Gleix Video Synth #9 // Ｖａｐｏｒ　Ｄｒｅａｍ ビデオシンセ

in

So excited about this release - I really couldn’t be happier with how this one came out. Check out this build over at it’s dedicated page in the visual devices section!

Via the Vapor Dream page:

This device, dubbed “Ｖａｐｏｒ Ｄｒｅａｍ,” is model no. GVS009 and is a sort of spiritual successor to the 100PFB in terms of aesthetics. With a dual mode oscillator, RGB assignable noise generator, audio input, and CV integration for color and image shift controls, it resembles The I.F.D. as far as functionality goes, but trades out the glitch patch-bay for an attachable mini LCD monitor. The monitor has its own hook-ups for power and video and it attaches to the top of the device via a magnetic base which hold it safely in place. This model, unlike all previous, runs on 12v.

The I/O includes 2x composite video output (primary & monitor), VGA output, an external audio input (1/8” and 1/4”), a 12v 2.1mm barrel jack for power, and another barrel jack for powering the monitor.

Feature set

  • On/Off latching pushbutton

  • NTSC/PAL select switch

  • Button & switch for freezing the currently displayed image

    • Allows for starting the device in low-res mode with pixelated feedback

  • RGB Mix knobs

  • RGB CV inputs

  • RGB pulse buttons

  • Oscillator

    • On/Off

    • Rate, Shape, Depth knobs

    • Mode select (LFO vs standard oscillator for scanlines)

    • Send switches for RGB channels

  • Image shift up, down, left, right, zoom adjustment buttons

  • Image shift up, down, left, right, zoom adjustment CV/Gate inputs

  • 1x bypass switch for directional CV, 1x bypass switch for zoom adjustment CV

  • Audio input (Doubles as noise generator)

    • 1x 1/8” input, 1x 1/4” input

    • Audio amplifier on/off

    • Audio input gain knob

    • Send knobs for RGB

  • CNC’d Rear I/O panel

  • Menu buttons for adjusting settings

  • Companion mini composite LCD monitor with customized hookups

  • ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃｓ

Commissioned by and custom built for Perte de Signal in Montreal.

March, 2021.

Circuit bent Casio SA-8 // Model No. GSA8-04

in

Check it out over on my page for circuit bent keyboards in the Casio SA-X family!

Functionally identical to GSA8-03 [on the SA-X page], just has some aesthetic differences. Because it’s almost identical I haven’t made a new video, but you can check out the GSA8-03 one here!

  • Hard on/off switch

  • 1/8” switching audio output jack

  • Squealing feedback/distortion knob with on/off

  • Glitch trigger button with depth knob

  • Power indicator LED, lightly flashes to audio output

  • Five additional tone select buttons allowing access to an additional 75 voices

  • A switch for dropping the clock speed of the SA-8 allowing it to run in a much slower, pitched down mode

  • LED backlights that respond to audio

  • Anatomical heart

Commissioned by…my sister! Christina Gleixner of the band Yeni Nostalji.

March, 2021.

In other news, I’ve been slow with the update blog and social media the past month or so, mostly due to current projects being future releases or commissioned works I can’t share, or things that aren’t ready to be released just yet, but it’s not for a lack of projects for sure. Also been on a bit of a break from social media which I’ve needed. Really excited about a few things I’ve got in the works though!

New machine: GVS008 "Glitch Hornet", An Audiovisual synthesizer and glitchy visual FX processor

in

Check it out here - and see the video demo below.

Via the device page:

This device is model no. GVS008 and is the first in the series to feature an external video input, and custom CNC’d front & rear panels. This machine is similar to The I.F.D. in terms of feature set, minus CV implementation and + the video input. The input allows this model not only to function as a synthesizer and internal feedback generator, but as a loopback for use with video mixers, and as a standalone glitchy video FX processor similar to the VGS35 & GVM002.

The I/O includes a composite video output, composite video input, a VGA output, an external audio input (1/8” and 1/4”), and a standard 2.1mm barrel jack for a 5v power supply.

