Radiola Observable Differences

Radiola Observable Differences is an original and experimental electronic music composition utilising software sequencing and the Eurorack format of modular synthesizer system for sonic effects and some melody lines. The visuals for the longer-format composition have been inspired by the animation effects that such video synthesizers as the Fairlight CVI could produce in real time. The inspiration for the music came from a desire to have a totally structured or organised work. This outline was achieved in the LMMS (Linux Multi-Media Studio) - a software-based structured music production platform. Various LMMS tracks were created to synchronise to a 75 bpm clock. One track had a more melancholy feel as violin and synth bass plays. Another LMMS track had a more positive choral feel with high synthesized "voices" with some rhythm elements to accompany. The LMMS also provided the high plucked glass-like icicle sounds. The Hammerhead Rhythm Station provided two kinds of percussive rhythm elements - one with high-pass snares and cymbal, the other with more acoustic bass, snare and tom-tom sounds. The OCET VST Rhythm Synthesizer was called upon for a repetitive bass melody line and rhythm heard at the beginning and towards the end of the composition. The SynFactory 1.15 software modular synthesizer was used for various 8-oscillator effects, while pure signal generation was used for noise bursts and percussive explosions, strange burring bass vibrations and high vibrating accent tones were also created this way. Signal generation also produced various ring-modulated vibrations created by ring-modulating a sound source and feeding these signals into a frequency shifter while manually adjusting the frequency control. The Eurorack modular synthesizer system contributed greatly to the sonic textures added to the basic software-created sequences. Some multi-tracked texture constructions sounded like distant horns and the crashing of resonating waves. Other textures sounded like clarinets sounding in a cathedral-like space - melancholy surreal tones. Other textures sounded like machine-like process cylinders. Other Radiophonic textures sounded like resonating/vibrating mirrors or power emitters - hard to describe in words. Various other signal-generated tones and chords added emphasis to the work, with a special vocal effect at the end. A tiny sample of speech slice was time-stretched by a great degree with added heavy reverb and a vibrating signal tone to create an eerie alien-like chant. The visuals comprise images taken from technical and engineering journals from the 1920s up until the 1980s. These images have been animated by various 2D movements and strobed effects - reminiscent of the 2D infinite plane X-Y movements of the Fairlight CVI video synthesizer of the 1980s. Some images also have characteristic colour-cycling effects applied. A base layer of logically-derived patterns was used to overlay the colourised images. We see machinery, consoles and various forms of apparatus and persons in a visual collage of colour and complexity. Some images are pure forms - like the colourful light blooms or the heraldic roses. Various cartoon and expressive forms are incorporated with light glows and oscilloscopic traces superimposed by the process of non-additive mixing techniques. The editing is fast-paced and responsive to the tempo of the music. The composition is a journey into time and space and madcap expressions. We end on an enigmatic note with out-of-body forms set against an oscillographic trace - like the flow of time and rising above this confine.