ROOM 1001
12:30

Sound Synthesis with Analog Computers

Electronic analog computers, mostly forgotten these days, are predecessors of modern analog synthesizers. In the workshop I will demonstrate how the analog computers can be used to synthesize sounds and to control a modular synthesizer

Piotr Rotkiewicz

Chemist by training, software engineer by trade and electronic instruments enthusiast at heart.

ROOM 1007
1:00

Do That Live Performance – Tips, Tricks, and Encouragement

Just starting with music, synths, and software? One of the best things about hardware is performing live. Irwin’s going to give you some tips, tricks and advice to encourage beginner synth enthusiasts to perform live and to enjoy your synthesizers in a new way.

Irwin Kwan

Irwin, a.k.a. EmeraldArcana, first saw a modular synth in ten years ago but only really got into it a few years ago. Now, he’s hanging out with the Boston Modular community and doing live performances on Eurorack modular synthesizer. You won’t get rich and famous listening to Irwin’s advice, but hopefully you’ll learn cool things and have fun. Check him out on Twitch, where he works with synthesizers, voice, and DAWs. https://twitch.tv/emeraldarcana/

ROOM 1001
1:30

Korg Arp 2600 Reissues

David Mash got his first synthesizer setup, an ARP 2600/3620 and 1608 Sequencer in 1977, which began a career of advocacy for the marriage of music and technology. In 2018, Korg tapped him to help with the release of the Korg ARP2600FS and 2600M instruments. This talk will chronicle that development process and how the new instruments compare to the originals.

David Mash

After 41 years at Berklee, David Mash retired in 2017 from his position as senior vice president for innovation, strategy, and technology in order to make music, work with instrument and software designers, and give back to the industry through service chairing the boards for the Bob Moog and the Alan R Pearlman Foundations.

ROOM 1007
2:00

Intro To Eurorack Modular Synthesis
A guide to setting up your First Eurorack Modular System

During this talk, Ralph will take you through the steps of putting together a Eurorack Style Modular Synthesis Rack.  From deciding on the basic modules and rack size to how to connect them both to the case and then wiring to make sound. By the end of this talk you’ll be confident that you can build a functional setup, hook it all up and be making sounds in no time. For the beginner to intermediate user. 

Ralph Kinscheck

Ralph Kinscheck is an Educator and Musician, Teaching at Berklee Online and in private practice. He has been in the music industry for over 40 years; performing live and in the studio as a keyboardist, producing records, videos and teaching music production and synthesis.

ROOM 1001
2:30

History of Synthesizer Presets

Anyone who has spent a moment with modern software instruments will tell you that good presets can make or break a product, but this wasn’t always the case! In this talk, I will examine the origins of the modern preset-industrial complex, opine on the semi-recent history of music production, and maybe give you a few fun tidbits of synthesizer trivia.

A. Campbell Payne

A. Campbell Payne is a musician living in Massachusetts whose practice revolves around time, repetition, chance, and perception.

Room 1007
3:00

Sound Quality and Mastering

A conversation about the role of sound quality in audio production, about the tools we use to listen to our work, and about the artistic and technical functions of the mastering engineer as the final ears on commercial music releases.

Tom Eaton

Tom Eaton is an award winning and Grammy nominated composer and mastering engineer who has been helping make records sound good for nearly thirty years.

ROOM 1001
3:30

Interviews with modular makers

Simulations of analog media in modular synths are achieved by abstraction and parametrization of the sounds of analog synths, cassettes, broken CDs, warped vinyl, and low bit rate MP3s. This talk explains the technical and philosophical challenges and opportunities afforded by designing these simulations and using them to make music.

Ryan Page

Ryan Page is a Providence, RI-based composer and Assistant Professor of Sound Design at Berklee College of Music.

ROOM 1007
4:00

Networked Modular Ensemble

Matthew Davidson will present an overview of how Berklee’s Modular Synthesizer Ensemble uses various network protocols and standards like UDP and AVB to communicate musical intent in real time.

Matthew Davidson

Matthew Davidson is an Associate Professor in the Electronic Production & Design department at Berklee College of Music. He also releases the most excellent music under the name “Stretta”.  Someone at NESF is a super-fan. 😉

ROOM 1001
4:30

Demystifying the Octatrack

This workshop will introduce Octatrack basics and help those unacquainted to jump into using the Octatrack quickly. We will focus particularly on integrating modular into an Ocatrack workflow and cover tips and tricks for performing live.

Christina Shivers

Christina Shivers is a Cambridge based modular musician, visual artist, and academic.

ROOM 1007
5:00

Modular electroacoustic looper music

Looper music has existed in some form since at least Les Paul’s 1953 televised demonstration of sound on sound. Applying modular synthesis to the approach that everything that makes sound is an instrument, following threads from experimental musicians like John Cage and Einstürzende Neubauten. This will be a presentation that merges looper music, found sound and modular synthesis.

DEFTLY-D

Deftly-D a.k.a. David Dodson runs Voidstar Productions and produces and performs as part of Zero Times Infinity, Nau-Zee-auN, Amalgamated Cadaver and as Deftly Demolition and hosts a weekly radio program on 90.3 FM WZBC on Monday nights from 8-10PM.

ROOM 1001
5:30

TRackers Workshop

Far from its humble roots on the Amiga, tracker software now runs everywhere, from Eurorack systems, to standalone hardware, to PCs, Macs, and Linux. Sam Holland will share his wealth of experience with trackers, focusing on the popular software tracker Renoise.

Sam Holland

Sam Holland performs hip-hop inflected dance music as Metal Tiger, and is a primary organizer of the Boston Modular Meetup group.