Curtis Roads is a composer, author and computer programmer specializing in granular and pulsar synthesis.
He co-founded the International Computer Music Association in 1980 and edited the Computer Music Journal for over 23 years. He has created software including PulsarGenerator and the Creatovox, both with Alberto de Campo.
In this series of interviews, Roads talks about granular synthesis, microsound and his ideas on electronic music. And then he takes apart his Hammond organ.
Check out these videos and leave a comment with your thoughts!
Getting Granular
Microsound encompasses any sound thats so short it couldnt fit on the normal musical time scale. In terms of measurement, youre talking anywhere from 10 milliseconds to 1/10 of a second.
Building Compositions With Granular Synthesis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul4y_e3TLyk
Curtis Roads shows you his garden and explains its connection to his music, and then he takes apart a Hammond organ.
Kind of an odd fellow… Seems kind of silly to work on a piece like that for decades, when to most ears it would sound quite random. But I do appreciate his philosophical sort of approach to music in general.
Well, Curtis Roads is pretty much a genius and he did develop granular synthesis from the basics originated by Xenakis etc, it is not a matter of how long anyone works on their piece, it is the result that counts and his results are exemplary.
I would suggest that if you find it weird to work on a piece for so long and if you find randomness difficult, then stick to pop music and be happy.
Hi from Greece mr. Peter…Exactly!..We live in a random-sound world, yet we afraid of it, but there lies the truth.