Difference between revisions of "Futuresonic 2006"

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== Leverage ==
  
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[[Image:Hydraulic control.jpg|350px]]
  
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'''17th May 2006'''
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For [http://www.futuresonic.com Futuresonic 2006] Eileen Simpson & Ben White present '''Leverage''', a new project which centres around the creation and animation of copyleft licensed 12 inch vinyl scratch tools containing a range of samples, beats and extracts made from the out-of-copyright blues, jazz and folk housed in the [http://www.openmusicarchive.org Open Music Archive].
  
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Hi Drew,
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For [http://10.futuresonic.com/urban_play/instrument/ Instrument], the project is presented at "beta stage" where vinyl test pressings can be sampled in scenario akin to the record shop listening area - with the option to skip through the rare original recordings, new remix tracks, short vocal snippets, percussive noises, samples, breaks and beats.
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Collaboration is central to the activity of the DJ who constantly combines, re-works and extends existing creative output. The artists promote collaboration and seek to explore its significance and value for creative production. For Instrument they invite scratch DJ '''Parkertron''' ([http://www.fingathing.com Fingathing]) and filmmaker '''Kid Jenson''' to participate in the project -  a collaboration which is documented through a video, shot by Jenson, featuring Parkertron testing the Leverage records.
  
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In a previous post you mention a potential crossover between ‘instrument’ and ‘collaborative cultures’. Approaching the DJ turntable as an instrument, combined with a vinyl tool made from public domain and copyleft sound, and incorporating a network of DJs, mixes the two strands.
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In the hands of a turntablist, the record player is revealed as a hardware instrument - one that needs vinyl software to operate. The DJ's instrument can only be activated using a set of vinyl tools, in the same way that computer hardware requires an operating system and a suite of software to function. Unlike the conventional battle record, which samples unlicensed commercial recordings[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_records], the Leverage scratch tools are assembled entirely from out-of-copyright material - and so exist outside commercial and bootleg economies. The project adopts the form and structure of the battle record to build open vinyl code - which, like free/libre and open source software, is distributed freely.
  
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The vinyl tool that we want to make - a 12 inch record featuring snippets cut out from the archive - is specifically designed to be used on a turntable, used as an instrument. Without the context of scratch DJs sampling and using the records, and without the combination of the vinyl record, turntable and scratch DJ, there wouldn’t be a context in which to make this project.
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The project encourages open creative exchange and demands that subsequent creations are licensed under identical terms. Through Leverage, out-of-copyright and copyleft material is inserted into an existing network of production to prise open new possibilities.  
  
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Our initial idea is to present the record on a turntable alongside video documentation of scratch DJs using the record to produce new music. We plan to give two copies of the record to a number of DJs, visit and film them scratching/beat juggling/etc with the record wherever they would normally practice (at home, in the studio, in their bedroom, etc), and assemble a fast cut video of the vinyl tool in action.
 
  
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The collaborative aspect of music – played out through the DJ battle – is something that we are keen to explore through the project.
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See Leverage at '''Instrument''', an exhibition of artist-made instruments, noise-generators, audio-visual manipulators, and head twisters by sound artists and noise-makers.<br>
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'''20-29 July at 1830 Warehouse, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester''' <br>
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[http://10.futuresonic.com/urban_play/instrument/ Read more about Instrument]
  
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The context of scratch DJs in relation to the idea of ‘instrument’ is very appropriate. Although our vinyl tool is not strictly a device for producing musical sounds in itself (it is unplayable without a turntable), it is to be used as a tool or instrument – intended to function to insert public domain and copyleft material into a existing cultural format usually reserved for cheeky samples lifted on the sly.
 
  
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Hope this gives you a bit more of an idea of what we’re thinking and how it might fit into the two strands of the festival.
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''Futuresonic 2006 runs from 20 - 22nd July at various venues around Manchester''
  
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We’ll try post some audio snippets soon – so you can get an idea of the kinds of things that will be on the record.
 
  
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Let us know what you think.
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== Video ==
  
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Cheers
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B & E
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[[Image:Parkertron 01.jpg|left|150px]]
  
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'''7th May 2006'''
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[[Image:Parkertron 02.jpg|left|150px]]
  
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Hmm,
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Perhaps the answer to my question then is "no".  
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[[Image:Parkertron 03.jpg|left|150px]]
  
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As I understand your project, you are more interested in the out-of-copyright music and the vinyl itself, rather than the turntable. And on your definition you are not thinking of this as an instrument.
 
