It took me almost 5 years but I finally published my 2013 album ‘Cumulus’ on Spotify.
Check it out via the link below for some all-modular bliss :).
CUMULUS (2013) IS NOW ON SPOTIFY!
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Category Archives: Glitzerstrahl
Live in April
Announcement:
I will perform a live session with the modular synth in Tokyo under the new alias Halt! Run! in April.
Details will be shared as we get closer, but all will be recorded and shared afterwards.
Onwards and Upwards!
Introducing ‘Halt! Run!’, a new platform for my modular noodling.
What’s going on here?
To be honest it’s not particularly deep. I’ve been using the Glitzerstrahl moniker for the past 6 years for everything from blogging and music production to design works and installations.
Also, to mark an important return to my own roots (however shallow they may be) in modular synthesis I felt like I wanted to make a fresh new start.
Thus, going forward I will use the new platform
Halt! Run!
to cover all modular music, videos and live events.
You can read more about this project at the new Halt! Run! website.
Spectral Clouds…
Mutable Instruments Clouds is now officially out of production so I was really excited when Five G told me they had a demo ex in the store.
I picked it up off the bat and brought it home to the rack, excited to add some granular textures to my new Mantis rack.
However no matter how hard I tried to make sense of the controls, trying different types of sources and settings, I couldn’t get it to create anything but completely smeared out blur.
It wasn’t until I discovered that someone in the store had flipped it to the ‘hidden’ spectral processing mode that things finally started to make sense. Flipped it back to Granular and now all is game again! 👍👍
The moral of the story is that if you buy used or demoed modules make sure to check what Firmware and Settings/Mode they come loaded with!
Wrapping 2017 in Bullets
- I’ve moved back to Japan! It soothes the heart and soul. It’s also been a great boost to creativity. Don’t get me wrong. Sweden has a lot going for it as well, but the darkness and the cold was like a wet blanket on my musical energy level. Tokyo has a ton more venues, stores and events to inspire. Probably also makes a big difference. :)
- I’m building a new modular. I sold off all my old modules and cases about 2 years ago in a confused and misguided phase where I thought I was through with synths. Not going to happen again. It’s going to take a while to rebuild to the point where I left off, but it’s already great great fun to be back patching.
- On that note, the world of modular has changed a lot since I bought my first LC9 case back in 2013. It’s amazing to see the breadth and width of modules and tools available these days, not least the forays into digital modules that where so frowned upon back then. :)
- The Elektron Digitakt is awesome. I don’t care that the detractors and forum commenters say. I haven’t had this much fun with a box since I built a cardboard house in the basement 35 years ago! (And no, I haven’t experienced a single crash or bug yet.)
- Don’t buy a lot of tiny synths. Spend the money on modules instead. They will make you happier and more creative. If you have to spend outside of modular, go for the big and powerful stuff, or boxes that completely complement the modular domain (e.g. the Digitakt).
- I actually did perform a tiny live this year. We had friends over for dinner and I set up the instruments in the living room for an improvised techno session. Good fun and goofing around!
- I have found a fantastic teacher who will start teaching me melody and song composition at the start of 2018. Look forward to more and hopefully better releases!
- Linn is getting frighteningly good at the piano. Go Linn!!
- My goal for 2018 is to release a follow up to Cumulus. Stretch is to perform it live… Scary to think it’s already been 4 years since I recorded it almost by accident in the bedroom in San Francisco…
The one thing I will take with me into 2018 is stop making excuses and just get down to making more music! I might not update the blog more frequently, but I WILL make more music in 2018.
What is the one bullet YOU will take with you into the next year?
Glitzerstrahl 