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Fitting, that the 3rd and most recent Waldorf Blofeld I've purchased arrives on Groundhog Day. After a white and then black desktop unit, this is the first keyboard version I've owned. I really like it.
The Blofeld will temporarily replace the Quantum as the display heads back to Germany for repair. It suffered from the dreaded oil stain issue — which nagged me so incessantly, when powered off, it was as if a giant neon arrow pointing towards the minute imperfection was strobing in the corner of the room.
When I purchased my Quantum, the first unit I received got pretty banged up in transit. It didn't ship in a protective outer box and the display was already experiencing the oil stain issue. I was bummed to have received this (then $4300) purchase in such a state that I decided not to send the next one back, despite the center octave LED refusing to light. Everything else looked and worked perfectly so I kept it. I was way too excited to dive in to wait any longer.
I've ordered a new pitch/mod board to come with the repaired screen and will install them both.
In the meantime, I will be getting reacquainted with the Blofeld. The keyboard looks great in black. I am excited to have this paired with the new Blofeld plugin. I expect this combination will unlock faster patching and I am excited to do that while reclining in my desk chair.
"That which is perfect should not have come into being." —Nietzsche
4 independent channels sequenced by Polyend Seq / Poly2.
Sending outputs from all 4 Industrial Music Electronics oscillators (2x HD MK3, 2x PH MK3) to Black Locust / Evin 209.
To create the ambling background sludge and hiss, I'm interfacing with Source Audio Ventris, Nemesis, Tasty Chips Electronics ECR+ and Mutable Instruments Beads fed to Time Sefari MK2 with 2 Polivoks filters to process the stereo outs.
Heavy ambience with the Industrial Music Electronics system, Mutable Instruments Beads and Tasty Chips Electronics ECR+. Ergonomic modular synthesizer enclosure by Matthew Goike.
Current state of affairs in the workspace. I've been recording guitars with IME accompaniment. Routing through several Quantum particle oscillators in live granular mode. Dumb riff becomes ear candy. Video coming shortly.
It's a mess in here.
9U Doepfer A-100 Monster Case.
Live looping the Quantum's live granular output via Octatrack MK2.
I make techno. I make ambient music. For Head Dress, I deliberately stay away from anything hopeful or positive. It's anti-positive, non-hopeful ambient music.
What gear do you use?
Hardware synthesizers are central to my workflow. The Waldorf Quantum is my main voice - it's incredibly deep with its particle oscillators and live granular mode. I also use the Tasty Chips GR-1 for granular work, and the KORG Wavestate for evolving textures.
Everything gets recorded into Bitwig Studio. I find the modulation capabilities in Bitwig complement the hardware well.
You moved from Los Angeles to Saint Louis. How has that affected your work?
The Midwest has a different energy. There's more space, more silence. The music scene here is smaller but dedicated. I've found collaborators I never would have met in LA.
Found sound, modular, field recording and a stack of Elektron music machines.
Imperceptible cycling segments of gleaming hollows, rugged walls that grasp for a scabrous escape. Remote bells toll in succession. Aerial abstractions of sunken tones cull the evening from the afternoon, the fountain from the spigot.
My phone has this video feature called "Super Stable." I experimented with it while running the Analog Rytm, Digitakt, Monomachine and Digitone Keys all through the Octatrack and Analog Heat.
The menu structure is dense but logical once you understand it. The vocal synth features are surprisingly capable. The feedback and filter exploration has been particularly rewarding.
You can simulate a full band's worth of guitars with this thing.
Been refining audio routing workflows using Bitwig Studio with MOTU AVB interfaces.
Multiple machines can be networked together for integrated recording and effects processing. The MPC and Octatrack have very distinct output characters from one another.
Producing the show is a considerable amount of work. Over four years, I've curated experimental music from around the world. Streaming has reduced download revenue. Algorithm-based playlists dominate discovery.
Your support enables discovery of experimental music worldwide.