  
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Still, I think we should look at the practicalities before we make this call.
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Would it be possible to flesh out your initial ideas into something more concrete? Can you give more of a sense of the shape the project will take, where it could be presented, the way an audience could interact with it, etc.
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Video of Parkertron (Fingathing) testing the Leverage records using Serato Scratch Live.  
  
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Even if the ideas are not all fully formed, it always helps ideas take shape to consider the audience and the context.
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{{Icon_mov}} [http://www.archive.org/download/Leverage/leverage.mov Download quicktime] Duration: 13 mins / 43.1 MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)
  
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Thanks
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[http://www.archive.org/details/Leverage Read the entry for this video on Archive.org]
  
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Drew
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Shot and edited by Kid Jenson
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[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5]
  
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== Downloads ==
  
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'''3rd May 2006'''
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Hi Drew
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[[Image:Leverage 1 a.png|left|150px]]
  
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Yes, we would definitely say that in the hands of a turntablist, the record player is revealed as a hardware instrument – one that needs vinyl software to operate. Much like computer hardware, which requires an operating system and a suite of software tools, the DJ’s hardware instrument can only be activated with a set of vinyl tools. Our project will use the form and structure of scratch/battle records to distribute open vinyl code – which, like free/libre and open source software (FLOSS), is distributed freely.
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The exhibition sounds interesting and we have some initial ideas of how the project might be represented. We are keen, however, to think of the vinyl as a starting point for new creation – an active agent as opposed to an end point. Therefore a live element would also seem appropriate.
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'''Record 1 Side A'''<br>
  
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Eileen & Ben
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'''1.''' I'm Sober Now ''(Smith)''<br>
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'''2.''' New How Long Intro ''(Carr)''<br>
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'''3.''' Night Latch Key Loop ''(Liston/Simpson/White)''<br>
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'''4.''' Deep Blue Sea cornet solo ''(Smith)''<br>
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'''5.''' Deep Blue Sea Intro ''(Smith)''<br>
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'''6.''' Six Cold Feet in the Ground ''(Carr)''<br>
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'''7.''' Train Whistle ''(Rodgers)''<br>
  
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{{Icon_soundfile}} [http://www.openmusicarchive.org/audio/leverage_1_a.mp3 Record 1 Side A] 6.2MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)<br>
  
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'''28th April 2006'''
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Dear Eileen and Ben
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<br>
  
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Thanks for this information.
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There is another strand of the festival that this might be relevant to. We are planning a small exhibition of artist-made instruments, called - funnily enough - 'Instrument'.
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[[Image:Leverage 1 b.png|left|150px]]
  
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So it is interesting to hear you talk about your project as a "vinyl tool". In hip hop people would say that it is the turntable that is the instrument. Would you view what you are producing as in any sense an instrument?
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I like the idea of a project that crosses over between the 'instrument' and 'collaborative culture' strands of the festival, in fact there may be one or two others that do the same. So if you think this context would be interesting, and that it is not imprecise to talk about your project as an instrument, we could consider this possibility further.
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'''Record 1 Side B'''<br>
  
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Give me your initial reaction, as it could shape where the conversation heads. Aside from anything else, 'Instrument' is planned as an exhibition, so we would need to consider how it could be presented as a gallery installation rather than (or, as well as) live.
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'''1.''' Jump Steady Intro ''(Smith)''<br>
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'''2.''' Evil Minded Blues ''(Liston)''<br>
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'''3.''' Beat One ''(Blythe/White)''<br>
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'''4.''' West Coast Guitar ''(Blake/Simpson/White)''<br>
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'''5.''' Beat Three ''(Smith/Bolden/Beiderbeck/White)''<br>
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'''6.''' Scratch static noise<br>
  
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I look forward to your response.
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{{Icon_soundfile}} [http://www.openmusicarchive.org/audio/leverage_1_b.mp3 Record 1 Side B] 6.3MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)<br>
  
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Drew
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<br>
  
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'''14th April 2006'''
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Dear Drew,
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[[Image:Leverage 2 a.png|left|150px]]
  
