Nicolas Collins Speaker Oscillator

Nicolas Collins (author of Handmade Electronic Music) was in Dublin. He gave a lecture on Thursday 110413 and he facilitated a workshop on Saturday 130413 at the Science Gallery.







 

BUILD Workshop @ Catalyst Arts 060413

The first workshop of BUILD/CODE/IMPROVISE/PERFORM was carried out on Saturday 6 April 2013 at Catalyst Arts, Belfast (part of their exhibition, 'Under Construction'). The devices built and bent at the workshop will be used in the other workshops in the series in preparation for an event at SARC as part of the Sonorities Festival.

Here's an advert I found after the event had passed:


Here's a short demo video the Poor Man's Synth:


Here are a few photos from the workshop:

BUILD/CODE/IMPROVISE/PERFORM

 

A series of free hands-on workshops as part of UNDERCONSTRUCTION,

a collaborative exhibition taking place at Catalyst Arts throughout April.

Learn to build and bend circuits, make an instrument from

your laptop and take part in a public performance at QUB's

Sonorities Festival.

BUILD

Saturday 6th April 10am – 5pm, Free

Develop your own playable musical device with circuit bender

and instrument builder Barry Cullen.

CODE

Sunday 14th April 10am – 5pm, Free

Explore programming as musical performance using networked

laptops with Graham Booth. Mac laptop required.

IMPROVISE

Wednesday 17th April 6pm – 9pm, Free

Monday 22nd April 6pm – 10pm, Free

Develop a live performance with Kevin McCullagh & Tullis Rennie

using the instruments from BUILD and CODE.

PERFORM

Thursday 25th April 9.30pm – 12.30am, Free

The performance will be presented at the EARS showcase night 

as part of the Sonorities festival.

To reserve a place, please contact catalystarts@gmail.com with

your name and details of the workshop(s) you would like to attend.

Venue: Catalyst Arts, 5 College Court, BT1 6BS

(+44) 028 90 313 303

catalystarts.org.uk  /   facebook.com/qub.ears   

twitter.com/qubears   /   sonorities.org.uk

DIY Noise Synth Workshop 160313

In this workshop participants are shown how to build a simple 9v battery-powered synthesizer similar to the ”Atari Punk Console”. It is aimed at those interested in creative audio technology, techno, and noise. Knowledge of physics and maths is not necessary.

8 places, £60/£40

All workshops can be booked be emailing catherine@digitalartsstudios.com or angela@digitalartsstudios.com or by telephoning the DAS office on 02890 312900. Costs relate to standard/membership* rates.

*Membership of the Digital Arts Studios is only £30 a year and entitles you to the cheaper rates all year round as well as reduced costs on all other services including equipment hire. 

Here's one I made earlier:


Unpredictable oscillations from a trio of primitive square wave generators = inspiration/agitation in a hand-held box. Learn some basic electronics and simple soldering. Leave with a functioning circuit.

Flash Animation Workshop 020313

Flash is for use by anyone wanting to create crisp animations or rich interactive media. It is great at making impressive dynamic and/or interactive media with small file sizes, which is great for fast downloads. Flash is useful for people working in creative areas such as animation, design, TV and film or advertising.
The workshop aims to give beginners an introduction to all of the tools available and practical exercises in their use. By the end of the session all participants will have learned to create and manipulate different assets for use in basic animations including interactive buttons. The workshop is designed to give participants experience in the software’s potential to create both still and dynamic audio and visual material including; illustration, text manipulation, using layers, making buttons and various animation techniques.

6 places, £60/£40 (DAS or VAI members receive the reduced rate)

All workshops can be booked be emailing catherine@digitalartsstudios.com or angela@digitalartsstudios.com or by telephoning the DAS office on 02890 312900. Costs relate to standard/membership* rates.

*Membership of the Digital Arts Studios is only £30 a year and entitles you to the cheaper rates all year round as well as reduced costs on all other services including equipment hire. 

I use Flash to create loops for VJing - it's quick, colourful, and makes an impact (I usually get a few people asking where I get my clips from at shows). Come along to one of the workshops and learn to make vector magic*.

*Not actually magic, but I'm pretty sure it's fun...

DIY 9v Noise Synth Workshop

First time delivering this workshop in the new venue!

In this workshop participants are shown how to build a simple 9v battery-powered synthesizer similar to the ”Atari Punk Console”. It is aimed at those interested in creative audio technology, techno, and noise. Knowledge of physics and maths is not necessary.

