Synth Jams (OMI)

One of the most regular practices of OMI members is the Synth Jam. These are informal live improvisations using hardware synthesizers and, sometimes, software as well. The Jams take many forms, but most recently they have moved online using Zoom to capture and enable collaboration and Twitch to live-stream. Typically, no preparation is done beforehand and all music is the serendipitous coming-together of those involved through listening and responding.

 

Performed live via Zoom and Twitch, Jan 08, 2021

My setup for this session consisted of the OP 1 and the Koma Elektronik Field Kit and Field Kit FX. The routing was as follows:

OP 1 –> FX: Pitch Shift && Field Kit Input 1 (mixer) 3 (for dry signal)
Pitch Shift –> FX: Digital Delay
Digital Delay –> FX: Spring Reverb && Input (mixer) 1
Spring Reverb –> Input (mixer) 2

Each of the parameters are alternately modulated by the analog sensor output from the Field Kit. The “sensor” was simply conductive wire. The most notable effect of the modulation was on the pitch level and the reverb time parameter, both of which result in pitch change. The OP 1 patch was a simple bell-like texture. Pitches were generated by throwing quartal harmonies into the tombola sequencer.

Performed live via Zoom and Twitch, Nov 24, 2020

My setup for this session was as follows: Laptop running SuperCollider sending MIDI out to OP 1 where all synthesis was done. This audio was then routed back into the computer and to the session via Zoom. The SuperCollider code is extremely simple and consists of a single Pdef() object that defines a loop (using Pbind with inf event objects) that creates and sends probabilistic pitch, loudness, and duration information to the OP 1. Realtime adjustments can then be made to the OP 1 synthesis patch and FX (provided you don’t accidentally turn them off for a second 😛 )

Performed live via Zoom, May 29, 2020

My setup for this session was simply OP 1 synthesizer audio routed to Zoom.