The Music Instinct | PBS
Source: www.pbs.org
Researchers and scientists from a variety of fields are using groundbreaking techniques that reveal startling new connections between music and the human mind, the body and the universe.

The Theremin uses the proximity of one’s hands to two antennas to appropriate pitch and volume. An Optical Theremin (named to illustrate the sound it emulates, rather than its inventor) uses a photoresistor or photocell similar to those found on solar yard lights to appropriate pitch. The photoresistor detects light, rather than proximity and this idea was utilized by composer/inventor Raymond Scott in his Circle Machine. This aptly named contraption rotated a photocell around several lights on independent dimmers. A demonstration of this device can be found on this page. A similar, yet much more versatile invention is that of organist/inventor Mr. Quintron. Rather than rotating a photocell, Quintron’s Drum Buddy rotates a turntable on which rests an opaque cylinder with strategically placed holes that permit light to escape onto the stationary photocells. Each light-sensing circuit is individually tuned to create a unique sound, replicating unique kick, snare, bass/organ and scratch sounds. Furthermore, one can imitate record scratching by manually interfering with the rotation of the cylinder. A demonstrative infomercial can be found at this site. Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat performed with the Drum Buddy recently at Calgary’s Sled Island Festival.

Sarah demonstrates the Wurlitzer Sideman to a captivated King Khan, Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat.

As part of the 2009 Calgary Jazz Festival, we loaned four of our instruments to Medeski, Marktin & Wood for their show at the Jack Singer tonight – which was amazing! Medeski played our Mini-Moog, Clavinet DC, Novatron and the Vox Continental Baroque in addition to a few other instruments. Check out this set up!

John Medeski's set up at the Jack Singer Concert Hall

Gear Heads: JL chats up John Medeski over the Vox Continental Baroque during sound check.

Medeski, Martin & Wood during soundcheck

Crazy hands: Medeski wails on the Vox Continental Baroque and the MiniMoog.

Interpreter Sarah Davachi teaches the Stampede princesses how to play the Theremin

Cantos Music Foundation today announced the acquisition of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection. Come check it out this Stampede!

Kevin Asbjornson leads a workshop on links between the arts and leadership.

Cantos and Foothills Health Consultants welcomed more than 50 business leaders from around Calgary today for a musical workshop called the Artistry of Leadership. Led by Kevin Asbjornson, the workshop made links between the arts and leadership as well as using music to create healthier workplaces.

The Synare

Looks like we have some late arrivals to the drum machine party… First: the ever fashionable Synare percussion synth by Star Instruments. The company made about a dozen or so different percussion related products including a neat looking percussion sequencer as well as a EWI – type wind controller called the Starwind. This particular model does not have the built in pads, but it triggers quite well from the individual outputs of the DMX. I’m sure further experimentation with the Linn Drum and the 808 will yield a similar result. There are 4 trigger inputs on the Synare, but unfortunately they aren’t sensitive enough to plug a regular peizo sensor into. Other models of Synare had the pads built in. There seems to be very little info about these on the internet, but there’s pictures and descriptions of a couple of different models here. Now what kind of electronic drum fest would be complete without at least some mention of Simmons? First of all, I was surprised to learn that Simmons is still around and making electronic drum kits that look very similar to Roland V-drums or the like. Nothing that looks as cool as the stuff they made in the 80s though, like this SDS – 1. It’s entirely self contained, with the sound eprom in a quick-release socket for quick sound changes. This is yet another reason why it’s nice to have a Prommer around. I love the grainy yet punchy sound of these, and the pitch control sounds really wild, almost like it’s been circuit-bent. I had a good time perusing the Simmons Museum site. There are still people out there using these today, and it’s not hard to see why!

SDS-1

The Cantos gallery and music room were a flurry of activity today as musicians Steve Gibson and Adam Tindale together with multimedia artists Justin Love and Jim Olson sampled some of our instruments to create a live multimedia performance called Exploding, Plastic & Inevitable:

Exploding, Plastic & Inevitable Redux utilizes multiple projectors, a barrage of laptop computers, custom software, live vocals, keyboards and live video processing to create an immersive audio-visual experience which mimics the psychedelic atmosphere of the original EPI event, while at the same time updating the audio-visual language to the 21st Century.” Luc Meier, Swissnex San Francisco.

Love & Olson in the Cantos Gallery

A digital aberration on the scale of its 1960s namesake, this circus of light and sound presents itself for your explicit enjoyment. “Exploding, Plastic & Inevitable” (EPI) is a pop explosion of electronic music, hallucinogenic video and free improvisation featuring multiple screens of visual excess equally mashed with the adulterated beats of DJ robot_mixeur (Zurich, CH), the electro-techno of Steve Gibson (Victoria, BC, CAN) along with many special guests. Past performers have included I Send Data Live, Adam Tindale, Jackson 2bears, Nuthre, and Agitpop.

