Smooth Synths
Electronic Music Studio – Then and Now
Contemporary Electronica
Electronic Impressionism
Electronic Impressionism is the name I give to music that has the following characteristics:
- Created primarily via electronic instrumentation with limited acoustic instruments
- Small to full Orchestral in scope
- Electronic timbres used to emulate the effect of the instrument
- Programmatic thematic material
- Heart over deliberate intellect
Some Contemporary Electronic Realizations
There are really parts of two albums here. The first are some relatively early compositions that for whatever reasons, never made it to final mastering. They were created in the late seventies and early eighties, mostly on Yamaha DX-7 and Roland U220 ‘ROMpler,’ or sample player.
The rest are compositions created using more advanced techniques of electronic performance, including using Gigastudio sample libraries, physical modeling and additive synthesis techniques for advanced compositional control and increased verisimilitude (i.e., it sounds better!)
The plan was to complete the main structure as you hear it, then replace most of the tracks with live drums and sax, and probably bass. But a computer crash trashed the files (I did have them backed up, but the backups would not retore…) So here they are, drum machine loops and all, for your consideration.
About the Music
Most of these compositions are incomplete, stemming from a system crash that cost me both my works in progress and my backup media. Don’t ask…
At that time, the tracks were lacking drum parts, and the mixes were basic, two-dimensional engineer’s mixes. As the only remaining remnants of that period, I offer the tracks as a single download.
In Depth
Exploration of a particular harmonic interaction when the bass centers around the third.
Ms. Moo
Dedicated to my sweet wife.
Fupps
Onomatopoeic title for a popping little tune.
Long Way Home
Something for cruising the coast…
A to Z
Covers all the basses – or bases – or basis
Spirish
This reminded me of a Spiro Gyra tune, so I went with it.
Clockwalk
Suggested by a friend.
Intaglio
A pastiche of emotions and hopes swirl through this exploration.
Cruz
Latin flavor, but definitely not the definitive experience.
Parallax
Theme looking for its movie, this began life as a test pattern for a new synth module.
Tranquility Bass
Mellow, just plain low. Play it softly.
London Derriere
Smooth jazzy rework of this ancient melody.
Personnel:
- David ‘Dasher’ Kempton: Electronic keyboards
