Let’s Talk Music

Today we chat with Jerome Begin, an American composer and musician based in New York. We talk about his musical journey, how he approached modular synthesizers and why, and take a look at his compositional approach through the commissioned score he wrote for the Douglas Dunn dance company.

Jerome is currently Music Advisor at the Juilliard School Dance Division, and has composed many scores for dance, theater, concert works, installation and film performed worldwide. In his current works, he is mostly working on the interaction between electronic devices and acoustic instruments.

www.jeromebegin.com

Two modular scores mentioned in the interview:

Greener Grass: https://vimeo.com/790299860
Bubble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp66DG7CNic

Today's guest is Ben Carey, an Australian composer, improviser, and educator, based in Sydney/Eora. He makes electronic music using the modular synthesizer, develops interactive music software, and creates audio-visual works. Ben is a Senior Lecturer in Composition and Music Technology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, and his research and practice are concerned with interactive and generative music.

https://bencarey.net/
https://bencarey.bandcamp.com/

Listen to the podcast here:
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1
• Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645
• Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/

Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:33 Ben’s musical journey
00:05:38 Building your own instrument vs ready-made synthesizers
00:11:38 Digital vs analog and the problem of interfaces
00:30:38 Ben’s patch
00:49:00 Clocks and spaces
00:55:00 Morphagene as a reverb
00:59:03 Feedback patching and resonances
01:15:43 What could be the next Frap Tools module?
01:24:35 Closing remarks

#fraptools #electronicmusic #modularsynthesizer #euroracksynth #sounddesign #synth

Mat Watson is an Australian multi-instrumentalist focussed on the exploration of electronic sound and the drum set spanning experimental, improvisational and traditional forms. He is widely recognised for his involvement in large-scale unconventional orchestras and collaborations. He has played with Japanese underground legends Boredoms on several BoaDrum concerts and composed music and conducted the MESS Synthesiser Orchestra (16 people and 40 synthesisers) at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Collaborations include Bronx No Wave icons E.S.G, Australian music legends Underground Lovers (Moda Discoteca) and Ollie Olsen (Taipan Tiger Girls), among many others. He has produced records under his own name, along with several aliases and currently runs record label Eternal Music Projects out of Imaginary Sound Fields.

Bandcamp: https://eternalmusicprojects.bandcamp.com/
Website: matwatson.co

Listen to the podcast here:
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1
• Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645
• Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/
• Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg

Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:41 Mat's musical journey
00:22:48 Approaching modular
00:36:15 Mat’s first patch
00:49:55 Mat’s second patch & breakdown
01:10:38 Patch discussion
01:21:28 What could be the next Frap Tools module?
01:28:12 Giovanni’s patch

Sam Sakr is an Australian musician, sound artist and producer. He has written for artists like Sarah Aarons, Dua Lipa, Cardi B, Carly Rae Jepson, The Veronicas, and many more. His introspective solo project Sakr blurs the lines between sound design and electronic music, creating a world of his own.

Sam's music: https://sakrmusic.bandcamp.com/music

Listen to the podcast here:
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1
• Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645
• Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/
• Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg

Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:45 Sam's musical journey
00:19:30 The modular synthesizer in the daily work of a producer
00:38:18 The Sakr project
00:48:16 Sam's patch
00:50:53 Patch breakdown
1:00:57 Patch discussion
01:09:30 On keyboard synths
01:18:13 What could be the next Frap Tools module?
01:27:01 Giovanni's patch and breakdown

Trevor Tunnacliffe is a composer and multi-instrumentalist from Vancouver, Canada. His musical interests draw mostly from the early Renaissance counterpoint treatises, which he first encountered as a viola da gamba player. He plays bass, guitar, and modular synthesizer for Unthunk, his collective project whose music ranges between chamber and pop, including a mix of vocal and instrumental pieces.

Unthunk music: https://unthunk.ca/

Listen to the podcast here:
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1
• Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645
• Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/
• Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg

Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:38 Trevor's musical journey
00:14:41 Modal counterpoint in Trevor's music
00:27:43 Trevor's patch
00:43:57 The idea of a voltage "timeline"
00:53:36 Oceanography and music
00:56:32 The Unthunk collective
01:00:31 Tuning systems and just intonation
01:04:58 What could be the next Frap Tools module?
01:17:52 Giovanni's patch