Synthesist and Multimedia Artist
I had the pleasure of doing visuals for Shibui #9 in Denver at the Mutiny Information Cafe. Here is a video with some excerpts from my GoPro footage of the amazing Pythian Whispers set with Victoria Lundy sitting in on Theremin.
For this set I improvised in real-time using visual synthesis with live camera input as my only source using Resolume with Novation LaunchPad X for my control surface. The Laucnhpad has a custom controller layout I made for Resolume.
Here is a cockpit view.
A few updates.
First off, reminder that I’ll performing visuals for a show tonight (January 26th, 2020). Here is the official Facebook event.
In case you missed it, I’ve been working for over a year on my first studio album in over 5 years.
The songs have been composed and recorded. I’m in final mixdown and mastering.
I’m redesigning my studio space to make mixing and mastering more comfortable. I was originally going to get a bigger monitor speaker setup than my current 5″ but after doing some reviews I decided to go with smaller powered micro monitors so I can mix longer with less fatigue. I’m going to give iLoud Micro Monitors a try https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmm/.
I’m also reworking my desk solution to get a sit/stand desk. Until I get this all worked out I’m taking a break on album production. Should have all this sorted in a week or two.
I’ve been doing subscribe-exclusive posts on Jamuary but haven’t put anything out as a blog post on this here yet. I’ll do a more formal blog post on this after January linking to all videos. For now check out the YoutTube playlist for the videos I’ve posted to date and to see new ones I finish before the end of the month https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGCypErMVASYA4Je2sHhyGdqMP5Rs1TJG.
I changed my event pages work. I used to maintain a table with events in it. It was difficult to edit and keep up with. Inspired by my friend Victoria’s site https://www.victorialundymusic.com/, I decided to simply create a menu that links to posts categorized as “Events”. It took me a few hours, but I went back through every post spanning back to 2008 and to categorize events. So new upcoming and past events are simply here…
https://markmoshermusic.com/category/events/
I’ve created a new page called a “now” page. I bumped into this idea via after listening to Brian Funk’s podcast with CD Baby Founder Derek Sivers https://brianfunk.com/blog/2020/1/23/derek-sivers-on-the-creative-process-and-making-music-music-production-podcast-149. I thought it was really interesting. After listening I swung by Derek’s web site and discovered and idea called a “now” page. Here is the concept https://sivers.org/nowff. If you have a site you might want to consider a “now” page in addition to your “about” page here is even more info https://nownownow.com/about.
This inspired me to create a “now” page for my artist site which is here…
https://markmoshermusic.com/now/
Cheers,
Mark
Happy New Year! I’ll be doing visuals for Shibui #9 at Mutiny Information Cafe in Denver on January 26th. Here is the official Facebook event.
This is the 9th edition of Shibui Denver, the last Sunday of the month showcase of underground music curated and hosted by local music historian/commentator Tom Murphy. This show will be one of the few with three acts including Pop Grunge band The Vanilla Milkshakes, experimental indie rock group Lazarus Horse and ambient psychedelic project Pythian Whispers. Synth composer and digital artist Mark Mosher of the Rocky Mountain Synth Meet-up will provide the visuals. Donations appreciated for the bands. 7 p.m. start.
Saturday Dec 21st, 2019
1-3pm
Little Horse Vintage, Books, Vinyl
820 Main St.
Louisville, CO
I’m happy to announce a special event at Little Horse Books, Vintage & Vinyl in downtown Louisville. I’ve arranged with the owner to do a record store takeover with the Synth Patrol. It’s a perfect chance to do some holiday shopping and listen to some experimental music.
On this mission, the Synth Patrol squad will be meetup members The Aefonic (aka Brian Horsfield), Cold Future (aka Victor John), monoscene (aka Christoph Scholtes) and Newecho (aka me). We will be live sampling random needle drops on random or shopper-selected vinyl to improvise a live soundscape. I’ll accompany all this with psychedelic visuals. Here are some sample visuals.
This is an improvisational session and we’ll be performing from 1-3 continuously so feel free to come late or wander in and out.
Here is a walk through video of the space.
