Twelve Sine Tone Generators and a Bizarre Delay Technique
Nummer drei: the DHFI's Hörtest- und Meßplatte
This probably should have been the first record I posted, since it measures the quality of the stereo system used to transfer everything else. The DHFI is the Deutsche High-Fidelity Institut. This is one of those records one is supposed to use to test out and calibrate his hifi setup. I've been wanting one of these records for a long while—because I imagined the sounds and the instructional narration would be awesome. They are. Especially so in German.
You can hear that my system is not very good with very low and very high frequencies. My speakers were even less capable than everything else, as there are tones that were recorded by the computer that didn't make it out the speakers. I also discovered that there's an approximately 1 to 2 dB discrepancy between my left and right channels (haven't pinpointed the source yet, but I have managed to compensate for it). Neato, right?
Forgetting it's a calibration record, one can imagine it's a Richard Maxfield or Pauline Oliveros composition. It lacks the artful structuring (the actual hand of the composer or performer) of minimalist electronic composition; but that's precisely what allows it to be more minimalist than minimalism—there's no worry about putting in too much structure, when the structure is dictated by the purpose. 'Course, it's probably bullshit to analyze the artistic value of a test-record.
3 comments:
Speaking of Oliveros... she taught at my college all 5 years I was there. I had no clue who she was. Then, a few years after graduating, I fell in love with her stuff, particularly the stuff she did with Dempster et al recorded in caverns, etc. Shit.
I only know a little of her stuff. I only have stuff from compilations from her; but I like what I've heard. Like her contribution to New Sounds In Electronic Music, "I of IV" (the title of the post is stolen from a description of that piece that I read somewhere); or "Bye Bye Butterfly" from the really awesome compilation of female electronic composers, New Music For Electronic and Recorded Media. There's a supposed photo of her on the inner sleave of that record, and it shows a severly balding man with a bristly mustache. Is that a joke, or is it like a wendy/walter situation?
I found out last month that George Lewis is teaching at Columbia now.
"There's a supposed photo of her on the inner sleave of that record, and it shows a severly balding man with a bristly mustache. Is that a joke, or is it like a wendy/walter situation?"
Hey - it's a joke! I checked myself out and I am still intact.
Thanks for your comments about my music. There is a whole lot more. Try Google.
Regards,
PO
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