WELCOME TO THE LIVE AUDIO DELAY SYSTEM RESEARCH DEPOSITORY
<<READ THE L.A.D.S. OVERVIEW<<
INTRODUCTION
As I mentioned in the overview, it has always seemed clear to me that my role as operator of the Live Audio Delay System should be more like a supporter and champion of the "organisms" that emerge from it, than resemble any traditional type of artist or performer. I am the facilitator of the organisms' growth primarily, and it is my fascination with them (and the endless possibility preceding them) which propels me into the public sphere—whether this be sharing already-uncovered organisms through recorded media, or involving people in the (uncertain) growth process itself via a performance- or demonstration-type situation.
From this fascination also comes a strong desire for knowledge, which is what prompted me to start this page. I want to know everything I can about those organisms that have already come into being—their evolution, character, familial traits, etc. The Research Depository aims to provide a place where this information can be gathered, studied and shared amongst interested people. My hope is that it will not only focus and improve my skills as a facilitator, but also form the beginnings of a kind of genus of audio delay system life, and, in turn, maximize the potential of the system itself.
THE CATEGORIES
So far, it seems possible to summarize the basic characteristics of most audio delay system life in terms of ten categories. The first six concern the organism's overall qualities. They can mostly be ascertained from a snapshot of the organism at full maturity, but not always. Sometimes it may make more sense to take an average reading over the organism's entire lifespan (for example in cases where "full maturity" deviates significantly from preceding life stages, or where aberrations arise from supplementary loops that may be better analyzed independently). They are as follows:
1. Harmonic mutability (the degree to which the tonal center is variable/ambiguous, as opposed to fixed)
2. Melodic-ness (has the structure tended toward forming melodic lines, or is it more texturally-oriented?)
3. Tone sustenance (is the structure made up of sustained or decaying notes, or both? If decaying, what is the strength of attack?)
4. Pulse (has the structure included, resulted in, or been informed by, any sort of regular rhythmic activity?)
5. Density (level of activity / busy-ness of notes accumulated)
6. Register (pitch location of the bulk of activity; has an interesting relationship with #1)
The last four categories (below) concern the growth process itself. It is in these characteristics that delay system life is most likely to be recognizable as such. In many other types of music they may not even be directly applicable.
7. Size of the original cell (was the first framed material made up of just one or two notes, or was it in itself an organized structure of notes?)
8. Speed of growth (self-explanatory)
9. Amount of growth (self-explanatory)
10. Live cell counterpoint (the way that live material responds to already accumulated material, and specifically whether this response-method tends toward replicating [working with] or countering [working against] existing cells/cell-groups, or a combination of both; generally, the first moments of the growth stage are the most important to consider)
In each case, the breakdown data essentially comprises a number between 1 and 10 for each of the ten categories. Obviously, numeric values in this system do not parallel aesthetic values; they simply reflect a category's applicability. Care has been taken to name the categories in such a way that they work in this context. For example, category #3 could not have been called "tone quality" (even though that may've been the more intuitive choice), because a numerical score in such a category would be meaningless. Instead, it is called "tone sustenance". In this category, an organism made purely of plucked tones would score a "1" (since the tones do not sustain), while an organism comprising only bowed tones would score a "10".
An eleventh category may well have been Longevity—meaning the degree to which an organism remains interesting after repeated listens—but, although this interests me a lot, it is difficult to measure and largely subjective, so for now this remains an auxiliary consideration, separate from the organism's basic compositional breakdown.
MAPPING THE ORGANISMS
To represent the basic compositional breakdown data of each organism, I have designed a visual graph template, with two separate lines mapping (1) the six "overall" categories [in blue], and (2) the four "growth" categories [in red]. My hope is that by having a consistent mapping procedure, and thus the ability to compare organisms meaningfully, patterns will start to reveal themselves concerning the relationship between categories, as well as between the organisms themselves.
Of course, deciding what constitutes a single organism is itself quite subjective. Sometimes a "loop" will emerge live in direct response to another loop, and is unquestionably part of the same growth process. At other times, loops combine coincidentally, and are really more accurately described as separate entities intermingling.
Further, in the process of surveying and mixing delay sessions, decisions are always made regarding which parts of a particular growth process should go towards forming a public "piece". (This is sometimes informed by the context it will be presented in, but mostly it is to do with observed strengths and weaknesses.) Thus, some organisms are presented only at full maturity, or from a reasonably advanced stage in their development (e.g. A Shift in Perception), while others are shown almost exclusively in development (e.g. Deep Golden Flourish); some are presented as a complete life cycle (e.g. Excavation Pattern 2), while others frame only a select passage (e.g. Excavation Pattern 3).
Given this flexibility of form, not all categories are mapped for every organism. But surveying and studying broader or different sections of any given organism always remains a possibility.