There is free parking downtown on the streets and at the Library. Within a two block radius you can grab lunch or drinks at one of many restaurants, shop for vinyl and vintage at Little Horse, listen to the performance, grab a beer at 12 Degree Brewing (which is in the same building), stroll about and buy local, wander over to Tilt Arcade, and/or finish off your afternoon at the amazing ice cream at Sweet Cow.
Brian Horsfield (aka The Aefonic) – Modular
Victor John (aka Cold Future) – Elektron Octatrack
Mark Mosher – Interactive Visuals with live camera input, Ableton Live & Push 2
Christoph Scholtes (aka monoscene ) – Modular
Mark Mosher – Director, Graphical Score, Opening Film, PR
Brian Horsfield – Rehearsal space
Victoria Lundy of Cuttlefish Arts – Synth Patrol brand identity consulting and logo
Little Horse Vintage, Books, Vinyl
Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup Members.
This video is made up of some GoPro footage from Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup #74 – “Special Event: Beat Cypher Halloween Collaboration + Intro to SP-404”.
I’m performing two songs from my album I Hear Your Signals https://markmosher.bandcamp.com/album/i-hear-your-signals.
First up is “I Can See Them” performed on Percussa AudioCubes and Ableton Live.
This is followed by “Resolute” on keys, Novation LaunchPad X with AudioCubes providing interactive lighting via automation from Live dummy clips.
This event was a collaboration with madelife in Boulder, CO who hosts a monthly madelife BEAT CYPHERS. Event link https://www.meetup.com/Rocky-Mountain-Synth/events/264878800/.
I Hear Your Signals is album #2 in a series of alien invasion concept albums containing original electronica, dark ambient, and experimental tracks. This second album in the series, released in 2010, is a retelling of Album #1 – but – from the alien point of view inverted emotional curves!
Below is a live recording of the Mosher-Deane duo improvising with two MicroFreak synthesizers as their primary tonal source. This live session was recorded at the Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup on October 8th, 2019 in the Renaissance Room at La Vita Bell in Longmont, CO.
First up just under a minute of some live footage from the show.
Here is a 12 minute audio recording of the full performance.
All tonal elements are from one of the two MicroFreaks which were being performed live as well as processed and live sampled with further mlusical mainpulations. Samples were used for percussive elements.
MicroFreak: (synth), audio out to Octatrack MKII
Octatrack MKII:
MicroFreak: (synth), audio out to UCA202, usb to HUB
UCA202: (audio i/o) audio out – main output usb to HUB
QUNEXUS: (keyboard) usb to HUB
HUB: (usb hub) usb to iPad
IPAD5:
I’ve also created a new landing page with more pics and audio recordings of our work here http://MarkMosherMusic.com/MD.
Update – Sonic Ecounters is not longer a podcast but an album series. Here is a blog post on this. This song is on available to my subscribers right now https://markmosher.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-encounters-volume-03.
I just released a new Sonic Encounters soundscape podcast episode “Turning Back the Rainforest Clocks“. Listen on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or with your favorite podcatcher.
Quite some time ago an alien child instantiated our reality using some silly game they found on their parent’s hand-me-down computer. As time went on they noticed the rainforests were being destroyed for a variety of reasons which would soon end the simulation. The child was quite attached to some of the people in the simulation and of course didn’t want to have restart the simulation all over again from beginning. So, without their parent’s permission, the child opted to buy the in-app purchase to heal the rainforests by turning back the rainforest clocks. Play now continues.
Improvised using original field recordings as sources from Australia including the city of Melbourne, and The Healesville Sanctuary (www.zoo.org.au/healesville/).
I manipulated a photo I took while walking to through the rainforest of Great Otway National Park on the way to Henderson Falls. Some of the trees are estimated to be over 200 years old.
Story, Music, Cover Art by Mark Mosher
Copyright Mark Mosher 2019
My artist site is here MarkMosherMusic.com
Sonic Encounters is a soundscapes podcast started in 2015. Each episode contains a story-driven original improvisational soundscape created with synthesis and sampling to capture, disassemble, reassemble, and shape the sounds around us. I also make all the episode covers.
Now in season 3, there are 22 past episodes with over 2 hours and 45 minutes of music. Show notes are in the description section within each episode on Soundcloud.
