announcement

Happy New Year!

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Hey everyone, this is long, personal, from the heart, and also a first for me. I don’t really do year end, mushy holiday fluff.

Stuff happened this year. To all of us. As I take moments here and there to reflect on the year past, I realize that it wasn’t all bad, there was some really incredible stuff and as I am a glass half full kinda guy (yes, there were some moments this year when even that has been a struggle) I want to focus on the good things. There has been so much focus on the negative as we collectively kick 2020 in the ass tonight I want to make sure remember the good stuff too.

At the beginning of March I thought to myself “well – I guess that’s it for Frequency Freaks”. By the end of March some of you were kicking me in the ass to move the workshops online. We did that – and boy that first one was rough! Remember that? LoL! When I made the title screen and named the video I had no idea we would have to be apart this long. I thought one video was all we were going to do. Wow – I was very wrong!

We are still apart and there are now 7 workshops on our YouTube channel. This is not a bad thing though… WE have 7 workshops on OUR YouTube Channel!!! These videos represent our community sharing our collective knowledge with the world and (hopefully) making a positive impact by sharing creative ideas and thoughts that inspire others to try new things.
When I said that WE did that I meant it! There would not have been a single video posted on OUR channel this past year if it weren’t for YOUR contributions.

The diversity we share in personality, thoughts, abilities, and experiences along with the bond we all share through music and other creative pursuits are a positive force that binds us all and creates a unique friendship. This, more than anything, shines through in the videos and the reactions people share in the live chat during the premieres. WE have collectively made a statement that WE will support each other no matter who we are and what style of art we make. WE support and nurture creativity. WE allow the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them because WE will support and help each other.  This is powerful!

There have been some pretty cool milestones in our lives this year. Some were bigger and more difficult than others and some were small.  All were significant!  Some of you made huge personal changes. Some of you began your synth journey this year, some began their modular journey! Many of you released your first album, and some of you released more than one!  Some compiled benefit releases to help others in need, and some branched out to follow other creative pursuits like video and photography. Some asked their first questions on our Facebook group this year and all of us have learned from the questions asked and the answers generously provided by others.

You are inspiring!
Let’s draw on our collective creative energy and positivity and use it to inspire each other through 2021.

Big hugs from my family to yours and best wishes for success (whatever success may mean for you) and good health through 2021 and beyond!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Frequency Freaks Workshop May 2020

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We are still working with Arraymusic. Arraymusic is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the development of new music in Toronto, Canada. While all musicians are having a tough time in the current crisis, the organizations who support them are having an even tougher time. If you can, please head over to the Arraymusic web site and make a donation. Every little bit helps!

This will be another virtual edition of Frequency Freaks. A little different from last time and a live event! Link to the LiveStream on our YouTube channel will be provided closer to the date.  Did you see last month’s workshop?  It is still available on our YouTube channel – go check it out!

This will be a live and interactive event.  Questions from the YouTube Live Stream Chat are welcome and encouraged!

How We Learn

This month we will take a little time to discuss the process of learning with Dr. Jason Nolan, Associate Professor – School of Early Childhood Studies. Dr. Nolan specializes in the relationship between music and learning. While he is focused on early childhood we can all learn from his observations and experiences and hopefully figure out our own preferred learning style. We will be open to taking questions from the audience too!

Performances

Several pre-recorded performances with the performers on hand for live discussion of each performance. Questions from the live audience are welcome!

As always, this is a free event. No registration is required. We look forward to virtually seeing you soon and really seeing you at some point down the road when the world is a healthier place! In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and make some cool sounds!

Final Workshop of 2018 – December 8!

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This is our final workshop of 2018! Hot on the heals of an incredible Toronto Sound Festival we have a presentation that likely should have been a part of the festival. However, space and time being what it is, Angus Tarnawsky will be presenting this one at Frequency Freaks for us on December 8!  Please join us at the Array Music Studio at 155 Walnut Ave for what is sure to be a fun final workshop of the year!

Bring your gear, play a bit, jam a bit. We look forward to seeing you December 8!

Limitations

This presentation and workshop by Angus Tarnawsky will explore creative limitations as a way to strengthen artistic practice. Specific attention will be paid to “one voice” patching techniques using modular synthesizers and ways of incorporating and interacting with physical space.

Angus Tarnawsky is a Toronto-based artist and musician. Drawing from experience as a drummer and audio engineer, his work explores site-specific relationships between sound and technology, combining aural and visual elements across installation and performance.

 

 

If you plan to do a performance a little heads up would be nice to let us know your plans.  Just reply to this e-mail and we will get back to you.

1st Anniversary 3 Module Patch Challenge!

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Hi everyone,

Frequency Freaks is now 1 year old… Happy Birthday to Us!!!

To celebrate we are going to host a 3 Module Challenge.  Build a patch with only 3 modules a la #3modulechallenge.  There will be at least one prize too!  We will let you know what it will be soon… in other words, we haven’t decided yet 🙂 . But honestly… you should be doing this for the glory!

