Skills (Music and Technology)

MUSIC COMPOSITION / PRODUCTION

I name composing and producing as one because for me these elements are very interwoven. My work is as much about notes as it is about electronic techniques. I started out composing because I became fascinated with atmospheres in experimental electronic music and minimalist classical music. Those are still my most essential influences.

I use elements of contemporary classical music, like extended techniques, to create dark and mystic textures. I try to take them out of their experimental context and put them to a more instinctive use. I use elements from ambient and drone music, because slowly evolving sounds are entrancing to me. And I just love the energy of grooves, so I also add rhythmic elements, a factor that is too often forgotten in electro-acoustic in my opinion.

SOUND SYNTHESIS / SIGNAL PROCESSING

I have quite some experience with (virtual) analogue synthesizers (additive, subtractive) and I know a bit about FM synthesis and granular synthesis.

In my electro-acoustic music I actually don’t use a lot of synthesizer sounds. But I do use a lot of effects. I’m very interested in adding more harmonics, more disharmonics, more noise, and more acoustics. Time warping is also very important in my work, to create new rhythms and textures from samples.

LIVE ELECTRONICA / ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC

For the last couple of years I’ve been diving deeper into Ableton Live. I’m a big fan of the software and the Akai Ableton Performance Controller. I have a project with Dianne Verdonk on cello in which we improvise beat-driven electro-acoustic music using Ableton Live. We’re inspired by minimalist classical music like Morton Feldman and electronic dance music like Burial.

Another project of mine is DS-10 Dominator in which I improvise over my own broad selection of electronic dance music made with on a pocket sized virtual analogue studio: KORG DS-10 for Nintendo DS. This took me to many pop venues across the Netherlands, and this summer I’ll even play in Japan. I also made it to the semi-finals of the dance producers section of the biggest dutch music contest called The Great Prize Of The Netherlands.

SPATIALIZATION / SURROUND SOUND

I had been intrigued by surround sound before. But when my teacher Jorrit Tamminga demonstrated the effect of listening to 8 different sound sources coming from all around you I was totally convinced. Going from stereo to octaphonic has a similar effects as going from mono to stereo. It can really soak you into the sound. I have composed some music in octaphonic and want to dive deeper into that matter.

PROGRAMMING

Basic Experience in Max/MSP. And a basic understanding of programming syntaxes.

PLAYING DRUMS

I played a lot of drums in my teen years. I might integrate playing drums or percussion into my electro-acoustic work at some time.

PLAYING GUITAR / KEYS

I’ve had a little schooling in piano and guitar, really basic.