Winter waterfall
a rock untouched
by sunrise or sunset

very rudimentary ratcheting within a sequence - VM 900 modules within Voltage Modular passing through the Waverley Instruments Quadelay

Gratitude as always to SpaceDog's kennel for exploring, encouragement, and knowledge

winter waterfall NaviarHaiku607

The haiku that guided this;

Winter waterfall
a rock untouched
by sunrise or sunset
(Naviar haiku challenge 607, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge ),

has an obvious staring point, "Winter Waterfall" the track has finished up quite experimental.


Waterfall = white noise.
So I started with a noise source in Voltage Modular and created an evolving sequence that processed the noise output through a spectral filter bank using two instances of the WC-96 Spectral Processor from DMT Audio. I then created a rhythmic element by feeding that output through an LFO controlled envelope, passing the output on to Quadelay from Waverley Instruments. 

With the noise elements in place I added some pulses using basic VM modules then moved on. Having used a couple of tweaked Dreamsynth presets last week I decided it was time to take the deep dive and learn how to patch Dreamsynth from scratch. Dreamsynth (https://cherryaudio.com/products/dreamsynth) is deep, almost modular. I made a patch for the chord sequence; yes I know it's a bit weird but I liked it in isolation while developing the DS patch so kept it all be it sequenced, converted to MIDI and passed out from VM. While experimenting I found that if I played in a low register I got a rumbly semi random texture so I split that off and tweaked it a bit to represent the rock, triggered by a separate sequence in VM. The final element is a drone layer made from DMT Audio's "West Coast" modules (Uncertainty and Harmonic Oscillator), left over from an early experiment and passed through a band pass filter modulated by reused control, voltages from the noise sequencing. 

With all the elements in place I made two changes before recording, I added a small amount of ShimmerVerb from Eventide to the chord sequence and replaced the pure white noise that I'd planned to use at the beginning with a sample of a real waterfall from freesound (Staying close to waterfall by trader_one -- https://freesound.org/s/670515/ -- License: Creative Commons 0), because I wanted a touch of gurgling water.

With everything in place; opening waterfall, mapped physical controls, multitrack recording and no real plan. I hit record and improvised, one take, longer than I'd expected.
I'll own up to doing a lot of mastering to make the dispirit elements gel but didn't add anything significant.

Winter Waterfall - (naviarhaiku - 607)

One of Rolf Kasten's Playertron Stochastic patches for Voltage Modular( included with his Signal Path magazine) provided a firm foundation on which I was able to build the piece. I manipulated probabilities, bpm, pitch, as well as adding reverb using Waverley's Quadelay. I then applied some finishing touches in Reaper.
Another product of what I've learned about bringing creations to fruition in the SpaceDog's Kennel

not yet bent_Naviar Haiku 608

The haiku that inspired this:

dropped glass -
its ring
outlasts the fall

Naviar haiku challenge 610, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge 

Was a clear indication that every sound would be in some way derived from or be a simulation of glass. While the final piece is the result of a one off live mix performance there was a lot of assembling of elements and preparation including routing audio to numerous effects.

Not possessing any glasses that properly ring I experimented with other glass objects and found I got acceptable results from several lamp shades, these were recorded and split into single hie samples. I used a simple patch in VCV Rack to play these in a semi random sequence; the result of which is passed through Moon Echo, Audio Thing. It is also routed to GRFX from Imaginando and separately to a combination of SpaceBlender, Soundtoys and ShimmerVerb, Eventide. Together these are used to build the opening of the track.

The central drone section had to be prepared in advance because of audio driver limitations.  I recorded the output of two random but overlapping sequences again generated using VCV Rack, then used that audio to excite and resonate a simulated glass disc with holes in it using Substrata from Giorgio Sancristoforo.

The closing section features two again semi random sequences generated with Voltage Modular and passed as MIDI information to two separate instances of Clear Glass from QuietMusic. The faster sequence also has a small amount of Stardust 201 Tape Echo, Cherry Audio, added towards the end.

