Curtis Roads & Granular Synthesis

  Awepittance said:

interesting so many people in here have heard this guy's CD, when i dropped Subotnick in the AE forum a good chunk of the people haven't even heard of him. So i ask what is the deal with Curtis Roads and how does he have more recognition on watmm than say morton subotnick?

i honestly hadn't heard of him until this thread and i consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on early electronic music

It's partly because he's published books that are well known among electronic musicians, professional or amateur. His name comes up when people want to know something technical about granular synthesis.

Subotnick gets mentioned too. He just hasn't written a music making bible. But we've probably been exposed to him more than your typical electronic music fan because he's a pervasive figure in California.

Personally, I like listening to Subotnick more than Roads. Subotnick seems to work with a broader sonic palette, and his pieces usually don't sound like 'studies' or 'exercises.' They're heavy, layered, and unpredictable. I'm always blown away when I remember that his most famous compositions were made in the 60s. Some of it sounds like stuff you'd find today on Schematic.

MOVED TO EKT :arrow:

  ms-dos said:

It's partly because he's published books that are well known among electronic musicians, professional or amateur. His name comes up when people want to know something technical about granular synthesis.

ah ok, that explains it. interested to check out his book.

  Jonas said:

"can I ask you a silly question"

 

"Sure"

 

"do you find people experiencing this music better on drugs?"

 

"Awkward silence"

 

fuckin' lol!

 

cool videos though, inspires me to look at a couple of granular reaktor patches :)

just before that:

"it's like fireworks"

*curtis roads doesn't hear*

While we're on the topic, does anyone know of any good granular synths? Preferably that do not cost anything.

granulab!

it's kinda weird how roads spends all that time on synthesis and just arranges things in protools... he's working on a piece since 1987 and he never made a sequencer?!

  hahathhat said:

music that sounds like miscellaneous wet clicks and farts :|

lol... tru dat nigga, tru dat.