  • On/Off button

  • Button & switch for freezing/holding the currently displayed image (new on this model)

  • RGB Mix knobs

  • RGB pulse buttons

  • Oscillator

    • On/Off

    • Rate, Shape, Depth knobs

    • Mode select (LFO vs standard oscillator for scanlines)

    • Send switches for RGB channels

  • Image shift up, down, left, right, zoom adjustment buttons

  • Audio input, sends for RGB color channels

    • Doubles as RGB assignable noise generator

  • 24 point patchbay for experimental glitches, routing audio in and out of the device, routing external signals into the device

  • * Switch for selecting internal feedback loop vs. external composite video source

  • * Switch for selecting between NTSC & PAL output

  • * CNC’d front panel & Rear I/O panel

* = New on this model

February, 2021.

Visuals with an in-progress video glitch circuit

in ,

Simple reaction diffusion system in Touchdesigner being processed by a glitch circuit I'm working on. The circuit started out as the Archer Video Enhancer circuit and has been slowly growing over the past few days. That original circuit was traced and kindly provided by Psyingo here: https://electro-music.com/forum/topic... Music is Shrine by Miel off of the album "Tourist Season" which I highly suggest checking out.

A page for the DIY Modular Video Synthesizer is up!

in ,

I finally got myself to put together the basics of a page for my DIY video modular! Right now it lists out all of the current modules with information & photos of each. In the future I’m hoping to add additional image galleries of what the modules do individually, make videos explaining things, add documentation/schematics, and go into a bit more detail. For the moment, though, I’m just happy to have something up. There’s only 30hp left unfilled :)

Check it out over at gleix.net/modular

P1320478crop.jpg

I got a CNC!

Well - a little one.

In the never ending quest to learn new things and increase my home manufacturing capabilities I picked up a little desktop CNC. I've spent the past few weeks learning my way around G-code, breaking end mills, troubleshooting weird quirks and cursing at the thing, but I finally reached my first goalpost: a custom engraved aluminum front panel. Tons of ideas in my head & looking forward to experimenting with this thing further. This one will be on the next video synthesizer.

To be more specific here, it's a 3018 ProVer which is made by Sainsmart which, yes, can engrave aluminum with some effort. And this wasn't soft aluminum either. Just took a bit of effort and patience in testing different bits, speeds & feeds to get the desired result. This one was done by painting & clear-coating the panel and then engraving the paint away. A manual height map was made as well. I had done an automatic probed height map before painting it, but the panel warped during the process of getting the component holes drilled out.

Did a synthwave thing

in ,

1/12/2021 edit: So - in December I came across a demo somebody made on Youtube of a Japanese synthesizer. At the end of the video they do a brief little jam with it which inspired me. I kept wanting to hear it expanded and I made a quick song using it and built some accompanying visuals. After putting the video up the person who made the demo video that I sampled in this project, who I very prominently credited up front for this personal, unreleased, non-monetized project, made it abundantly clear through a barrage of comments and DMs that they were opposed to any use of his demo video that isn’t explicitly authorized, so this is gone now.

I've never understood that sort of mindset and, to be honest, I think that sort of thing is everything that’s wrong in the creative space. After they saw the posts (two weeks after I posted them and tagged them?) I was immediately bombarded with “This is illegal!” (it’s not) “All rights reserved, you can not use this!”

What this was is a fun personal project that I did, sampling their demo video, because it inspired me. If they’re unhappy with seeing their demo video re-contextualized, fine. But the aggressive bombardment of comments and DM’d threats due to a personal project that sampled some synthesizer demo footage, which again, was prominently credited to them right up front, is a massive bummer. It was needlessly aggressive, and that sort of mindset and approach discourages collaboration, drives people away from your work and the thought of engaging with it, limits exposure, creates an air of self-importance, and breeds creative isolation imho. This is a net negative for everybody involved. Nobody was making or losing money on this one-off, unreleased, short personal project.

While I don’t know the exact reason that my sampling of their demo video was such a massive issue for them, it’s their right to ask me to take it down and I tend to try and take the path-of-least-resistance, so it’s whatever. Just a bummer.

copyright IG lol.png
copyright comment.PNG
dm.png

Edit: 5/28/2024

I am placing the video here, on my personal website, unlisted.

I came across something I built 10 years ago in the wild.

in

In a bizarre turn of events I came across a photo the other day of Vaporwave artist Skeleton Lipstick’s gear and thought "Hey... wait a minute. Is that...? WHAT it is!"

1 photo gear arrow color bal.jpg

It's a Casio PT-87 that I circuit bent and sold on eBay in 2010!

