about the circuitous vibes
circuitous vibes
serene positivity through echoic electronic Music
- recordings and live pa - based in tucson az -
about the circuitous vibes
circuitous vibes
serene positivity through echoic electronic Music
- recordings and live pa - based in tucson az -
about circuitous vibes
there is great power in Music. sonic vibrations have the capacity to move people in many ways. Music does not only bring about enjoyment of the combinations of melody, harmony, and rhythm. Music also induces effects such as meditative trances, joyful bliss, ASMR, healing, thought provocation, and deep, serene calm.
the circuitous vibes project aims to create sound palettes that induce a calming positivity through the use of electronic Music. rich in tape looping, rhythmic pulsing and punctuation, sequencing, arpeggiating, droning and phasing, this Music conjures up a variety of textures and atmospheres, taking the listener on slowly moving and wandering journeys. through long form recordings or extended live pa sets, circuitous vibes hopes to present Music that moves the listener's focus away from the immediate and readily apparent, to an ethereal "beyond" of any sort for which the listener is ready.
how the music is made
how the music is made
how the music is made
the synthesizers
it can be fairly said that the synths (the elektron analog four, eurorack modular, olegtron 4060 mk2), are the originators and the soul for much of the Music. by creating and sequencing much of the harmonic, pitched sound and noise, the synths sculpt the focal points or predominant vibrations. the synths create aural interest for the journey of the mind and spirit, while vibrations of numerous frequencies cascade over the entire body. perhaps the most exciting recent development is the addition of modular synthesis. a small eurorack case, featuring the fantastic rings resonator by mutable instruments, is controlled or affected by the analog four, the olegtron 4060, or by other modules. sounds from the modular synth can be fed back into the analog four for processing, before being sent to effects pedals, or sent straight to the mixer, as can the olegtron 4060.
the effects pedals
oftentimes, the synthesizer sends sound to a couple effects pedals before being sent to the mixer or octatrack. the strymon el capistan digitally replicates tape machine delays and loops, as well as some reverberation, grit and layering. compression pedals after the synth add even more texture and boost to the sounds. both types of pedals are fast becoming indispensable in the music making process, creating a significant amount of texture in the Music.
the drum machine
the elektron rytm is capable of so much more than many drum machines out there, and may never reach its full potential if assigned to ambient, dubby electronic music. even so, the sounds from this machine are more than appropriate to help explore atmospheric and ethereal music. it has only recently been updated to include some oscillators that allow this machine to be turned into a droning monosynth. combined with exploratory ways of using other percussion, the rytm can become a fascinating and wily series of voices to back up the a4 and modular synths.
the sampler
for me, the octatrack sampler by elektron is a kind of mixer, as well as a multi-functioning looping sampler. it often becomes the heart of my rig, responsible for the midi clock, channeling, recording, sampling, looping, warping, and mangling sounds from the synth and drum machine. the octatrack is a powerful machine, capable of also adding effects, or used as an effects send and return, as well as layering many sounds all at once. explorations of this machine involves playing drones from the rytm through the octatrack, which enables the addition of several additional effects and lfos. lately, though, the OT has been used to process samples of various lengths to create drum patterns or off-kilter, extended tape-style loops, all while sending sounds to external effects pedals before sending them out to pa speakers. the roles of the OT change all the time.
the workflow
these machines, elektron's analog four, rytm, and octatrack, along with the modular synth, the olegtron 4060 and effects pedals, comprise my entire rig. many artists opt to add keyboards or multiple synthesizers and modules. i hope to keep my rig as compact as possible to allow for a practical solo live act. that said, the circuitous vibes project has been also focused on the recording process, mostly longform ambient "sets". it remains to be seen how often parts of the kit make it out for live performances, but either way, the general workflow is the same: sequenced sounds and drones are processed through effects and the octatrack.
about the artist
about the artist
About the artist
circuitous vibes is a live act by Dave Balderrama, residing in Tucson AZ.
From training in classical piano and Music theory and composition, to performance as pianist and keyboardist in a couple of college bands, I have a wide variety of Musical experiences over the years. I even experimented with electronica and improvisation in a noise band. Additionally, I have a wide interest in Music, from classical and jazz, to bossa nova and traditional bluegrass. But it was my introduction to techno and house in the mid-1990’s that really captured my imagination and attention. Techno redefined the meaning of sound for me, and that made all the difference.
After being introduced to electronic Music at the Family Affair in Ohio back in 1995, I attended numerous parties in Detroit until the late 1990’s. I was completely swept away with the techno, acid, dub, minimal, drum and bass, jungle, and deep house that I heard during the “Second Wave” of Detroit Musicians and DJs. The venues were mysterious and questionably legal, the lighting was poor (one strobe, plus too much fog), and the sound was so immense as to rattle the bones and nearly alter the heart rate. And I loved it all.
It is from these experiences in Detroit during the 1990’s that I attempted, as DJ Moores Park, to curate the sound and overall experience of what was being played at the time.
After taking a break from Musical performance for a number of years, and eventually settling in Tucson AZ, I re-discovered electronic Music, and rekindled a love for Detroit techno and house. After collecting Music and some equipment, in 2009 I began working on DJing, honing technique and a style. After nearly 5 years of this work, I began to step out into the Tucson community with several performances in 2015/6. As DJ Moores Park, I focused on building a contemporary soundtrack that resembles the backdrop for the Detroit electronic dance scene in the 1990s.
And now comes the time for a different approach. As circuitous vibes, I will create a sound entirely my own, or so I hope. I am not so naive to think that anything is original (search: John Cage 4'33"), especially when you layer pads on a 4/4 kick drum. But the sound that I create in a live set will be less indicative of Detroit, less similar to a European house party, and not so much in fitting with the "Tucson sound", although I hope to draw much inspiration from the land that I live in.
As circuitous vibes, this is my return to playing instruments, composing and improvising live. Without using others' Music, and without the assistance of other Musicians (other than occasional collaborations). In this setting, I return to a true creative process, marrying classical background in composition and performance with electronic music.