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It was great to finally meet up and talk in Manchester at [[My_Goodniss|our event]]. We’d love to participate in [http://10.futuresonic.com Futuresonic 2006] and we’re enthusiastic about contributing to the festival’s theme of collaborative cultures.
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As you know, our project [http://www.openmusicarchive.org Open Music Archive] is a collaborative initiative to source, digitise and distribute out-of-copyright sound recordings. We are independent artists and see our project as a response to the closing down of creativity that is imposed by copyright.
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'''Record 2 Side A'''<br>
  
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It was always our intention for the Open Music Archive to provide a resource of recordings to be shared and sampled in a space outside of a royalty-generating economy. As we discussed at the event we were thinking about this idea of making a vinyl tool: a 12 inch record featuring material generated from the archive (rare original recordings, [[My_Goodniss|new remix tracks]], short vocal snippets, percussive noises, sounds, samples, breaks and beats) to be used/performed in some way at the festival. All the material would be in the public domain or copyleft licensed.
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'''1.''' One Dime Loop ''(Jefferson/Simpson/White)''<br>
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'''2.''' Train Whistle Loop ''(Rodgers/Simpson/White)''<br>
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'''3.''' Beat Five ''(Blake/Simpson)''<br>
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'''4.''' One Dime Blues ''(Jefferson)''<br>
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'''5.''' Back on the Wagon ''(Smith/Blake/Jefferson/Poole)''<br>
  
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At the moment we’re researching scratch tools, breaks compilations and battle records: [http://www.smallfish.co.uk/default.asp?release=40795 Q-Bert - Breaktionary (Dirtstyles)] [http://www.smallfish.co.uk/default.asp?release=36350 DJ Swamp - Never Ending Drum & Bass Loops (Decadent)] [http://www.smallfish.co.uk/default.asp?release=35831 Five Deez - Table Noise Vol 3 (Traffic)] 
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{{Icon_soundfile}} [http://www.openmusicarchive.org/audio/leverage_2_a.mp3 Record 2 Side A] 6.4MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)<br>
  
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We’re also looking at compilations like [http://www.smallfish.co.uk/default.asp?release=16523 Strictly Breaks] and the short tracks of  [http://www.smallfish.co.uk/default.asp?release=41599 J Dilla AKA Jay Dee - Donuts (Stones Throw)]
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Obviously, all records are potentially material for new creative work – battle records however are tools explicitly designed to enable new production. In contrast to our approach - the breaks, beats and samples collected on battle records are created from tracks that are not officially licensed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_records].
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<br>
  
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We’re keen to explore this idea of a vinyl tool here on the wiki – let us know what you think.
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Eileen and Ben
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[[Image:Leverage 2 b.png|left|150px]]
  
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'''9th April 2006'''
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'''Record 2 Side B'''<br>
  
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Dear Eileen and Ben,
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'''1.''' Little Bits ''(Blythe)''<br>
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'''2.''' Beat Six ''(Blythe/Parkertron)''<br>
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'''3.''' Pinetop's Boogie Woogie ''(Smith)''<br>
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'''4.''' Rolls Royce Papa ''(Liston)''<br>
  
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Good to meet you at your event the other day!
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{{Icon_soundfile}} [http://www.openmusicarchive.org/audio/leverage_2_b.mp3 Record 2 Side B] 6.4MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)<br>
  
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It is great to see a project like Open Music Archive happening in Manchester, and I thought the live element was really well done.
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The Futuresonic festival is coming round again, scheduled for 20-23 July. Alongside the music gigs we stage a lot of media art exhibitions and workshops, and much of that world revolves around open source, grass-roots, collaborative culture.
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These records are released under a [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license].
  
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As it is our 10th year we have decided to take Collaborative Cultures as the main festival theme - so there is a lot of overlap with your project!
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== Discussion ==
  
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Our funds are as ever limited, so not in a position to propose a commission as such right now. But if we could find a way to involve Open Music Archive in the festival I would be very keen to explore.
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[[Talk:Futuresonic_2006 | Read]] our discussion with Drew Hemment, curator of Futuresonic.
  
