Curtis Roads

hi salvador

the only thing I've heard is his new album "Point Line Cloud". which is fantastic. Recent works. I couldn't describe it in any particular dynamic way that wouldn't make it sound like other digital computer music (incredible precision, huge dynamic range, turn-on-a-dime timbral shifts etc) except I'd say his work is astonishingly effective & ear blinkingly good. it sounds new. I'd recommend it to any concrete / computer / confeld fans.

It comes with a DVD which also contains a 1975 piece, 'earliest granular synthesis piece' -- my copy's at work right now, is that 'purity'? in any case, miles ahead, wish i could listen to it on my stereo instead of my TV, we definitely need another complete CD of his earlier pieces because most of it is only available on compilations...

also 'microsound' and 'computer music tutorial'... those are worth the money if you're a practitioner
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct03/articles/studioessentials.htm
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/author/default.asp?aid=93

Thanks for the reply! :) Interesting, I'm going to find a way to get my hands on his new record. By the way, "Purity" (for tape) is from 1994, apparently. I can send you some of the stuff I have ripped (through gmail) if you're interested.

congratulations, this marks the first moment I've ever wished I had a gmail account

I can send you an invite... but I lost your original address.

yea...I'm more familiar with his writings than music...I'd love an mp3 as well!

Thanks for this thread, got me to check out the clips at his website. I, too, knew him mostly through his writings (and editorship of Computer Music Journal).

http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/~clang/music/index.html

Plus I got kind of burned out on Barry Truax's music and maybe I assumed Roads would be "more of the same", since they're both granular synthesis pioneers.

But now "Point Line Cloud" is on my list of CDs to watch for. (Fantastic description by milton upthread!)

Truax's 'Riverrun' made a big impression on me when I heard it on that Wergo compilation years ago... that was the first time I'd heard GS. I think the Roads pieces are much more musically convincing. And his 1975 piece on the DVD, 'Prototype' -- strikingly modern, has not aged at all. (unlike 'riverrun', perhaps)

Roads is definitely not more of the same...

(I shouldn't be bagging on Truax, and I'm not really, they're just up to different things; Truax does a lot of chamber music arrangements, GS is just one tool in the arsenal while Roads' approach is extremely pure. Mego fans, meet the master)

Truax has a new 8-channel mix of 'riverrun' I'd love to hear.

Likewise my post wasn't meant to slam Truax -- I got burned out on his stuff because I liked it and listened to it a lot. But I do think maybe it gets fatiguing -- the transformations are fascinating, but they depend on a sort of churning, chopped-up repetition, and sometimes my reaction is, "not THIS again!"

Maybe I'll explore more of Truax's stuff someday beyond the little I know (mostly Riverrun and Wings of Nike).

salvador, could i get that roads gmailed as well? (same address as above but substitute gmail for yahoo)

i've got a burned cd with a couple good truax pieces "wave edge" and "solar ellipse", the latter one being the better of the two. there's also some john chowning stuff on it that's in a similar vein.

(oops, i meant same address as below...)

milton parker, did you receive my gmail invite?

Hmm.

eman, I'm currently sending you some Curtis Roads mp3s. :-)

wordyrappington, do you have a gmail account?

thank you sir!!

Sure, man. Anytime.

think i might as well toss out this truax/chowning cd-r. this roads guy is on a whole different level. i need to read his damn books already.

hi salvador, can't check my home account while I'm at work, but looking forward to that tonight...

chowning's good, 'Turenas' & 'Stria' are peachy.

as an aside, but everyone on this thread will prolly care: buy the Archives GRM box, I can't believe how good most of it is... salvador, it's got the Messiaen concrete piece (though it's more modest & clunkily charming than amazing)

if i'm ever financially able to buy cds again, i'd be getting a lot of GRM stuff, esp. Bayle. thx for the link milton.

Milton, I'm so getting that GRM box. Thanks for the link.

Check your gmail, by the way.