Dates: Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th October 2012

Times: 6.00 – 8.30pm

New Reduced Price: £20 standard / £10 for DAS or VAI members*

*For information on how to become a member please visit our membership page: http://www.digitalartsstudios.com/membership/

Build-A-Booster Workshop 180812 - UPDATED

UPDATED
Here are a few photos from the workshop:



And here's a short video clip of the first test:



Build-a-Booster Workshop

Beginners build a booster unit in one day.
No knowledge of physics is required.
Learn basic soldering.

In four hours participants will build an amp-slapping boost circuit including:
in / out jacks, control pot and bypass switch.
Tools are available in the workspace.

1 - 5 pm
Saturday 18 August 2012

£35 (+ £5 for an aluminium enclosure)

To book a place - dodgystereo at gmail dot com

Example of a booster:

ZVEX SHO Tribute


Address:
Upstairs workshop @
1b Jameson Street, Belfast
(Beside the Errigle Inn on the Ormeau Road)

Build-A-Fuzz

Build-A-Fuzz
Workshop for beginners.
Build an individualised fuzz circuit in four hours
Learn basic soldering.
No knowledge of physics is required.

Date:
Saturday 30 Jun 2012
1.00PM - 5.00PM

Address:
Upstairs workshop behind the big grey doors.
1b Jameson Street, Belfast
(Beside Kurl Up & Dye hairdressers, across from the Errigle Inn on the Ormeau Road)

To book a place contact - dodgystereo@gmail.com

Places limited to four per session.
Cost - £35 or £40 with an aluminium box

http://www.facebook.com/events/243364025781542/

You will have a functional 9v battery powered fuzz circuit with control knob, jack sockets, and stomp switch. Enclosure optional.

Build-A-Fuzz Trial Workshop 310312

I've moved some tools and components into a new workshop space above pxyl. There is more work to be done to optimise the space, but it's got off to a good start with a successful trial run of a build-a-fuzz workshop.

Two guinea pigs took part. They built their fuzzboxes by combining two versions of the bazz fuss circuit as starting points on bread boards, then experimenting with a variety of transistors, capacitors and diodes to find their own unique voicing, before soldering it to vero board. Satisfying DIY.

UPDATE
Here's a video of one of the builds with a bass guitar:

Sonic Acts 2012

Sonic Acts 2012
Pauline Oliveros.
Keith Fullerton Whitman.
Workshops.
Concerts.
Installations.
Conference.
Film.
New music.
I only heard of this by joining the STEIM mailing list.
Instrument building workshops are held there,
among many un-typical initiatives.
Sold.

DIY Noise Synth Workshop

Happy New Year.

Time to get busy with the bleeps again...


photo by Saul Rayson.

"Following its successful pilot in November and in reponse to huge demand we have decided to add Barry’s DIY Synth-machine workshop to our Spring Programme.

In this workshop participants are shown how to build a simple 9v battery-powered synthesizer similar to the ”Atari Punk Console”. It is aimed at those interested in creative audio technology, techno, and noise. Knowledge of physics and maths is not necessary.

Dates: 6th & 7th March

Times: 6 – 8.30pm

Cost: £40/30"

If you would like to attend contact Digital Arts Studios (Queen St., Belfast).

DIY 9v Noise Synth Workshop @ SERC 141211

DIY Noise Synth Workshop - Saturday 22nd October

DIY Noise Synth Workshop
From the DAS website:
"
Saturday 22nd October
12 – 5pm

In this workshop participants are shown how to build a simple 9v battery-powered synthesizer similar to the ”Atari Punk Console”. It is aimed at those interested in creative audio technology, techno, and noise. Knowledge of physics and maths is not necessary. Participants must be 18+

Workshops are free and open to the public and all equipment will be provided by the Digital Arts Studios. However there are limited places available on each workshop so early booking is recommended. To confirm your place please call the Digital Arts Studios office on

02890 312900

or email

angela@digitalartsstudios.com

to book your place.
*The event will take place at Catalyst Arts Gallery: Catalyst Arts

The main difference with the 9v battery noise maker to be made at this workshop and the usual APC oscillator is the IC. The APC uses a 556, makers at this workshop will use a 40106 and some extra bits if there is enough time.