For the most part we will stick with DivKid’s “The Modular Podcast” rules as outlined in this video: https://youtu.be/o21trHzAyMw

  1. No fully featured voices (mother 32, ToneStar 2600, Atlantis, etc.) Elements is a bit grey… ok if you have to, but… see the last point.
  2. No sample loops (drum loops, chord sequence loops, melodic sequencer loops).  If you do use a sample, it must have been made by you (e.g. your own field recordings are ok).
  3. If one of your modules is a looper, go ahead and use it… just don’t preload it in a way that goes against point #2.
  4. Cable based attenuators and stackable cables are ok.
  5. Output modules don’t count against your total.
  6. No external mixing.
  7. No external audio, effects, or processing
  8. Try and stick with the spirit of the rules.  If all you have is Elements as a sound generator, then that’s what you’ll have to use… Still – no Mother32’s or Tonestar 2600 style things that could do a 1 module patch.

So, bring your rig to the next Frequency Freaks event on April 8, 2017.  Perform your patch, or play it, or let it play… however it is intended to work.  Everyone who attends will vote on the best Frequency Freaks 1st Anniversary 3 Module Patch!  The winning patch will be immortalized in a video on our youtube channel.

Big Shoutout to DivKid, and the guys from the Modular Podcast for letting us borrow the idea.

Looking forward to hearing your patches at the next workshop!

FF

Frequency Freaks #3 Guest Speaker & Performers

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Robin Heisey will give a presentation titled My Dinner with Wendy.  Derek Simmons (rezzn8r) known for Frac and Modcan B systems will be performing on his new Eurorack.  Paul Stillwell (Intrepita) will perform using the Mother32, BFAM (Brother From Another Mother – built at Moogfest 2016), and two pedals by Industrialectric – the Echo Degrader and the RM-1N.

We are still looking for one or two more performers.  So, if you are interested in giving it a go, please let me know so we can plan our time and space accordingly and add you to the web site & flyer.

Our next workshop is on June 11, 2-6 pm.  It will be a busy weekend with Unsound at night on the 10th and 11th.  Which, by the way, you should all be attending!

Looking forward to seeing you all not the 11th of June!

Please reach out to us via the contact form if you or someone you know is interested in performing!

FF

Performers and Speakers for Frequency Freaks #2

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Excited to Announce the performers and speakers for Frequency Freaks Workshop #2.  From new equipment to electronica to wild experimental this is promising to be an exciting workshop!

Andrew Kilpatrick

Andrew will join us for our workshop on April 23rd.  Andrew is the founder of Kilpatrick audio, purveyors of the some of the finest engineered and most innovative synthesizer modules in the world.

Fresh from SuperBooth in Germany, he will talk about and demonstrate his latest creation:  CARBON – Sequencer and Performance System.  Building upon the success of the K4815 Pattern Generator, CARBON takes pattern-based sequencing to a whole new level. Supporting polyphony, multiple tracks, editing and scene-based operation, CV/Gate, MIDI and USB.

Bit Reduction (Craig Renaud)

Chaotic floor grinding in extreme harmonic content. An ambient noise wash.  Modular electronics, performed adhoc.  You can find Bit Reduction on SoundCloud and BandCamp

Benjamin Green

From recording cave echoes in the mountains of southwest Virginia to hosting underground parties in Brooklyn, Benjamin Green has explored sound, structure, and narrative in computer and electro-acoustic music. His interest in synthesis and composition was nurtured under the instruction of Elliott Schwartz, Bob Moog, and Pauline Oliveros during the mid-1990s. After moving to New York in 1998, Benjamin collaborated with artists such as Multipolyomni, Ben Neill, We ™, and DJ Olive on installations and performances at such venues as The Kitchen and Senspace. It was Ben Neill who introduced him to modular synthesis on a Synton 3000 system in 1999. After that, modular synths such as Serge panels, the Fenix, and Modcan A Series became staples in Benjamin’s toolkit. Benjamin moved to Toronto in late 2008 where he continues to work with local artists (such as Marker Starling), create mixed media works, and record songs with his daughter. In the last few years, he has switched to the Eurorack format, or the Dark Side as he prefers to call it.

Performers for Frequency Freaks #1

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We are both honoured and extremely excited to announce the following performers for Frequency Freaks Workshop #1.  Encompassing a wide range of styles from EDM to Ambient & Experimental this is promising to be an exciting workshop!  Following a tradition which began at TOMS there will be a Q&A after each performance:

Steve Castellano

Steve Castellano will be playing a new set on his Eurorack/Moog Sub 37 rig in his first public performance since last year’s Toronto Sound Fest. If you haven’t already, you can check his work out on Bandcamp and Soundcloud.

Derek Simmons (rezzn8r, Analognoisemonster)

Always interesting, Derek will be playing is Modcan system for us.
You can check him out on Bandcamp

Intrepita/Loose Ion

Paul Stillwell (member of the Candian Electronic Ensemble) & Dave Sutherland will be performing an improvised set with Paul on his Eurorack system and Dave on his Synthi AKS and Phenol. This will be their first time performing together after only one rehearsal in August of 2015!
You can check Loose Ion out at BandCamp, Intrepita at SoundCloud and The CEE at BandCamp