how was that done

Y2KKID2 at a... wrote:
>
> Hey everybody, I was just wondering if any one knows of Boards of
> Canada and what synths they use. Their sound is so nostalgic and
> memorable. The synth sounds remind me of old TV shows like "In Search
> of", on the history channel now, but if you have any ideas let me know
> =) thanks
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

no proof on either but my synth spotting senses say (other than the post
being of topic) theres Arp Odyssey all over "In Search of".

Boards of Canada seem more about processing and degrading slightly
mundane sounds with old analog effects and tape until they get
interesting, far more so than the raw sounds themselves, a lot I doubt
are bonefide synths. Theres processed guitar and a lot of it sounds more
like home keyboard sounds being messed up. I also hear electronic sounds
being sampled to better play and arrange them.

Actually Norman McClaren of the real National Film Board of Canada, who
inspired the band's name had an obsessive technique of photographing a
drawn optical soundtrack a frame at a tile thereby literally animating
his audio score. I doubt they are doing that, though who knows in a time
of renewed love for analog theres a lot of untapped potential for
optical sound synthesis rather than oscillator based subtractive
synthesis. Anyway what separates Tomita, carlos and a handfull of others
from the rest of the synthesists is a dedication to spend months on the
actual recording. Not re-recording and re-composing to acheive some kind
of personal perfection but just the buiding of very detailed tracks from
the ground up.

nick

 

Hi

I just want to say that I like Boards of Canada too!

I think BOC aren't a synth or keyboard based group (if the two guys
behind the name can be called group), I think BOC have more relation
with the special mood that only they know how to puts you in... there
are samples, noises and really simple things, they are OK with me
cause their musical simplicity.

If anyone is interested in BOC I recommend download somewhere the
track "Aquarius".

BOC will release a new album in february 18th. I think it is very
long awaited in the WARP fan base and IDM community.

http://www.boardsofcanada.com , then click in their link music70.com



Anyone likes other WARP artists? Aphex, Squarepusher, Autechre? just
curiosity

http://www.warprecords.com/


PEACE

Neto

 

I like Plaid, Squarepusher, Aphex, Other People Place, I like them all!

 

Mmm Warp

I'm a big fan of most Warpers, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher
(especially Iambic 5 Poetry), Plaid, Plone (are they
Warp?), and Autechre are good.

I've been known to play the odd bit of Warp on my
college radio show

http://www.inniu.com/ambient/

John.
--
John Breslin
Cloud Internet
http://cloud.inniu.com/
cloud at i...

 

Yep

Plone are also from WARP, I've just one track of them, the one that
came in the wap100 compilation/single, and it sounds really
nice!!!... I've seen the american version from their CD and think
it's licensed to Matador Records, the same label with the american
license of "Music has the right to children" from BOC [one of these
days I'll buy that Plone CD].



I still cannot access to the ftp site , definitively the reason is
this browser. Think I'll try in other PC cause I really want to
listen that Tomita stuff.

PEACE

Neto

 

>
> I still cannot access to the ftp site , definitively the reason is
> this browser. Think I'll try in other PC cause I really want to
> listen that Tomita stuff.

well you really aren't supposed to use a browser, except it just so
happens that Netscape isn't half bad as an FTP app. What is really
needed is a dedicated FTP app. I have no idea whats out there but there
are surely some shareware and freeware ones that can be downloaded

nick

 

In a message dated 1/26/02 5:33:01 AM Central Standard Time,
ndkent at o... writes:

> > I still cannot access to the ftp site , definitively the reason is
> > this browser. Think I'll try in other PC cause I really want to
> > listen that Tomita stuff.
>
> well you really aren't supposed to use a browser, except it just so
> happens that Netscape isn't half bad as an FTP app. What is really
> needed is a dedicated FTP app. I have no idea whats out there but there
> are surely some shareware and freeware ones that can be downloaded


I was finally able to access the Tomita files by using a download manager
that I bought awhile back. I don't know if there is a Mac version. It's
called "Reget" and is available here:

http://deluxe.reget.com/?p=home?

It's a great program. Some things that I like about it are that you can
download many different files at the same time (perfect for us 56k users),
even if saving the various files to different destintaion folders.

Another neat thing about it is that you can save a description about each
file either by typing one in manually, or just by highlighting any text on
the originating webpage while selecting the file.

Even better is that all of the files that you download are tracked in a
"History" feature of the program. This mean that you can go back at a later
date and find easily find something that you downloaded instead of looking
around on your drive trying to remember the folder you saved it in.

Andrew

 

Well I guess "we all like warp" but I'm not sure this thread is even an
off topic discussion of anything. Like why be drawn to warp more than
some other distinctive electronic label, like why not FAX? Mille
Plateau? Childisc? Because they are more accessible? available? British?

Anyway...

Anyone here get to hear this soundtrack?
http://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~nasu/t_disco/COCQ-83572.html



I was thinking there are so few artists other than Carlos (who of course
inspired Tomita) who have ever done synthesized classical music albums
are considered superb IMHO. Now there are some okay examples
from other people but none of them ever approach superb IMHO. Granted
that 90% of anything is crap, still the odds of success just from a
listening standpoint for others don't seem to be even one out of 10...

Is it that the novelty of synths needs to be trancended? the
pointlessness of trying to duplicate an orchestra?

and Carlos and Tomita of course have a way
higher success ratio than 10%. Aside from an easy explanation like
talent what else could behappening. Like almost no one got to make more
than 2 classical synth albums. But that doesn't quite work as a theory
in that Tomita and Carlos made classic albums on their first serious
attempts (both had done some released recordings prior but their first
"real" albums rightfully got lots of respect and attention and still do).

I just brought up what to me at least is kind of thought provoking.
Tomita seems to take an incredible amount of time building up a complex
sound from small elements (and uses a written score as a foundation as
far as I know). This seems totally different from the prevailing methods
used in today's electronic music. I guess the most opposite method would
be "direct to tape", I hold this responsible for most of the crap out
there. Someone improvises over possibly some live sequenced or looped
sample material. Its probably exhilarating (and in some cases easy) to
make from the
performer's standpoint but there are few rewards for the actual
listener. I mean in a live context there is a thrill if the performer
can really pull off good grooves presuming their act is really live, but
on recording all it really says is the artist has captured their live
act for prosperity

Then theres another method where an artist collects and generates stuff
and then figures out how to put it all together via mixing and editing.
In some cases there is actual thoughtful construction going on, no
problem with that. But there is a phenomena or trend in art in general
thats building momentum to collect, find and curate rather than create
in the old fashioned sense. Good enough but where is "new" material
going to come from if artists just mine and recycle


nick