-- Alex Carpenter
THE DEPOSITORY
| General | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | vds7-mix9-norm100.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Fluid Expansion | |
| Date recorded/mixed: | September 2009/February 2011 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Additional applications: | Live Video Delay 7 | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 7.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 2 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 9 | |
| Pulse: | 1 | |
| Density: | 6.5 | |
| Register: | 4 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 1.5 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | theopenprocession1.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | The Open Procession | |
| Date recorded: | August 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Additional applications: | None | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 6 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 8 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 5 | |
| Pulse: | 3 | |
| Density: | 6 | |
| Register: | 4 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 1.5 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 3.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 4 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | embalming-extended1-norm.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Embalming Music 1 (extended mix) | |
| Date recorded: | September 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Applications: | Widower (film) | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 6.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 6 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 1.5 | |
| Density: | 7 | |
| Register: | 6 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 2 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | embalming-extended2-patch-norm.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Embalming Music 2 (extended mix) | |
| Date recorded: | September 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Applications: | Widower (film) | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 7 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 6 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 5 | |
| Pulse: | 2 | |
| Density: | 7 | |
| Register: | 6 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 7.5 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 4 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | FaintingSpellMixSep25.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Fainting Spell (After Ingvar Loco Nordin) | |
| Date recorded: | August 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Additional applications: | Live Video Delay 5 | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 7.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 6 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 1 | |
| Density: | 6 | |
| Register: | 8 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 7.5 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | 4thPresencing.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Fourth Presencing | |
| Date recorded: | 2006 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | Live Video Delay 4 | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 3 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 2 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 10 | |
| Pulse: | 1 | |
| Density: | 8.5 | |
| Register: | 5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 2 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 6 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 1.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | excavation3-vds1.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Excavation Pattern 3 | |
| Date recorded: | December 2004 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | Excavation Pattern 3 video | |
| Releases: | VAN10503 | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 9 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 8 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 1 | |
| Density: | 7 | |
| Register: | 9 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 8 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 3 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 3 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | track2-middle2.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Excavation Pattern 2 | |
| Date recorded: | December 2004 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Baritone guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | Excavation Pattern 2 video | |
| Releases: | VAN10503 | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 6 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 5 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 8.5 | |
| Density: | 8 | |
| Register: | 3.5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 3 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 3 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | pasdedeux-part1comp.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Pas de Deux, Part 1 | |
| Date recorded: | September 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Additional applications: | Pas de Deux video (Live Video Delay 6) | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 6.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 6 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 2.5 | |
| Density: | 4 | |
| Register: | 6 | |
| Original Cell Size: | N/A | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 4 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | pasdedeux-part2extended_n.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Pas de Deux, Part 2 | |
| Date recorded: | September 2010 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Brooklyn | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.4 | |
| Additional applications: | Pas de Deux video (Live Video Delay 6), Widower (film) (2nd loop only) | |
| Releases: | None | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 7.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 7 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 5 | |
| Pulse: | 2 | |
| Density: | 4 | |
| Register: | 6 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 3.5 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 4.5 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 4.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | sip_light.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Light Piece (from A Shift in Perception) | |
| Date recorded: | June-August, 2006 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | None | |
| Releases: | A Shift in Perception (film) | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 2.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 6.5 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 8.5 | |
| Density: | 4 | |
| Register: | 5.5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | N/A | |
| Speed of Growth: | 1 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 2 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 1.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | sip_water.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Water Piece (from A Shift in Perception) | |
| Date recorded: | June-August, 2006 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | None | |
| Releases: | A Shift in Perception (film) | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 2.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 2 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 3 | |
| Density: | 6 | |
| Register: | 6 | |
| Original Cell Size: | N/A | |
| Speed of Growth: | 1 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 3 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 3.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | sip_colour.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Colour Piece (from A Shift in Perception) | |
| Date recorded: | June-August, 2006 | |
| Location recorded: | Vanished Records, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.3 | |
| Additional applications: | None | |
| Releases: | A Shift in Perception (film) | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 6.5 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 3 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 1 | |
| Density: | 3.5 | |
| Register: | 8.5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | N/A | |
| Speed of Growth: | 1 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 2.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 3.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | flourish-vds1.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Deep Golden Flourish | |
| Date recorded: | July 2004 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Guitar, LADS V.2 | |
| Additional applications: | Fourth Study in Dynamic Photography | |
| Releases: | VAN20402, VAN20504 | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 10 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 8 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 1 | |
| Pulse: | 2 | |
| Density: | 9 | |
| Register: | 7.5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 9 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 2 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 9.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 1.5 | |
| General |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Audio file: | 2ndPresencing.mp3 | |
| Identifier: | Second Presencing | |
| Date recorded: | August 19, 2003 | |
| Location recorded: | EMU Studio, Adelaide | |
| Instruments: | Keyboard, LADS V.1 | |
| Additional applications: | Second Study in Dynamic Photography | |
| Releases: | VAN10401, VAN20504 | |
| Breakdown Data | ||
| Harmonic Mutability: | 3 | |
| Melodic-ness: | 2 | |
| Tone Sustenance: | 2 | |
| Pulse: | 4 | |
| Density: | 8.5 | |
| Register: | 5 | |
| Original Cell Size: | 2 | |
| Speed of Growth: | 4 | |
| Amount of Growth: | 8.5 | |
| Live Cell Counterpoint: | 2.5 | |
All content on this page © Alex Carpenter, 2003-2011