IMG_3407.JPG
2 a month ago circle 43.jpg

I reached out and learned that they're the one who won my eBay auction for it back then and have been using it to this day! Even passed along a photo of their set up from a few weeks ago where it still lives. After ten years.

I often wonder about all of the instruments I've done through the years that are still out there. Early on I was churning things out that I auctioned off on eBay and after that they were just sort of gone. There are a few commissions I've been lucky enough to see or hear being used (A Casio SA-2 I did for Darren Korb can be heard on the phenomenal soundtrack to Pyre by Super Giant Games which I didn't even know until after having played through it!), but it's not all that common that I get to.

The best thing about building these things has always been knowing that I'm playing a part in somebody's creative process. To somehow come across something from my earlier days and have that confirmed has really made my week. I can only hope some of them are getting this same sort of love!

To add to the coincidence, Skeleton Lipstick did the after party for 100% Electronicon that I went to here in Brooklyn last year - which ALSO ends up tying back to the 100PFB video synth I did for Adam Kane the other month! What a small world!

Check out Happy in Disguise, Am I Close to the Edge?, and Philadelphia by Skeleton Lipstick to hear the PT-87 in use!

This device has some photos and a demo video over at gleix.net/misccasio

Live Show & Collaboration // Dec. 27th in VR via VJ Open Lab & Never Knows Better

in ,

Stop by VJ Open Lab Berlin in VR on December 27th for a collection of artist collaborations.

Event page

I’ve got a 15 minute set of original music, including some unreleased material, with visuals provided by Niki Cardoso Zaupa of Pink Noise.

Gleix Video Synth #7 // Winter Freeze

in ,

 Gleix Video Synth #7 // Winter Freeze

Feedback-centric video synthesizer & continuation of the series. Somewhere between the 100PFB & IFD in terms of feature set. Check it out over at this device’s page in the visual devices section.

Gleix Video Synth // The I.F.D. // A semi-modular analog video synthesizer

in ,

The I.F.D.

A self contained semi-modular audiovisual synthesizer for video feedback, digital glitches, drones and colorful experimentation

I feel like I’ve spent as much time documenting this build as I did making it, so I’m really excited to finally be sharing it with the world. This is what I might consider my “flagship” video synthesizer for the time being and it will serve as a reference point moving forward. Check out the page for this build here at gleix.net/ifd

Via the IFD page:

The I.F.D., or Industrial Feedback Device, is an audiovisual synthesizer based around a no-input video feedback loop, video RAM and buffer manipulations, simple oscillator functionality, audio reactivity and sound generation, and CV implementation to allow easy integration into an existing modular ecosystem (esp. eurorack).

The I/O includes two composite video outputs, a VGA output, an external audio input (1/8” and 1/4”), and a standard 2.1mm barrel jack for a 5v power supply.

The originally beige enclosure was painted with an industrial theme and intentionally weathered and the primary aluminum control panel was given a circular brushed look to fit the theme.

Making a more colorful oscilloscope // Modified CRT Television, DIY X-Y scope with video input

in ,

New device page with a full video here!

Via the crt scope page:

This is a variation on a fairly common build where audio is piped directly into the horizontal and vertical portions of the deflection yoke inside of a CRT Television. The additional features this one has are two internal audio amplifiers (very basic LM386 circuits), the ability to run audio to the TVs internal speaker (with adjustable volume), and the ability to send color video signals to the TV to “color” the waveform which I go over in the video here on this page.

This build can be replicated extremely easily - without the internal amplification circuit - and also made to run in different modes for a more standard horizontal wave display. Plenty of information on that can be found online with a little searching, but I’ve included the schematics for this particular build here.

If you do plan on recreating this thing for yourself BE CAREFUL. There are elements inside of CRT Televisions that hold enough charge to KILL YOU. Do not attempt if you are unfamiliar with electronics, and do your research beforehand on how to properly discharge the device and how to safety deal with this sort of device.

November, 2020.

Premiering two audiovisual pieces @ Lightbox NYC, part of the Creative Code Art festival on the 12th through the 15th

in ,

Super excited to be a part of this event coming up on November 12 - 15th. I’ve got two pieces being debuted, “Ablation Cutie” and “Aurora (Migration)” this Thursday, the 12th between 8pm and 9pm.

Those in NY can come to the festival at Lightbox in Manhattan, and those outside of NY can take part virtually in Sansar & watch the pieces streamed on Twitch!

Tickets here

Facebook and Mixily Cover_00102.png