An important question that comes up regularly: why make the piece algorithmic? Why not make it fixed?

Possible answers: because I like the idea that it's not determined while keeping a determined overall feel; because some choices in the composition process feel arbitrary to me anyways so why not have the program make those decisions; because it was going to be and will be presented in a more installation-like environment where people could listen multiple times; because I like to be surprised when listening to it for the 10,000st time.

Just roll a dice and choose the answer ;)

MDFreeze will also be presented in Cafe Oto in London, somewhere at the end of September 2013. In 12-channel format (wow).

And last but not least, pictures from the premiere in Vienna (thanks to Georg Weckwerth).

The premier of MDFreeze was today, at the Museums Quartier in Vienna as part of a Call & Response event in collaboration with Tonspur Wien. Playing kids in the pond and some minor technical issues could not spoil the fun. Very glad with how it sounds. You can listen to a stereo version for yourself here and imagine 8 speakers in a spacious courtyard. O, and if you're feeling adventurous you can even email me for the MDFreeze App and listen over and over to all the different versions.

Out for now. Further plans with MDFreeze include making a more generic version, more like the GeluidsjesFabriek, where one can specify different structures and a different sample to process. But that is for later.

So the piece is declared done. Send off to the guys from Call & Response, to be played next week on Aug 16 & 17 in a program that runs from 9:00-13:00 on both days.

It's become quite conceptual. I decided to stick rigorously to the concept of the piece: reverberating micro particles of an existing piece of music. I removed all other sounds, they just clouded the sound world of the work, clouded its clarity. After the premiere I will make it available to everyone as downloadable application.

The first ears (except mine) to hear it resembled it to film music with a lot of suspense.

More background info.

Money For Your Whale has released the third and last installment Twelve-Twelve-Twelve/#3 of their new album Twelve-Twelve-Twelve. This includes a track with trombonist Heather Segger and a LittleSoundsFactory remix. BUY it here for only €5. The full album is now available for €10.

People who purchased Twelve-Twelve-Twelve/#1 and Twelve-Twelve-Twelve/#2 as one package for €9 will receive a complimentary download code for Twelve-Twelve-Twelve/#3.

The GeluidjesFabriek (Dutch for LittleSoundsFactory) is a factory that you feed a collection of sounds, which are then processed automatically into a new combined sound unit. The first generation of units to roll off the assembly line is called Workum. Workum sound units are 2min45sec in length (except for some of the first units that are 2min39sec).

Sound units are posted on Soundcloud. The factory is still under construction, and more sound units are on the way. The GeluidjesFabriek is dedicated to and inspired by Oane Abma.

The system is built in audio programming software SuperCollider. I mainly let the program run its course. The only intervention I allow myself is generating multiple versions from one collection of sounds, then line them up in a multitrack audio editor and do some mixing. I leave the timing intact.

My collaboration with guitarist and singer Piet van Tienen is in a new phase. For one there is a name for the project: Scootermen. But more substantial, a new song: Expired. Where Scooterman and Leak over Assange were initiated by Piet, the new song was written by myself, my first try at lyrics and melody in a rock vein. With this third song I'm getting more and more comfortable arranging these kind of songs, so I went back to Scooterman and Leak to fix some things I wasn't quite happy with.

Still nothing to hear for an audience, but I'm getting more and more excited. This is a long-term project, but I'll keep you posted.