Workshop Nairobi/KE from 7.-10.2.2023
Written on November 29th, 2022 by AH
In the week of the 6th of February 2023, Bernt I. Waerstad and I will present a workshop within our FWF-PEEK project at the Santuri East Africa (Nairobi/KE). More information coming soon here or on my Twitter.
Workshop Call:
Live Electronics Workshop
Are you interested in working with live electronics? Join this 4 day workshop to develop techniques and tools for designing and performing with your own self-made instrument. There will also be a focus on sharing of ideas and experiences from all participants and of course a whole lot of jamming! The workshop will lead up to a joint live performance at the Santuri Salon on the last day.
The workshop will be led by interdisciplinary artist and producer Bernt Isak Wærstad (NO) and music acoustics researcher Alex Hofmann (AT). They will discuss their approach to live-electronic music performance, ranging from widely used software tools like Ableton Live to highly customised setups that use open source software (Csound, SuperCollider) and hand-crafted DIY interfaces with custom electronics. We will look at both laptop-based setups with custom developed VST plugins and hybrid setups with saxophone and custom software running on mini-computers like the Raspberry Pi.
During this workshop you will sharpen your existing skills, expand your repertoire in tools and approaches, discuss different perspectives on live-electronics with like minded artists, and be part of a showcase performance with both the workshop hosts and all participants to be presented at Santuri Salon.
Timeframe:
- TUESDAY 7.2.2023 till 9.2.2023 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Workshop)
- FRIDAY 10.2.2023 from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Showcase Concert including Soundcheck and Setup
Documentation:
Photos by Carroll Omuom (Santuri).
Summary:
The attendees of the workshop at the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA) were all musicians, producers, or singers. Precious, an illustrator, animator, and dub producer, got interested on how to code and create VSTs using Csound and Cabbage to produce her own sound. She plans to have an exhibition that mixes visual arts and sound. Labdi, a singer-songwriter and former producer and composer, explored electronic music and how to use coding to create electronic music tools for her music. Eric, a musician who creates drum and bass and dubstep music, enjoyed learning about using piezo mics in the workshop and wants to improve his software setup for future performances. Alex, a music producer who mainly produces hip-hop music, wants to incorporate the computer as a fellow musician in his live electronic setup. Rafiki, a female musician who makes alternative reggae and R&B music, learned how to code her own VST plugins in the workshop, which exceeded her expectations and taught her to let go and let things flow. Kivindio, a music producer specializing in dance and house music, learned about the integration of technology with music and how to create VSTs. Steven, who makes electronic dance music, plans to have live looping, repeaters and delays, in his upcoming live electronic setup.
Overall, the workshop attendees expressed their desire to explore different creative spaces, push the boundaries of their live performances, and continue learning about technology’s role in music. The attendees were inspired by the opportunities presented by technology, such as creating VST plugins and incorporating the computer as a fellow musician. Some attendees also expressed interest in using technology for XR and film in the future.
