ELECTRONIC The PocketSynth Workshop, INTERACTIVE MAX MSP Workshop, REACTIVE RJDJ Workshop. Please contact kevinmoore@futureeverything.org to book a place on one of the workshops.
New Music from Ben White, Jamie Thomas, Smoo, Tim Land.

FutureMusicLab – Dialogue

FutureMusicLab is a network of artists, developers, entrepreneurs and research students based within the Newport School of Art, Media and Design at the University of Wales Newport. FML hosts applied research projects, creative labs and new music events that focus on interactive music within the emerging digital ecology. The Lab specialises in convergent media, digital tool developments, interface design, and new music and media content

Artist projects are diverse in nature stemming from sonic art performance through to interactive installations based around electronic music. The skill set of the FML artists are such that these happenings offer features such as workshops and hacks encouraging interaction and contribution from others to make the event and network evolve. Events are immersive experiences with technology and sound encouraging dialogue between audiences and participants in electronic music.

In collaboration MUTEK with FML will be presenting 3 music focused workshops in the ECAS kitchen on 13th of May:

12pm – 5pm ELECTRONIC The PocketSynth Workshop

2pm – 5pm REACTIVE RJDJ Workshop

Please contact kevinmoore@futureeverything.org to book a place on one of the workshops.

12pm to 5pm — The PocketSynth Workshop: Join the CMOS Revolution!

Places available : 10 (book through festival)
Prior Knowledge: NONE (workshop will include soldering)
Bring: Small plastic container such as ice cream or margarine tub (see www.futuremusiclab.com/futureeverything)

Participants of the workshop will be building a simple synthesizer to their own specification based on CMOS technology. Participants will be given the opportunity to experiment with different electronic components, which will allow them to directly affect the sound of the synthesizer. Participants will also be able to experiment with some simple alternative control inputs such as light and touch.

Workshop Facilitated by Aidan Taylor

Aidan is researcher and practitioner based in South Wales and England. He is engaged in a wide variety of musics and approaches to music composition, and for the past couple of years has been developing his own music instruments. His work involves developing new music software, GUI and hardware interfaces for performance and distribution

12pm to 2pm — MAX MSP and Jitter Workshop

Places available: 10 (book through festival)
Prior Knowledge: BASIC MAC KNOWLEDGE
Bring: Bring a 10 second video of someone or something talking

This workshop will use MaxMSP to create a small interactive audio visual app. Using short video clips and microphones, participants will be making things talk. Complete beginners to experienced max users welcome. Sign up for a space with a computer or turn up with your Macbook.

Workshop Facilitated by Matt Jackson

Matt Jackson builds interactive audio and visual hardware and software. He uses MaxMSP, Arduino, Processing and Flash to produce his work, which can take many forms. From live performance software and useful apps to wireless midi controllers and large installations, Matt’s work always has a strong focus on play.

2pm to 5pm — RJDJ Workshop

Places available: 10 (book through festival)
Prior Knowledge: BASIC MAC AND USE OF SOUND AND MUSIC SAMPLES KNOWLEDGE
Bring: SOUND CLIPS / SAMPLES (ideally have the same BPM & key) see www.futuremusiclab.com/futureeverything

Participants will be producing reactive / generative iphone / iPad apps to interact with surroundings, touch, movement and remixing existing audio.

Workshop Facilitated by Rich Hemming

Rich Hemming is a reactive music producer currently working with record labels reactifying signed artists audio in reactive format on iPhone and iPad. Recent projects include Netsky (Hospital Records) and artist DJ Krust (Full Cycle).

5pm to 7pm SOUND AND MUSIC brought to you by:

Alex McHattie (Smoo)

Alex McHattie composes music using found sounds, computer sequencing, live instrumentation and defunct objects. Alex seeks to consider the ever-present noise of modern city living, meaning hiding place his assumed alias ‘Smoo’ represents a Lo-Fi sonic retreat through which to escape. His current project focuses on the re recording of sounds and video pieces, in order to heighten the noise elements implicit within all recording and monitoring of the world.