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Drew
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== Thanks ==
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Parkertron (Fingathing), Kid Jenson, John K & Kelvin Brown (Eyes Down), Andy Soup, Saul Richards, Sneaky (Fingathing), Nick Alexander (TUNDRA*), Tina & Werner (Vinyl Carvers), Drew Hemment (Futuresonic), Neil Cummings & Marysia Lewandowska (Chance Projects)
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[[Category:Leverage]]

Latest revision as of 16:02, 9 January 2009

Leverage

Hydraulic control.jpg

For Futuresonic 2006 Eileen Simpson & Ben White present Leverage, a new project which centres around the creation and animation of copyleft licensed 12 inch vinyl scratch tools containing a range of samples, beats and extracts made from the out-of-copyright blues, jazz and folk housed in the Open Music Archive.

For Instrument, the project is presented at "beta stage" where vinyl test pressings can be sampled in scenario akin to the record shop listening area - with the option to skip through the rare original recordings, new remix tracks, short vocal snippets, percussive noises, samples, breaks and beats.

Collaboration is central to the activity of the DJ who constantly combines, re-works and extends existing creative output. The artists promote collaboration and seek to explore its significance and value for creative production. For Instrument they invite scratch DJ Parkertron (Fingathing) and filmmaker Kid Jenson to participate in the project - a collaboration which is documented through a video, shot by Jenson, featuring Parkertron testing the Leverage records.

In the hands of a turntablist, the record player is revealed as a hardware instrument - one that needs vinyl software to operate. The DJ's instrument can only be activated using a set of vinyl tools, in the same way that computer hardware requires an operating system and a suite of software to function. Unlike the conventional battle record, which samples unlicensed commercial recordings[1], the Leverage scratch tools are assembled entirely from out-of-copyright material - and so exist outside commercial and bootleg economies. The project adopts the form and structure of the battle record to build open vinyl code - which, like free/libre and open source software, is distributed freely.

The project encourages open creative exchange and demands that subsequent creations are licensed under identical terms. Through Leverage, out-of-copyright and copyleft material is inserted into an existing network of production to prise open new possibilities.


See Leverage at Instrument, an exhibition of artist-made instruments, noise-generators, audio-visual manipulators, and head twisters by sound artists and noise-makers.
20-29 July at 1830 Warehouse, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Read more about Instrument


Futuresonic 2006 runs from 20 - 22nd July at various venues around Manchester


Video

Parkertron 01.jpg
Parkertron 02.jpg
Parkertron 03.jpg


Video of Parkertron (Fingathing) testing the Leverage records using Serato Scratch Live.

Icon mov.png Download quicktime Duration: 13 mins / 43.1 MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)

Read the entry for this video on Archive.org

Shot and edited by Kid Jenson Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5

Downloads

Leverage 1 a.png

Record 1 Side A

1. I'm Sober Now (Smith)
2. New How Long Intro (Carr)
3. Night Latch Key Loop (Liston/Simpson/White)
4. Deep Blue Sea cornet solo (Smith)
5. Deep Blue Sea Intro (Smith)
6. Six Cold Feet in the Ground (Carr)
7. Train Whistle (Rodgers)

sound file Record 1 Side A 6.2MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)


Leverage 1 b.png

Record 1 Side B

1. Jump Steady Intro (Smith)
2. Evil Minded Blues (Liston)
3. Beat One (Blythe/White)
4. West Coast Guitar (Blake/Simpson/White)
5. Beat Three (Smith/Bolden/Beiderbeck/White)
6. Scratch static noise

sound file Record 1 Side B 6.3MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)


Leverage 2 a.png

Record 2 Side A

1. One Dime Loop (Jefferson/Simpson/White)
2. Train Whistle Loop (Rodgers/Simpson/White)
3. Beat Five (Blake/Simpson)
4. One Dime Blues (Jefferson)
5. Back on the Wagon (Smith/Blake/Jefferson/Poole)

sound file Record 2 Side A 6.4MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)


Leverage 2 b.png

Record 2 Side B

1. Little Bits (Blythe)
2. Beat Six (Blythe/Parkertron)
3. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (Smith)
4. Rolls Royce Papa (Liston)

sound file Record 2 Side B 6.4MB (right-click/ctrl+click to download)

These records are released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.

Discussion

Read our discussion with Drew Hemment, curator of Futuresonic.

Thanks

Parkertron (Fingathing), Kid Jenson, John K & Kelvin Brown (Eyes Down), Andy Soup, Saul Richards, Sneaky (Fingathing), Nick Alexander (TUNDRA*), Tina & Werner (Vinyl Carvers), Drew Hemment (Futuresonic), Neil Cummings & Marysia Lewandowska (Chance Projects)

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