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Alex Enkerli @Enkerli@mastodon.cc

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Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

In some ways, spending hours auditioning samples feels unproductive. But it can also be really inspiring, stimulating, fun… All important things for “musicking” in the Christopher Small version of the concept.
For instance, had a pretty nice experience with the “loops” catalog in . Lots of cool stuff in there and they’re rather easy to use.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Which all makes me want to explore samples more deeply, broadly, creatively. Which, in turn, makes me want to accumulate my own massive amounts of cool samples, counterproductively enough. As a , there’s something neat about this abundance. And, no, the overwhelming number of samples doesn’t prevent me from with them.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Haven’t done that much with , until this point. Feels like there really is a lot to it. In a way, helped me find that out for myself. Much of it is obvious, like the effect of chopping up a sample and looping it. Had some moments while exploring some sounds. Knew these things conceptually but they started to gel, in my mind.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

And what gets me is that there are many cool potential uses for this kind of . For instance, pitch-tracking a Bulgarian singer’s voice to both learn more about the technique and potentially integrate some of these inflections in .

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Part of what gets me is that this is clearly a space in which search and browse functionalities haven’t been working. Same with people’s own libraries. Finding the “needle in the haystack” doesn’t get easier with unlimited haystacks. Especially when all of that hay is so indistinguishable and it’s not very obvious that there’s any needle in there (except the one which scratched all of those vinyls).

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Chances are, nobody wants to hear my rant about the lack of in .

Which is a good reason to start it here. ;-)

Sounds to me like samples/loops/clips are part of a trend. Native Instruments just launched Sounds.com after Noiiz.com ramped up its own service. LoopMasters will update Loopcloud soon and Splice is being discussed a fair deal.
But they’re all about massive amounts of very similar samples.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Tooted about , earlier this week. Strikes me that their “Live” flagship is less about live performance or jamming, as this Disqus comment has it:
cdm.link/2017/11/ableton-live-

Makes me think of parallels between Ableton and . There’s even an æsthetic similarity between the too, at least in terms of iconography. Young, good-looking creatives working in well-lit clean studios. Ethnically diverse but following similar fashion trends. “Cleanly messy.” We’re far from Funky Town.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Neat way to introduce : youtube.com/watch?v=oFadopWxKj
The list of solutions is pretty good:
Reaktor (desktop)
Audulus (desktop and mobile)
VCV Rack (desktop)
Model 15 (mobile)
Max/MSP (desktop)
Pure Data (desktop and mobile)
Xodular (desktop)
Automatonism (desktop)
SunVox (desktop and mobile)
Solorack (desktop)
Aalto (desktop)
Softube Modular (desktop)

For , , and , it can be . is freeware on desktop, cheap on mobile.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

So we now know what Live 10 will do. Colour me unimpressed. Maybe isn’t the major milestone one might expect. Certainly not a rethink in the era of mobile and IoT. cdm.link/2017/11/ableton-live-
Was never so interested in , but using Lite did help me grasp a few things as to ways others have been musicking, recently. Since moved on to 8-Track, the restricted version of Studio. Fits more of my needs. But, basically, these things convince me to stay .

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli


The HAT from Blokas (Vilnius) is a specialised soundcard for the +RaspberryPi. BuIlt for it is MODEP (MOD Emulation on Pi) a “virtual pedalboard” based on the MOD Duo hardware. Both are built around LV2 plugins.
Software used: MOD UI, TAL Noize Mak3r, Loopor, TAP Reverberator, MDA subsynth, and Jack Capture, all running on Raspbian Lite (controlled via a local web interface).
soundcloud.com/enkerli/modep-n

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

This conversation between and former engineer Tatsuya Takahashi has been making the rounds. For good reason.
item.warp.net/interview/aphex-
To me, the whole part is not only interesting but useful and even important. A large effect of is the (in)famous 12TET at 440Hz standard. A blip in human musicking, but a destructive one.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Part of my interest in comes from the contrast with the of musical recordings. Even had the rare opportunity to discuss this with @rms in a Montréal resto. Talk about privilege.

Sounds to me like the “delayed failure” Peter Kirn describes is quite literally a Sign of the Times. Ten years ago, the businesses which were making money off music were still in crisis mode.

cdm.link/2017/07/soundcloud-cu

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Since the software for the instruments has been open sourced a little while ago, this could qualify as .
Will need to practice a lot more but it’s already pleasurable.
soundcloud.com/enkerli/clar-n-

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

In all sincerity, my makes me feel like my life is complete.
In fact, it made me blog for the first time in quite a while. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, my server is having issues and this post is currently unavailable. But still.)
blog.enkerli.com/2017/06/21/no

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Geeking out over MPE: . Getting exceedingly interested in the work has done. It's as though he heard my pleas, over the years. Funny thing is, there's a big difference between guitar players like him and wind instrument players like me. Especially on phrasing.

via.hypothes.is/http://www.syn

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

This video summarizes my upcoming ’harp pretty well:
youtu.be/TVaTDXQdXkY
The breath control is extremely important to me as a sax player but the use of the ribbon controller to “bow” a cello is also giving me ideas.
The support for different scales, including is pretty nice. And the “Bel Canto” language, playing commands on the instrument itself is just rad.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Keep learning about more and more features of this very sophisticated digital musical instrument. In some ways, it's a bit like the (in)famous toaster/fridge, or Homer Simpson's dream car. It's like John Lambert took my whole wishlist and built something combining everything. Eight years ago, when most of these thoughts were germinating.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

After a few days, several interactions with diverse people, and a little help from someone close to me, was able to purchase an . It'll take a little while to reach me but it's already having a nice effect on me. A bit hard to describe. Can't stop talking about it but it now feels less like an obsession and more like something which will be part of my life.

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Bit the bullet and bought one of these, an Pico: youtu.be/TVaTDXQdXkY
Will surely post stuff about it on this instance. The main idea is, for me, that it's a which supports MPE: Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression. In a way, it's my dream instrument. Was quite literally dreaming about a device which could transcend the limitations of most controllers yet allow for direct breath control.
More soon…

Alex Enkerli @Enkerli

Uh-oh! Found out about the Pico. Had heard of the other models but their size and price really put me off. Thing is, the Pico is much more reasonable in size and price.
In theory, this could be my dream instrument: wind controller with MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression).
Yet, the site and social media accounts have been so quiet, it’s not reassuring…
Anyone here knows about those devices?

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