Ben White

Ben focused on the integration of natural sound into music practice through digital processes. Of particular interest are the sounds of urban environments and the machines they contain.

Utilising purpose built software, field recordings are employed as automating bodies in which to house sounds foreign to them. With this process musical ideas are refracted through an aural snapshot of the city, whilst an imaginary resonance is given to it.

Jamie Thomas

Jamie is a musician who builds interactive software interfaces for performance and installation. Using motion capture techniques, his work explores the body’s role in expressive sound production through placing the body at the center and focus of the interaction.

Tim Land

Tim Land’s past experience involves work with Audiorom, collaborating with the expanding arts collective and composing music and sound design for various interactive projects. He has also produced music under the artist identity ‘Landslide’ producing albums for Hospital records and OM records along with EP’s singles and remixes for numerous labels worldwide. As a DJ Tim was a pivotal resident at the seminal club FWD helping to shape proto-dubstep and its many derivatives. He has also performed extensively as a member of the award wining live band ‘London Elektricity’

With a background in dance music aesthetics and rhythmic mutation his current work deals with the borders of rhythmic and metric perception.

AV and Installation

A collection of AV and interactive audio works from Keir Doherty, Matt Jackson, Aidan Taylor, Guy Evans, Kiel Long, Andre Ktori and Chris Bennewith.

Future Music Lab is looking to establish a Welsh Salon for Creative Commons, which will actively promote and disseminate emerging approaches to IP and digital distribution within Wales, and keep the push towards increased networked and distributed creativity.

CC Salons are global events focused on building a community of artists and developers around Creative Commons licenses, standards, and technology. The first event took place in San Francisco in 2006 with the idea to replicate in other locations internationally. Since then salons have sprung up in cities around the world.

The format for each event varies based on the location, but the overall concept is simple. CC Salons are open forums for people who are interested in the issues surrounding Creative Commons and global participatory culture.

Creative Commons is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright.

CC provides free licenses and other legal tools to mark creative work with the freedom the creator wants it to carry, so others can share, remix, use commercially, or any combination thereof.

In the New Year, Future Music Lab will be hosting a Welsh Salon for Creative Commons with the aim to actively promote and disseminate emerging approaches to IP and digital distribution within Wales, keeping the push towards increased networked and distributed creativity.

Currently I am working within the digital marketing space, this has also turned out to be another unhealthy obsession… I am quite a geek when it comes to innovative ways of using social networks and social currency to engage with brands, bands and fans etc. I love to “twitter” and I am always exploring new developments in the web 2.0 arena.

The thing that currently keeps me awake into the wee, small hours is the debate over ‘consumption v ownership’ and ‘compensation v control’. I am really interested in how these areas develop with regards to the music industry and what exciting ways they can be used in the development of brands engaging with consumers and fans.

Some of the projects I have been involved with over the last couple of years have been award winning

Winner of ‘Music and Brand Partnership of the Year’ 2009 Musicweek Awards for Bacardi & Groove Armada (Euro RSCG KLP)

Winner of ‘Communication Campaign Featuring PR’ 2009 MCCA Best Award for Bacardi & Groove Armada (Euro RSCG KLP)

Winner Best on Merseyside 2008 Award, Big Chip 10 (Creative Cultures)

Commendation Best Digital Marketing and Digital Brand Development 2008 Award, Big Chip 10 for We Love (CreativeCultures)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/jun/09/games-dvd-music-downloads-piracy

It’s becoming more and more obvious that a music industry that is based on the sale of linear / one way entertainment items is not only becoming more and more difficult to maintain, but a stupid idea in the first place

Music needs to be taken out of the stockpile and re-inserted into communities

Makes for interesting reading, particularly in view of the move towards setting up a Welsh Creative Commons – Welsh Creative Commies?