Steve Gibson sampling in the Cantos gallery

Seems like this week everyone’s been into the drum machines. I’ve been just losing it over Rick’s (Smith, Cantos electronics apprentice) 808, which he rightly warned me is highly addictive. Also, a pair of LinnDrums (LM 2s) were in the shop recently. One has MIDI which comes in handy syncing it up to the DMX.

Speaking of Oberheim drum machines, JL recently put in a Stretch on one of our DXs and fired up the Prommer, sampling the 808’s lo-tom, snare, clap and hats. The low tom seemed to work better as a kick drum when it was sampled, which makes sense, because the Prommer’s sampling time is pretty short and it’s that beautiful sustain that makes the 808 kick what it is . The DX does impart a nice grit to the sounds, but to compare it to a real 808 would be like comparing a hamburger to steak. The steak is obviously better, but sometimes you just feel like a greasy burger. Ummm right, anyway, apparently there’s another DX around here and another Stretch, which means there might be more ROM sampling afoot. Maybe a 909 or a 606? I bet the Wurlitzer Sideman might make for some interesting samples. Or the ARP 2600 for weird noise drums. Lots of possibilities there, but the only thing I know for sure is that I NEED an 808. Yeah I know, take a number right?

Here’s the DX with Stretch

Inside the DMX Note the individual voice cards

Back panel connectionsOn keyboard stand with studio projects tube pre on top

Last week I put the finishing touches on the Optigan. Made a back panel and piece and Jesse helped make a bottom piece (thanks Jesse!) Also thanks to J.L for his wicked Idea of using a switching jack for the output so that it may be used in mono or pseudo-stereo (chords through one side, keys through the other) All things considered, I thought this turned out all right, with a result that was surprisingly less ghetto than the original. I might try to put some shielding around the transformer to see if it gets rid of any of the hum, although it’s actually not as noisy as I thought it would be.

This post is about a charming (to some) lo – fi chord organ / primitive sample player; the Optigan. There’s TONS of Optigan related info on the net, especially Pea Hix’s wonderful www.optigan.com. I figured rather than just re-hashing everyone else’s info, I would chronicle my attempt at chopping (making a more portable) optigan. Not that I’m crazy enough to take it to gigs (although it may be called for on occasion). It’s mainly just a space issue. No more room to build out so I have to build up!

I must admit I also got this idea from Pea’s site. The model of Optigan I came across (the 35011) happens to be the best candidate for this out of all the other case styles. This is still a work in progress, but I’ll be sure to post the finished unit.

I have a Hammond B2 that would also make a good chop candidate, but I don’t know if I’m ready to take that leap just yet. Now that combo organs are commanding top prices, chopping a Farfisa or Yamaha home organ seems like an appealing option. Plus they’re usually cheap enough that if you mangle them in the process, it’s not the end of the world.

Check out the organ forum photo gallery for various DIY chop jobs of many different types of organs.

The unit in original thrift-store condition

The back view - not a lot to it.

Cantos’ wonderfully kitsch 35012 “Mediterranean” model

Magnifique! We just received the French connection controller keyboard made by Analogue Systems. You can tell it’s a British company because they spell it analogue and not analog..but I digress. The original reason we purchased it was to drive the Buchla 200E, but now that there’s an official Buchla keyboard (and I use the term keyboard VERY loosely) on its way, the Arp 2600 seemed like a better decision. The FC was commissioned by Johnny Greenwood, keyboard player and synthesist extraordinaire for Radiohead. Greenwood wanted a controller that worked like the Ondes Martinot , but was a bit more robust and had CV and gate outputs to control his Analogue Systems modular.

Here are a few observations about it and its maiden test run on the 2600:

Arp 2600 with FC controller

The first thing I noticed was that the ring where your finger goes is…well…just that, a plain old ring compared to the original Martinot’s spring loaded contraption. I found the FC’s sliding action was a lot easier to control, and when hooked up to the ARP it was way easier to get accurate pitch control. Overall it feels like a nice solid unit and it’s easily twice as addictive as the original Martenot. (Although sadly lacking in those funny-looking diffusers). Stay tuned for some samples!

Greetings bloggers!  Welcome to the first installment of the Cantos blog.  My name is Brandon Smith, I’m the anchor interpreter here at Cantos. My colleagues and I will contribute regularly to keep you in the know on what’s going on behind the scenes.

The goal of this blog is to open up some discussion of the instruments here at the Cantos Music Foundation.    Anything keyboard or synth – related, drum machines, recording equipment, uses of the instruments in pop culture, cool links etc.

Brandon

www.cantos.ca