Dropped Glass - (naviarhaiku - 610)

When I read the haiku that guided this:

half-asleep eyes
open to a dreamlike world
of blossoms

Naviar haiku challenge 611, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

I had a couple of ideas for a more literal interpretation but as I developed the track these were discarded. Everything was created using Voltage Modular, the individual elements were separated allowing for multi track recording. As an experiment I ran the Speldosa VST from Klevgrand inside VM, this is the basis of the Sparkly Bursts, doing it that way made it much simpler to control the output which was then processed externally through SpaceBlender from Soundtoys and a touch of Valhalla's Supermassive. All recorded in a one shot lave take, live mixing and manipulation of probabilities and subtle modulations. Other than mastering effects the only notable addition in post recording was adding Gong Amp (AudioThing), to the central "Melody".   

A Dreamlike World - (naviarhaiku - 611)

The haiku that prompted this: 

Star above the peak -
a silk worm-breeding village
silently asleep

Naviar haiku challenge 613, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

Although the haiku provided a clear image with some well defined elements I didn't have a starting point. The star and sleeping village were no problem so I began experimenting with sequenced elements to represent the peak using VCV Rack. I then developed the atmospheric background in Voltage Modular as I wanted to use the Quadelay module from Waverley Instruments for which there is no VCV equivalent. I also included Healing 2 Lite , the Free singing bowl VST Instrument from Quiet Music. 

Taking the most promising sequences from VCV including an evolving "Pseudo melody" made with a virtual implementation of the Turing Machine. I assembled a routing and automation maze so I could multi track record and live improvise. I also set up several external effects before recording.

Although this was the result of a live improvisation; I actually recorded two versions, introducing the sequenced elements in a different order. While finalising the mix I added a touch of Stardust 201 Tape Echo to all the sequenced components to cement them together.

Star Above The Peak - (naviarhaiku - 613)

The haiku target for this:

The coming of autumn
determined
by a red dragonfly

Naviar haiku challenge 614, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

The background drone and interment sighs are pure Voltage Modular while the melodic elements use two instances of Dreamsynth both controlled with MIDI data also generated by Voltage Modular. One of the Dreamsynth patches is entirely my own having been built from a blank template and thew other is a modified preset. Other than mastering there are no extra effects.

Everything was recorded in a single "Live" take.

Autumn Dragonfly - (Naviarhaiku - 614)

Made in  response to:

almost black
deepening purple
ripe grapes

Naviar haiku challenge 619, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

This clearly suggests a transition from light to dark but thinking of ripening grapes there's also a transition from harsh to mellow, which I have tried to reflect in the journey from the "Spiky" experimental opening to the more considered and calm conclusion.

I created all the elements using Voltage Modular, set up physical controls and simultaneous multi-track recording, then hit record and let the track evolve. The only extra effect added is a rotary speaker emulation on the central sequence.

Deepening Purple - (Naviarhaiku - 619)

Made in response to:

some starlight
spared from being scooped up
four-handed net

Naviar haiku challenge 620, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

Two elements, the background drone and a self generation series of sparce pings were made with Voltage Modular. the pongs were then routed to external reverb and delay effects. Parameters and the overall mix were manipulated and recorded in a single live take along with an additional layer of Omiharp from Puremagnetik. 

Starlight - (naviarhaiku - 620)

The haiku for this week:

Deutzia in full white -
deep in the night,
the Milky Way.

Naviar haiku challenge 621, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

While I used Voltage Modular to control everything I did an experiment and rather than generating any actual sounds I converted the sequenced and generative control messages to MIDI and routed them to external synths. As part of this I was able to take my own input and convert it into playable "Sparkly" bursts.

Synths used:
Omiharp - Puremagnetik
Aperuit - Puremagnetik
Speldosa - Klevgrand
Miniverse - Cherry Audio

The output of each then routed to various delays, filters and reverb effects. 


Although the only things recorded were MIDI information and mixer automation the track including note probabilities and velocity modulations, is as performed  apart from a little trimming for time. 


Deep In The Night - (naviarhaiku - 621)

I'm primarily a visual artist both 2D and 3D, for the last decade I've operated almost exclusively in the digital 3D realm.   since the late 80s I've made periodic forays into the sonic world, MIDI sequencing, minimalism, musique concrète, found sounds  and improvisation. I am seldom happy with anything and seldom consider a piece finished.

New tracks tagged #voltage modular