is +0.8 dB, 800 is +1.2 dB, 1.6k is +0.6 dB, 3.2 is +4.8 dB, 6.4k is +5.7 dB, Level is +3.6 dB)
* Guitar Cabinet (Cabinet is Bassman 30)
* Vintage Limiter (Gain is -8.80, Attack is 6.52, Release is 5.69, Knee is -6.35, Enhance is -1.90, Volume is +1.46)
* D-Delay (Feedback is 37%, Time is 1/8T beat, High Pass is 87Hz, Low Pass is 2025 Hz, Spread is 77.6%, Wet is 35%, Dry is 46%, Volume is 0 dB)
*Stereowise (Spread is 3.1, Low is 45%, High is 47%)
* Space Maker Reverb (Mix is 45%, Width is 5.7, Size is 3.9, Dampening is 4592 Hz, Type is Large Hall)

File format: WAV 16-bit, 44.1kHz

Photo "Logs, Groynes, Sea Image" 
Pixabay License. Photo edited by jtechno electronic music.

"Beat Blocks" is copyright by jtechno electronic music. Email for permission to use.

Beat Blocks

November 2025 Status:  I was on a hiatus there for a bit but now I am back working on making music and posting it again. Thanks for waiting for me to return. 

I listen to tons of techno, trance and EDM. I grew up tho with 60s and 70s rock and jazz fusion. I took piano for five years. My dad played piano, accordian, xylophone, bongos and little bit of guitar. Mom was an oil and acrylic artist. In college I practiced piano in the listening rooms and hung out in the music degree buildings and went to bunches of concerts in the SF Bay Area. 

In 2018 I landed a writing gig with DJD UK Global Music and wrote 74 listener reviews of songs for their artists. The label owner later retired after a long career in music production and marketing and closed his label.

I released my debut digital album on the DJD UK Global Music label in March 2019 called "Off Grid Analog", 13 tracks, 48:05 minutes of experimental/electronic/noise original music available for just a year on all major online outlets.  It was fun working with a label and to create an album. 

In the past I've created music on a Korg Poly-61, Korg X-50 and an Alesis Micron and mixed on a Mackie 1402-VLZ3 14-channel mixer. Today I've been creating electronic, experimental and noise music with a Teenage Engineering PO-28 Robot Pocket Operator, Stylophone Gen X-1 Analog Synthesizer, Bastl Kastle 1.5 Synth,  Meeblip Geode Synth, Alesis Q25 Controller, Kieth McMillen QuNexus USB MIDI CV Gate Controller, Alesis Micron Synth, Rucci 8-bit Power Synth, Rucci Maximal Drone, Rucci 16-step CV Sequencer,  Moffenzeef Modular MSG II Black, Stylophone Gen R8 Synth, Bastl Dude Mixer, Korg Volca FM Synth, Make Noise O-Coast Synth, Korg Monotron Delay Synth, Korg NTS-1 Synth Benidub Filtro, Arturia Keystep Controller, etc. I got away from melodic pieces to explore music and to dabble in electronic, experimental, noise, drone and experimental techno, ambient, trance styles.

My home studio includes m-Audio BX5 powered monitors and use of Beyerdynamic studio headphones, Sony and Beats phones. I use a Chromebook and the cloud-based in-browser Bandlab DAW and I do my own mastering. I use both a Baslt Dude Mixer and the Behringer Xenyx 1002B 10-chnl mixer. I use Mogami cables, Roland Gold MIDI cable, CV cables, iConnectivity MIDI to USB cable. I use a Boomstick Psychoacoustic DAC for added richness of dynamics. Final signal path output goes through the USB audio adapter into my Chromebook.  I rarely do multitrack preferring a straight signal path from one device to the next till final put goes through a mixer to the audio adapter into the Chromebook. 

I'm active on synth and music groups on Facebook under my name:
John Koudela III.  My music name tho is jtechno on Soundcloud. 

I'm located north of Seattle, WA. Contact me at:  jtechnoelectronicmusic@yahoo.com
All music I create and post are copyright by jtechno electronic music. Email me for permission to use my tracks.

New tracks tagged #Castenets