Category: Cats

  • Preparing for Thursday’s performance: Luna’s video

    Over the last few days, I have largely been absorbed by preparations for my next performance. This one includes a more ambitious element, a 10-minute video entitled 月神1 featuring clips of Luna as well as abstract elements reminiscent of experimental filmmakers such as Stanley Brakhage or Gerhard Richter. The video will serve as a backdrop for live electronic improvisation – it is mostly silent, though I did include some sound at various points so the audience could hear Luna’s voice.

    Here are a few example frames from the video:



    Some of the video clips of Luna were featured here on CatSynth in the past, including her chattering video, or playing with her blue fish toy. The abstract elements were done is a software package called Processing, a programming language for images, animation and interactions.

    Musically, I will plan to focus on a mixture of the Evolver and the Octave CAT synthesizers, along with software on the iPhone and laptop. Indeed, this is the first time I will be using the CAT live, mostly because I am reluctant to move it too often.

    Of course, this will only cover about one third of the full performance, so I will be drawing from my repertoire of electroacoustic improvisation to round out the remainder of the time. Although I reuse elements, there is always something new to discover in them.

    For those in the Bay Area who may be interested in checking it out, the full information is below:

    Full Moon Concert Series: Quickening Moon
    Thursday, February 25, 8PM
    Luggage Store Gallery, 1007 Market Street @ 6th Street, San Francisco.

    The Full Moon Concert Series is an experimental music series offered by Outsound Presents, in partnership with the Luggage Store Gallery. Each concert explores the traditional lore of the Full Moon, and in January, the second annual “Quickening Moon” will feature new music springing to life. First up will be Amar Chaudhary in a solo electronica set (collaborating with his wonder-cat, Luna), followed by the world premiere of a new work for twelve improvisers by Polly Moller, entitled Genesis.

  • CatSynth video: Cats Jumping on Vintage Synths

    From AutomaticGainsay on YouTube, via matrixsynth:

    “Just as you requested, here are a couple of cats getting their groove on with a number of exciting vintage analog synthesizers. “

  • Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Cuddly

    This weekend we once again combine Weekend Cat Blogging and the Photo Hunt, taking advantage of the rather easy them of cuddly.

    Of course, Luna is very cuddly, and we have hundreds of photos in the CatSynth archives to prove it. But she also seeks this quality from her environment and the objects around her. Readers may recall the blue fish that Luna received as a holiday gift. She took to it right away, and is still quite fond of it. A few weeks ago I found her carrying it around and lying down with it in the studio, much as child would treat a favorite stuffed animal.

    I even found her using it as a pillow:

    I think that clearly qualifies as “cuddly.”

    Coincidentally, I composed a jazz piece almost 20 (!) years ago called “The Blue Fish.” It might be fun to dust it of and try playing it again one of these days…


    Weekend Cat Blogging #246 is being hosted by Billy Sweetfeets. He is also celebrating his Gotcha Day.

    Photo Hunt #201 is hosted as always by tnchick. This week’s theme is “cuddly.”

    Carnival of the Cats #310 will be up this Sunday at When Cats Attack.

    And of course the Friday Ark #283 is at the modulator.

  • CatSynth pic: “midi-to-catnip controlled”

    Submitted by Endai Hüdl via facebook:

    Please leave a comment if you can identify the synths.

  • CatSynth pics: Mindy + Casios, and snow logo

    Submitted by Michael Durek:

    Michael is a member of the SK Orchestra, which I had the opportunity to hear and review in New York last November.

    He also created this cool tribute in snow:

  • CatSynth pics: Pulsewidthmod

    Some more photos from pulsewidthmod on flickr:

    Not “cat and synthesizer” pics per se, but they do include equipment that is often overlooked but still vital to making music. The mound of tangled cables puts our messy cables at CatSynth HQ to shame. They also reminded me a bit of Christina Mazza’s drawings from the SF Recology Artists in Residence opening that I saw a few weeks ago.

  • Weekend Cat Blogging: Luna and Monome

    This weekend we present a photo of Luna posing with the monome interface:

    I like the desaturated grayscale version, but also the original color photo as well:

    Notice that there is very little difference in the monome itself between the two photos. It is the new grayscale edition, with a silver front panel, white LED buttons and a black case. The monomes interface all have a very elegant minimalist design, but this edition is particularly well suited for our aesthetics.

    I am hoping to use it tonight in a performance I am doing at a Lunar New Year party here in San Francisco.

    Monome is a very small operation in the New York’s Catskills region. They design the interfaces and produce limited runs of each edition. We were fortunate to get one when they went on sale at the beginning of January. I thought this photo from their website, showing the team hard at work filling the orders, is quite appropriate:


    Weekend Cat Blogging is hosted by breadchick and LB at The Sour Dough.

    Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Nikita Cat on his blog Meowings of an Opinionated Pussycat.

    And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

  • CatSynth videos: Wicks Looper

    From potterpaint2000 on YouTube, via matrixsynth:

    “an improv featuring a KP3 processed Wicks Looper from Australia, a wonderful cacaphonous little device. Thanks Brian!…also a Nord Lead and a Stylophone Drumbeat”

    I am not familiar with the Wicks Looper, but I did find some more info here, and another video:

  • CatSynth pics: Mister Kitty

    We at CatSynth introduce Mister Kitty!

    Photos submitted by prophei.

    Although hard to see in this photo, the modular features several of the modules we reviewed in our Analogue Haven @ NAMM article. Mr. Kitty poses with synths from Oberheim and Moog in the first photos.

  • CatSynth pics on mubotics

    A quartet of cat-and-synth photos from mubotics, via matrixsynth:

    Pixel and the Roland SH-101:

    Tessie and the Korg MS10:

    Sonar and the June 106 (what a great name for a musical cat):

    Sprocket and the M-Audio Axiom 61 (technically, just a controller keyboard):