Delta Waves: Blindsight (Hologram Microcosm)

Hey, this is another entry to the Delta Waves video series (see that playlist for others) but it's a little different because I do an on-camera setup and discussion of the main track. Jeremy Blake (RMR) posted about some sci-fi novels a while back, and I ended up reading "Blindsight" by Peter Watts based on that. I enjoyed it. I started thinking about the ending, roll credits, and what sort of sounds/music would fit. The original thing was made in Ableton Live using one track of the "Sonar" preset from Arturia Pigments, one track of the "Deep Sea Waves" preset (also Pigments, but with a tweaked version of Live's Cathedral Reverb on the track), and one track of the "SyKils_TEK" preset from the FabFilter Twin2 plug-in. Rendered, then dropped to half-speed, and launched out of Elf Audio's Koala Sampler app running on my iPhone and into the Microcosm effect from Hologram Electronics. For reference, the Microcosm is set to the "Haze" Granular program (sub-program C); this setting plays back chunks of sound at normal speed AND at double speed (one octave up), so there are some subtle, tinkly microsounds along with more reverb and modulaton of the reverb tail. The track itself has quite a few octave jumps in it, so the setting fits quite well in that regard. I had fun putting this video together, a good warm-up for shooting and editing the other two that I've been working on material for (Folktek Mescaline and Granular/Ambient on Koala Sampler). Then, since setting up the main shot was mostly off-screen, culminating in me pressing a button and turning a knob, I decided that a space-themed overlay would work nicely. So, I took some code written by Dan Shiffman (of ‪@TheCodingTrain‬ ) as a shipped example for Processing (called SimpleParticleSystem), tweaked some vectors and rendering, and got a pretty passable 'moving through space' thing to overlay Koala and the Microcosm as they boop and blink. It reminds me of playing Atari as a kid. By the way, Processing is amazing, and if you're not familiar with it then you might really like to check it out (processing.org). Thanks a lot for watching!
TIMELINE
00:00 INTRO / UPDATE
02:01 TRACK DESCRIPTION
06:44 MICROCOSM 0% vs. 100%
09:00 MAIN TRACK STARTS
10:08 MICROCOSM & VISUAL ENGAGED

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

Beautiful end track. Bladerunner 4096?

[@undulations]

Thanks much for checking it out🙏🏼! I still want to keep adding to the "Delta Waves" playlist. It started as a way to make and share things that didn't really have enough context for a main video (ie tutorial, gear deep dive, etc), all with sort of an ambient vibe. ps I think this was the first time I used Koala Sampler in a video. I've kept delaying making a full Koala video - turns out that was the right move because a recent Koala update would have changed a lot!

[@undulations]

And I'm a big fan of both BR soundtracks, btw!

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

@@undulations Same here, Vangelis also released another BR album, which was equally beautiful.

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

@@undulations ps, I rediscovered Koala recently and very impressed. Also can set clock for the Pocket Operators, and in turn chain into your gear setup. I love the fact that all these devices can be integrated, but sometimes it feels overwhelming. The Volcas/PO's 'limitations' help me keep focussed.

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

@@undulations I have an Akai MPC One, but after a year it still feels like staring down a supermarket aisle trying to choose between thousands of toothpaste options! Perhaps I need to flip my thoughts and just seek what I need, rather than play with infinite options.

[@christianscazzieri]

Been waiting for a new Delta Waves episode for a long time, always inspiring, thanks for posting Doc! ♠

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

I suffer terribly from anxiety. Your channel helps me so much brother. You are gold.

[@undulations]

Means a lot. Thank you and take care🙏🏼.

[@adamd3820]

Welcome back and as always great video 👍

[@undulations]

Many thanks🙏🏼!

[@adamcrafts3645]

Good to have you back, always love the vids

[@undulations]

Thank you very much🙏🏼!

[@KimiElectronic]

Nice to see you after a long time! Excellent and interesting video. Thank you! 🙏

[@undulations]

I appreciate the support🙏🏼!

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

Those stars! So simple yet so effective. Goes completely with the sound. Genius.

[@undulations]

I really need to go back and look at it. I remember coding the stars, trying to get the density right, but then didn't really watch the final result very much.

[@羽衣甘藍奧頓]

@@undulations I just think they worked perfectly! I love all of your experimental creativity. Beautiful work.

[@pk3776]

Loving the soundscape 👍💯

[@undulations]

Thank you very much🙏🏼!

[@mathmanmrt]

i am grateful to you for this upload both for the musical portion and for the tutorial/description which preceded the music. as i've noted before, your teaching style matches my learning style remarkably well so that i frequently gain insight into sound design even when your "lesson" comes from gear i do not own. as much as i might wish for more tutorials and ideas relating to the model:cycles or the microfreak, i find listening to you describe the possibilities of instruments i don't have is still quite edifying. the musical passage itself gave me a mental picture of monks from an ancient alien civilization chanting in a language unknown to humans while in the background wind chimes sound an aleatoric tune. very nice indeed. i could listen to an hour or so of that while i interacted with my python, bob, or folded clothes, or worked through mathematical exercises, or any other contemplative activity. have you had an opportunity to see any of the videos going into the newly released arturia minifreak? for myself, i have mixed feelings about it. the expanded possibilities seem nearly breathtaking yet the shift to a minikey keybed does not immediately please me. i suppose if i owned one i could get used to it but i am one of those, seemingly rare, individuals who appreciated the microfreak's keyboard. it is what it is. perhaps in a few years arturia will release the "macrofreak" with a 61 note pcb keyboard. as usual i am more verbose, perhaps, than i ought to be. in brief then, thank you so much for this video. i look forward to many more.

[@undulations]

Many, many thanks for this feedback🙏🏼! The image you've conjured up to fit the track is fascinating. I did have the thought that some parts did sound a lot like chanting. Totally agree about the minifreak, as I too am a fan of the original keybed. I keep having the thought that I want a NanoFreak, something more Volca sized, rechargable, etc. No worries about a long comment. Hearing from people is one of the very best parts of the endeavor.

[@jaguarvssnake]

Your videos are all so good! Thank you for putting so much work into them.

[@jaguarvssnake]

Honestly I think its crazy you don't have many more subscribers, but then it also feels kind of cool to be part of the secret Dr Nim club.

[@intotheluminiferousaether]

Great suspenseful piece! Thanks for the detailed breakdown too.

[@undulations]

Thanks for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@SonicVibe]

Fantastic

[@undulations]

Thanks so much🙏🏼!

[@drauglurdarkambient]

creates an awesome atmosphere I can almost smell it thats exactly what I like hails from drauglur from germany subbed

[@undulations]

Thank you and best regards! Thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@djformalin]

Thx for this....🎼

[@undulations]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@cloudrun654]

Hello, what is the app used on your phone? Thank you

[@undulations]

Hey, it's Koala Sampler by Elf Audio. It's been one of my all-time favorite apps. Very powerful but also very intuitive. Can be used in so many different ways, definitely check it out! ps have been working on a video about using the app for ambient and granular sounds, hopefully before year end. Thanks for watching this one!

[@adamcrafts3645]

Koala Sampler... Get it, it's so good