Recyclism - Physical Computing Workshop 160311

Recyclism - Physical Computing Workshop 160311
When: Wednesday 16th of March, from 10am to 5pm
Where: Hosted by Moxie Studio

This course is run by Benjamin Gaulon, a new media artist and lecturer in the National College of Art and Design (Dublin) and in the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Dun Laoghaire). Benjamin has been working for several years with programming and micro processors and teaches it for the last 5 years.

http://recyclism.com/masterclass.php




We used the software Pure Data (aka PD) and the Arduino software + hardware (the Duemilanove) plus some breadboards and our own laptops for the day. We made lights blink and we could change the speed of the blinking with a potentiometer. We made digital oscillators which we could control with the pot. We also made sample players with push button triggers. We covered what felt like an impressive amount of material, and I was tired and happy by the end. I ordered the latest Arduino board, the Uno as soon as I got home.

Circuit Bending Workshop & Open Jack Night 120311

Here's a fun way to spend a day. Maybe I'll see you there?
Cut 'n paste info:
Circuit Bending Workshop & Open Jack Event - 12th March
@ Catalyst Arts, 5 College Court, Belfast.

Circuit Bending: Learn how to make noise making instruments out of toys and household electronics. We will provide all the materials, you can take home a new instrument - Or stay for Open Jack in the evening and premiere your new instrument!

Limited spaces - Booking / enquiry: qubears@gmail.com

I heard an interesting distinction made between bending and hacking:

Bending is when the technology is tampered with by a novice who doesn't know what they are doing - they are exploring and finding modifications by chance.

Hacking is when technology is approached by someone with knowledge and experience, who has an idea that they would like to put into practice.

UPDATE:
Here's a little clip of the workshop:

Interactive Media & Environment Master Class

Next week I'm going to a 'Interactive Media & Environment Master Class' in Dublin. The promo bumpf reads well, an almost perfect day out for me! Cut 'n' paste follows:

When: Wednesday 16th of March
Where: Hosted by Moxie Studio
Lead by: Benjamin Gaulon
Bring your own laptop (Mac, Pc or Linux)

During this Master class participants will become familiar with basic hardware and software design while at the same time gaining hands-on experience making interactive art projects, digital art performances, installations, interactive events using moving images and sound.

The workshop covers the basis of Physical Computing[1] using Arduino[2] and Pure Data[3]. Participants will be able to control sound and visuals in Pure Data using a variety of Sensors (distance sensor, light sensor, temperature sensor, potentiometer, etc..). Each participant will have use of a starter kit (Arduino, bread boards, basic tools and sensors) for the day.

This initial class can be follow by groups or individual follow-up sessions to help participants complete a personal project or expand their knowledge in specific areas.

This Master Class is open to participants of different backgrounds and no programming or electronic experience is required.

It looks pretty fabulous, doesn't it? I am looking forward to it a lot and hope that it'll inspire and inform new directions for future projects and directions to spend my energy. After talking to many FLOSS / Arduino enthusiasts it's about time I got around to learning about this.

I think it's time to read that little book that's been neglected on my shelf for a few months...

Electronoize Playshop

I found the electronize playshop blog and thought I might share it here. It's a host of links for making DIY devices that are simple, primitive, electronic and fun. Check out he little list of project documents he's shared - they seem pretty straight forward. I'll be tackling some of those filters when I have time.

What I also find really useful is the list of retailers that sell components. A heck of a lot more affordable than buying parts off the shelf or over the counter at smaller stockists.

I found the link from Fluxmonkey's website which I found whilst looking for something else on the Chrondritic Sound forum.

DATA 2.0

Just found out about this today by chance whilst talking to a friend at a Super Collider talk at SARC - sadly I'll not be able to attend, but it looks pretty special. If you're in Dublin this weekend, you could do worse than to invest some time in checking some of it out. Of particular interest is the Punk Console Workshop and Push Move Click.

DATA 2.0

Big Bang Lab

Big Bang Lab, Cultural Social Responsibility from Big Bang Lab on Vimeo.

Big Bang Lab is a leading cultural-social enterprise that creates and delivers dynamic learning programmes and high quality productions. We combine original music with archive and silent films, both contemporary and historical.

An interesting collection of projects using media and community groups to create new work. Plenty to research. Inspiring stuff.

Neanderthal Electronics with Derek Holzer

Neanderthal Electronics was the title of the week long workshops I recently attended at Digital Arts Studios. Our tutor was Derek Holzer an American artist/musician based in berlin who is touring his tutorial showing people like me (IE: mathematics and physics failures) how to make analogue synths from scratch using simple, cheap and easy to source electronic components.

The end result is a cigar box with knobs and switches and an 'acoustic laptop', both of which shall be used in the upcoming show with Mi Ami and Glissando along with some other bonus material that hasn't been heard before.