Resonant Quarry

The performance that this piece is constructed from took place at the SEAMUS 2017 National Conference. It was a structured improvisation using analogue modular synthesis hardware without the aid of a computer. A pressure plate keyboard was used to drive a relatively small assemblage of eurorack synthesizer modules. The signal also was split off through a ring modulator, distortion box and wah pedal before reaching a small mixer.

As is true of all my works, this piece is confined within some significant limitations. I consider working within meaningful limitations to be an important and freeing aspect of my compositional practice. In this case, my limitations are the use of only a small number of modules, creating something that can be performed live and working with subtle (and not so subtle) voltage control manipulations via the touch plate keyboard. My previous modular pieces have used a significantly larger compliment of modules, but for this piece, I decided to use a single 2-row 19-inch module case only. The live aspect is something I’ve only recently been getting back into after years of doing strictly studio-created works. The final version of the piece is a live/studio hybrid. It was constructed using as it's source material a recording of the live performance along with recordings of some rehearsals of that same material.