Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-14 23:10:43

Hi all,

I am a musician & sound healer in Nashua, NH USA. I have been attracted to the sounds of the shakuhachi for a long time now. I look forward to learning from others here, as I learn to play this beautiful instrument.

radi0gnome · 2008-08-14 23:29:45

Welcome, Eduardo. That's some nice artwork on your webpage, what medium did you use, and how?

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 08:39:19

Thanks radi0gnome. Glad to be here.

I create computer artwork mostly with a suite of software programs from U&I Software (http://www.uisoftware.com/), including their MetaSynth (synthesize or create sounds via a drawing paradigm), ArtMatic Pro (where my images come from, & where all parameters are under your control), VTrack (a video composing tool), & their Voyager tool (a video generation tool). I find the suite quite complementary to my work, including acoustic recordings. If you check them out, let me know what you think.

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 08:40:52

Correction: VTrack & Voyager are video tools :-) Back to my coffee :-)

nyokai · 2008-08-15 09:44:18

Welcome, Eduardo.
I used to be a big Metashynth user until it no longer worked with Leopard. Wish they'd fix that! Great program.

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 11:26:59

Hi Phil. MetaSynth is indeed a great program. I can easily "loose" a few hours of my day exploring & generating sounds. I am holding at Mac OS Panther 10.3.9 Panther, mostly because my laptop is ancient. When the new ones come out (rumored in September), I'll switch to one & Leopard. I'll gladly keep my old one though, to run software that still needs it, like potentially MetaSynth.

Phil, I had a chance to see your excellent website & noticed that you teach how to play. What would your recommendation be for a beginner like me, in terms of a good quality shakuhachi, & self-instruction? I'd love to also take classes from time-to-time, but find self-learning as a viable alternative.

Lorka · 2008-08-15 11:43:40

Are there any good (or half decent) programs for PC's out there, that are for free? Stuff that is similar that lets you create soundscapes and what not. Or is that wishful thinking

Oh, and welcome to the forum. You will lose many hours here as well, when not practicing shakuhachi

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 12:04:50

Hi Lorka & thanks for the welcome. I am not as familiar with PC-based software that compares with U&I's, even though I do have PCs in my studio, mostly to run a program called Fractal Tune Smithy, that generates the sounds of the Lambdoma Harmonic keyboard. You can keep in mind for future purchases that the new Mac-based hardware runs on Intel processors & also runs Windows, which you probably are aware of.

I have just downloaded a free program called Spear (Sinusoidal Partial Editing Analysis & Resynthesis, for Mac & PC), from Michael Klingbeil (a composer currently doing a residency at the MacDowell (artist) Colony in Peterborough, NH). It is not the same as MetaSynth (as far as I can see), but it reminds me of some of the sounds that MS can also generate. Fun & free!:

http://www.klingbeil.com/spear/

I am also aware of Atmogen (labeled a visual additive (or is that "addictive" ;-) synthesizer, but have not used it. Not free, but it has a free demo version:

http://www.sonorouscodes.net/atmogen_overview.html

I'd suggest you do a Google search. I just entered "MetaSynth for PC" & had a few interesting hits that may lead you to a find. If you do, let us know :-)

One of the great things to do with any of these tools, is to create & import your own sound samples. If I remember correctly, MetaSynth has some shakuhachi sampled sounds in one of its instrument patches already.

Well, a few hours here, a few hours there, sleep hours are overrated anyways ;-)

Lorka · 2008-08-15 12:18:00

Awesome, thanks Eduardo.

I will check these out for sure and let ya know

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 13:17:40

Great!

radi0gnome · 2008-08-15 13:52:26

Eduardo Martinez wrote:
If you check them out, let me know what you think.

Thanks Eduardo, I probably won't check out those packages soon because I'm finding it difficult to find time to work on other projects that I've already started, but I'll remember those names for when I do want to try my hand at that kind of work. It's just that when I saw the pictures I thought they were very cool and after settling down to them got to thinking about how they might have been made. More curiousity than wanting to play with that kind of thing myself.

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-15 15:01:57

So many toys, so little time, radi0gnome. I fully understand!

Eduardo Martinez · 2008-08-17 10:36:24

Hi again Lorka,

Since we spoke about MetaSynth & other similar apps, the Sept 2008 issue of Electronic Musician reviews 8 picture to sound applications (Mac or Windows). I have not seen the article myself but will soon. Enjoy.

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2008-08-14 23:10:43

Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#2 2008-08-14 23:29:45

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#3 2008-08-15 08:39:19

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#4 2008-08-15 08:40:52

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#5 2008-08-15 09:44:18

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#6 2008-08-15 11:26:59

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#7 2008-08-15 11:43:40

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#8 2008-08-15 12:04:50

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#9 2008-08-15 12:18:00

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#10 2008-08-15 13:17:40

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#11 2008-08-15 13:52:26

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

Eduardo Martinez wrote:

#12 2008-08-15 15:01:57

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

#13 2008-08-17 10:36:24

Re: Hello from Nashua, NH USA

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