Bill Spencer: Cacophonics

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CACOPHONICS

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The Cacophony series of recordings are based on free form noise. I think they are good noise works because the actual noises are intense and there is even a certain musicality. Predominant is the feedback electric bass. This is manipulated through distortion, fingers, objects, more distortion, speaker characteristics, and the Electro Harmonix BassBalls pedal, an envelope follower. The sound was recorded direct line to two stereo cassette decks overdubbed using the bounce method ... often, switching the tapes rather than swapping record and play decks, so there is a subtle pitch shift for each take. Extra ambience and overlaying is by a third tape deck and/or room ambience and speaker-mic delay. Other instruments may include electric guitar, refrigerator, fan and aquarium.

These recordings were done in 1982-1983 and were done almost entirely for my own listening experience, as a musical-mental experiment. Now seeing public release for the first time.

Addendum: good with visualizers! I like the Tiny Fullscreen Random Intelligent Visualization built into Winamp.

...SOME IMPLICATIONS...

THE SOUNDS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY
ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC

THE DIRECT RECORDING
ISOLATES YOU FROM THE
PEAKS OF FEEDBACK, BUT
SOME OF THE SPEAKERS
USED HAVE A FEEDBACK
"SCALE" ALMOST AS
DEFINED AS THE SCALE
OF A HORN INSTRUMENT
(TRUMPET, ETC.).

CONSIDER AN ENVELOPE
FOLLOWER AND
FEEDBACK: THE SOUND
FEEDS BACK. THE
FOLLOWER REACTS
TO THIS "ENVELOPE"
WITH ITS FILTER EFFECT. THE
FILTER AFFECTS THE
FEEDBACK. THE
FOLLOWER REACTS
TO THE NEW
FEEDBACK...

--- LISTEN ---

NOW PLAYING: sample from Cacophony no. 2 (plays automatically -- requires Javascript, volume, load time -- replay -- ). Mixed for low bitrate. File: 0:26, 80 KB, 24 kbps mono MP3; Netscape/Opera version 215 KB, 16 kS/s 8-bit WAV.

NEW: small cacophonic modules made for my Cube game levels. These use a short sample and computer layering and require a MOD (.it) player such as Winamp:
spentron-collage1.it 150 KB, 1:55
spentron-newbegin2.it (adds drums) 226 KB, 4:48

Locally hosted MP3s (low bitrate only, links fixed 2/08):
new beginning -- this was a later composition. As the title may suggest, this gets things back to basics: mainly a feedback bass solo with some accompaniment. Tape delay is heard as a flange about 5/8s of the way through.
File: 7:46, 2.7 MB, 48 kbps/22KHz stereo
Cacophony no. 3: Factory -- structured beginning: clean abstract bass solo, aircraft invasion, Factory.
File: 9:54, 2.9 MB, 40 kbps/22KHz stereo

From my ElectronicScene page: high bitrate and streaming -- selection:
collage -- includes guitar sounds that run like water. Less emphasis on feedback -- may be better for first listeners to this stuff.
Files: Edited version 6:26 (of 12:59), 6.19 MB, 128 kbps Stereo MP3; lofi 32 kbps 44.1 KS/s mono MP3

Normally, to play sounds in installed player, left click on play or download link. To force download to save as disk file, right-click link & "SAVE TARGET AS".

NOTE: AOL MEDIA PLAYER MAY NOT WORK ON DOWNLOAD (TRIES TO STREAM). FOR EXTERNAL PLAYER USE EXTERNAL BROWSER OR "SAVE TARGET AS".

Need a sound player? WINAMP

Bill Spencer

CACOPHONICS