Not too sure if this is the same software mentioned but I reckon it can't
be too far off...
Granulab is a shareware granular synthesis program, and it's great. The
interface is very VB-esque - one screen, millions upon millions of scroll
bars (great if you have an Intellimouse <g>)
It's very well designed and very stable too - it doesn't crash at all
unless I've been stupid enough to do something like leave Photoshop open
while I'm using it. It's really small - about half a meg - so is very
quick to d/load.
The sonic effect is typically like (sorry about this) the audio equivalent
of what happens when the shit hits the fan. Intermittent and fleeting
bursts of sounds, varying very unpredictably in duration, playback speed
and volume. I've never blown a pair of monitors with it though, so it's
pretty safe. The software's pretty aleatoric, in a neat kind of way. I
guess it might be a little more straightforward if I really took the time
to find out the theory. But I can't be bothered. I know this is supposed
to be "techno" and all that, but I just can't, OK?
I use it in an idiot savant kind of way for chopping up samples and
scales. What is really great about it is that it's very easy to plug live
drumming in - especially stuff recorded with a room reverb - and tweak
slowly until you get stuff that sounds very like autechre. I'm thinking
particularly of ep7 - rpeg and pir. It really can sound like you're
stuffing the sounds into a blender.
One thing you need to do, esp for beats, is too make sure your original
sample is above about eight measures long. That way, the statistics of you
getting something rhythmically coherent increase...
It's also really good for mashing up solo instruments. Again, a
bit of ambience on the original signal helps because then you get little
gobbets of just the ambience on their own which helps to make the results
that much less unquantifiable! I haven't tried it on long smooth pad
sounds - all of a sudden I quite want to, however.
I can't remember where the guy's site is, but do a search for "Granulab"
or "Coagula". It shouldn't be too hard to find.
Cheers.
"A thought flies like an arrow. A banana flies like a piece of fruit."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org
For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org