Madelife, a creative accelerator in Boulder and frequent host venue for the Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup, started hosting a very cool electronic music concert series late in 2017 called Beat Cypher. Each performer gets a 10-minute slot and signs up first come first serve. It’s Rapid-fire fun for performers and listeners!
It’s now a recurring event happening the fourth Thursday of each month. I’ll be heading down tonight to do a set using only my Elektron Octatrack.
Next event: Thursday January 25th
Time: 7:30 0 10:00 PM
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1775998849375387/
Location: 2000 21st Street, Boulder, CO 80302 | Map
How it Works
Come down to madelife for an evening of music and friends! ALL STYLES WELCOME. The madelife Beat Cypher is all about bringing local music producers/performers together to share their talent with each other and the community.
THE RULES:
1. Bring a portable setup for live performance. There will be plenty of table space and power.
2. There is a sign-up sheet (FIRST COME FIRST SERVE). Each person get’s a 10-minute slot.Join the madelife Beat Cypher Group (http://bit.ly/2mPG59d) for photo/video uploads, Beat Cypher News, and updates!
Video from My Last Performance Using Only Elektron Analog Four
Here is a 7 minute performance from madelife Beat Cypher #2.Audio is from GoPro. Beat Cypher is kind of like an open mic with micro-sets which necessitates small rigs and groove boxes. It’s super fun.
I challenged myself to do my set with just an Elektron Analog Four. The Analog Four has 4 analog synths, is only 4 note polyphonic in total and has chorus, delay and reverb on the master chain.
The performance is a combination of original presets, tweaked factory presets, live playing using the onboard chromatic keyboard, real-time sound design, use of some pre-defined original sequences with live arrangement and live sequencing. I’m using 4 kits” throughout (which you can switch to with no load-time or hickups). So all synthesis, no samples, no audio playback.
- 00:00 Real-time synthesis with original preset
- 00:34 Live arrangement with grooves, live-sound design, live play on chromatic keyboard
- 4:00 Back to real-time synthesis using chromatic keyboard
- 05:00 Things get pretty Logan’s Run bleepy and modular-like
- 06:25 Freeze with the amazing on-board reverb
Mark Mosher 