Time Machines – Electronic Instruments Then and Now

Elec­tro­nic musi­cal instru­ments are always time machi­nes, too: they bring tog­e­ther tech­ni­cal inven­ti­on, aes­the­tic ima­gi­na­ti­on, and the ques­ti­on of how sound is con­cei­ved, built, and play­ed in a par­ti­cu­lar era.

In Klang­ma­schi­nen par­ti­ci­pan­ts explo­re this histo­ry through lis­tening and hands-on expe­ri­men­ta­ti­on. They dis­co­ver dif­fe­rent ways of pro­du­cing sound, expe­ri­ment with elec­tro­nic instru­ments, and deve­lop their own sounds, rhyth­ms, and musi­cal ideas.

Depen­ding on the con­text and the group’s inte­rests, the work­shop can focus on dif­fe­rent areas—for exam­p­le, deve­lo­ping elec­tro­nic instru­ments, sound trails fea­turing old and new sound machi­nes, or live per­for­mance together.

In our long-run­ning work­shop for­mat „Ensem­ble Signal“ par­ti­ci­pan­ts impro­vi­se with old and new instru­ments of elec­tro­nic music—synthesizers, ipad apps, voice, and elec­tro­nic sound-making devices—with no pri­or musi­cal expe­ri­ence requi­red. Inspi­red by John Zorn’s game pie­ce Cobra the group works with ges­tu­res and signal cards that cue ent­ries, inter­ac­tion, and pauses.