136: How do you think I began in the world (part one and interlude)

Posted on by

The piece centers on the repetitive nature of daily life, and even when the world is fragmented, seemingly destroyed, there is hope that it can be repaired, and restored. Based on “The Sow took the Measles” a folk song from colonial New England. The original verse tells of Yankee practical idealism, of making good out of a bad situation.

Featuring field recordings, synthesized instruments, and digital signal manipulation.

This is part one and an interlude of an album of the same name. Please visit my bandcamp page to purchase the entire album.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

135: Small Things

Posted on by

As the world slides sideways, episode 135 of the podcast focuses on a collage of closeup and foley recordings, with occasional accompaniment by computer synthesized contrabass and tuba. The recordings include: opening a can of seltzer, pouring water, semi-rhythmic rubbing and tapping glass and cardboard, opening kitchen cabinet doors, futzing with a tape measure and cordless drill.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

134: What would be a better place

Posted on by

In an experiment on the Moon, Apollo 15 Commander David Scott, dropped a geological hammer and a falcon feather simultaneously*. I can’t imagine Galileo ever considered that his thought experiment would be realized, or maybe that’s what he was thinking about in the fall of 1609 when was looking at the moon through his telescope and created, in watercolor, the first realistic depictions of the moon in human history*.

Episode 134 of the podcast features recordings from the moon (Apollo/NASA), recordings from earth (boat ride, coffee shop, and driving on a highway), sounds made on my computer (a Roland TR-606 drum machine emulation, and a computer assisted composition: flute, clarinet, and piano).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

133: What Became

Posted on by

A low rumble. A repetitive flute and then piano — moving slowly up and down, finding a path in through the dark night — the two play at the same time, not really together. A strumming rises and falls on the left. The tune is never playful, never mournful, not quit even, looking for its way. A held note, hoping to be propelled forward. Are those voices, is it a crowd? The harmonic shift keeps it from resolving. The nervous energy, the pace quickens, but somehow a moment of calm within the noise. The piano returns, still going up and down, spinning it’s wheels, changing keys, but not finding a way. Its ‘friend’ the flute returns as well…. No hope to find its way, the struggle is heard.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

131: Before they would return again

Posted on by

An old song on a computer generated piano; a theme from a 1950’s instructional video; miscellaneous bits, clicks and static; unintelligible voices; a river; a slow bell.

This episode continues to collage together samples and sounds as an accompaniment to a melody based on the folk songs, this episode features The Avondale Mine Disaster.

Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

130: Oh, life is toil and love is trouble

Posted on by

An old song on a computer generated piano; field and foley recordings; miscellaneous bits and pieces of digital sounds; a sine waves; the ocean; a train.

Episode 130 of the podcast re-edits past episodes as an accompaniment to collaged piano based on the folk song The Housewife’s Lament.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

129: Does the Golden Record have an high quality inner sleeve?

Posted on by

The Golden Record! Gravity! Cassette tape navigation! Sound waves! old voicemails! hair care advice! Proper care for vinyl record! and more! stopGOstop presents Does the Golden Record have a high quality inner sleeve?, a new sound collage.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download