David Soto (Sinemountain), organizer of the Colorado Modular Synth Society, is starting a new concert series called the Synthesizer Science Fiction Book Club. I’ll be performing along with some other local synthesists at the first event in the series on Saturday September 14th at Mutiny Information Cafe at 2 S Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80209. Event starts at 8PM.
Artists are asked to write a score for their favorite science fiction book using synthesis. A brief explanation of the book and the score to follow after each performance. Book reports have never sounded so good.
I selected the amazing 1954 novel “I am Legend” by Richard Matheson for my performance.
I Am Legend is a 1954 science fiction horror novel by American writer Richard Matheson. It was influential in the development of the zombie-vampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971), and I Am Legend (2007). It was also an inspiration behind Night of the Living Dead (1968).
The paperback is 159 pages and Audible edition which is very good is around has a running time of 5h20m. This book was an inspiration to Stephen King, George Romero, and the creator of the video game Fallout to name a few.
While the book was adapted into films, the films diverge quite a bit from the essence of the book – and of course the book is much better as is often the case.
One very strong theme in the book while I’ll be incorporating into my score is loneliness.
“… despite having vampires in it, [the novel] is not a novel on vampires, nor even a horror nor sci-fi novel at all, in the deepest sense. Instead, it is perhaps the greatest novel written on human loneliness. It far surpasses Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe in that regard.”
– Dan Schneider from International Writers Magazine: Book Review wrote in 2005.
Some fun artists in the books in this first event of the series so I hope to see you at the show.
For more information visit the official event page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/441742416432990/.
This month we’ll feature a presentation on the amazing Elektron Analog Rytm MKII analog/digital beat making dream machine by Eddie Corcoran. Eddie will also perform a set using the Rytm. He performs under then name Méchant Métrique
Details and RSVP here https://www.meetup.com/Rocky-Mountain-Synth/events/264543333/
Yesterday I did an improv session with my good friend and mentor Dino J.A. Deane. This session was recorded live at the Dino’s studio (The Bohemian Lounge) using ambient room mics. We recorded 4 songs which came out to 54 minutes of music. I uploaded to this Soundcloud playlist for your enjoyment.
Mark Mosher Instruments:
Elektron Octatrack, Elektron Digitone, & Tablet (Samplr)
Dino J.A. Deane Instruments:
MicroFreak & Tablet (AUM-SpaceCraft-ENSO-NOIR-Samplr)
Update – Sonic Ecounters is not longer a podcast but an album series. Here is a blog post on this. This song is on available to my subscribers right now https://markmosher.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-encounters-volume-03.
I’m happy to announce that season 03 of the Sonic Encounters soundscapes podcast is under way with a new song called “Please Press 3“. Sonic Encounters began 4 years ago and this new soundscape brings us to 22 songs and over 2 hours and 40 minutes or original music.
Each episode contains original improvisational soundscapes and songs created with synthesis and sampling to capture, disassemble, reassemble, and shape the sounds around us. Episode covers are original art as well.
Season 1 and Season 2 are also available in album form here markmosher.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-e…ers-volume-01 and markmosher.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-e…ers-volume-02.
It appears the menu has changed. Please Press 3.
I thought I’d kick off this season with something more experimental with some off-the-grid playing and when I’m on the grid – lots of extreme tempo changes ranging from 80 BPM – 764 BPM.
Music, voice, lyrics, and cover art by Mark Mosher
Copyright Mark Mosher 2019
http://SonicEncounters.com
http://MarkMosherMusic.com
“The Treatise on Musical Objects” by Pierre Schaeffer. 600+ pages. I’m goin’ in!
I’m happy to announce the release of the album Sonic Encounters Volume 02 on Bandcamp. The album contains 8 improvisational soundscapes with over 40 minutes of original music from season 2 of my Sonic Encounters podcast. The album is available now for $5.
The songs are a combination of electronic tonalities derived from pure synthesis from original sound design work, and musique concrète using original sounds and field recordings.
The bandcamp edition allows you to choose from CD Quality FLAC, high-def MP3-320 as well as other formats allowing you to hear even more sonic detail within these works.
“Goosebumps and Deep Breaths… these rich soundscape “stories” sincerely do thrill my senses.
The concept for Sonic Encounters (so far, and in my interpretation) is this. You read a short text (sometimes the title is enough) on the premise of the “story” before listening. Then you listen to a purely sonic piece of field recording morphed with music, electronic manipulation, and performance, and you’re immediately transported via your own imagination’s 3D projection of his premise.
Mark’s become a consummate sound artist. He creates powerful imagery and elicits surprisingly keen emotional response from the listener without being heavy-handed. His economy and value in precision is proof of his skill. ” – BlindFlyTheater.com
In related news, Season 03 of Sonic Encounters Podcast is coming soon. To tune in to past and future episodes visit SonicEncounters.com.
The Colorado Modular Synth Festival (CMSF) will have live music and interactive hands-on activities for kids and adults interested in synthesizers and electronic music.
The event will take place at Belmar Plaza (464 S Teller St, Lakewood, CO 80226) from 2-8pm and then 8-10PM at Crazy Mountain Brewery at Belmar.
We have over 18 performers and speakers scheduled. Artists are playing outdoors with a modular only or hybrid synth setups.
Korg, WMDevices, BlipBlox and Colorado Modular Synth Society will have family-friendly synthesizers to learn with and play!
Checkout the Facebook event page for more info https://www.facebook.com/events/2289165391178448/.
Talks discussing synthesis 101, sound design and composition will take place at the adjacent Colorado Media School.
At 2:30 I’ll be giving a talk with my fellow Carbon Dioxide Ensemble members Victoria and Tom Lundy called “Theremin, Musique Concrète, and Live Sampling, Oh My!
The Carbon Dioxide Ensemble is a collaboration with Thomas Lundy, Victoria Lundy, and Mark Mosher. We focus on live improvisational performance of Musique concrète. In this unique act Mark uses the Elektron Octatrack dynamic performance sampler to live sample Thomas Lundy as he manipulates a Copper Heart and other objects with dry ice. Victoria Lundy accompanies on Theremin. The only audio source for Octatrack other than drum samples is the input from the contact mic on the Copper Heart. We then support the show with interactive visuals with live camera input.
Check out this recent performance behind-the-scenes performance video in collaboration with filmmaker Taylor Dunne.
Learn more at CarbonDioxideEnsemble.com
This week I composed a new pieced called “Press 3” which starts of at 80 BPM and makes it all the way to 764 BPM 😯. He
Here is a video snippet where I’m clocking along at 382 BPM.
Thanks J.L. Kane for hosting and Mechant Metrique for shooting this on his phone.
Soon after I did a live studio recording of the piece and released as the first episode in Season 3 of the Sonic Encounters Podcasst.
I’m using Ableton Live 10.1 Suite, Push 2, Novation Launch Control XL, Suface Laptop 2, Outer Spaces reverb (Max for Live), and U-HE Zebra 2 and Hive.
More on Beat Cypher here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1980133178941598
Heads up, Ableton just released a free set of Max for Live devices called CV Tools. In this post I’ll offer some info on overview videos, a summary mind map I made to give you a one-page perspective on all this, links to a collection of videos just released on Moog’s Demo Library YouTube Channel, and lastly a link for more info and how to get CV Tools.
Now you can control your modular and CV-based gear with Ableton Live 10 Suite. And because you own Ableton Live 10 and Max for Live, CV Tools is free for you.
CV Tools is a Pack of 10 devices that allows you to send and modulate control voltage between your modular setup and Ableton Live using a compatible dc-coupled audio interface.
Plus, the included Rotating Rhythm Generator and CV Utility devices give you modular-style workflows inside Live or with a hardware setup that doesn’t use CV-based equipment.
I used mindmeister to create a summary mind map. It’s a rather large map so you may want to click here to view the interactive mind map version. You can see more of my public mind maps here BTW https://www.mindmeister.com/users/channel/103187.
To see CV tools in action and learn more about how to use them swing by the Moog Demo Library Channel on YouTube. Bonus to see these tools in action with Push 2.
You will need to be running the free Live 10.1 update or above to use it. Download CV Tools from the Packs page or find it in your Live Browser under Available Packs.
Download CV Tools and get more info here
https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/cv-tools/.
