Touchdesigner .tox component for RGB analog-esque video feedback à la WAAAVE_POOL

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Never did share this, so I thought I’d link it here. Awhile back somebody on the Touchdesigner subreddit asked how they might go about recreating the sort of effects made by analog video feedback loops, or devices such as Andrei Jay’s WAAAVE_POOL.

I started writing out a response, but because the basic setup is quick to make in Touchdesigner I ended up building a little component, adding some easy-to-control custom parameters, and sharing it to the subreddit.

You can download the .tox file here.

Video: Gleix Live @ NKB x Ars Electronica NYC // "60Hz" (Live AV performance)

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Performed live on September 9th, 2021 at Culture Lab LIC in NYC as part of a showcase put together by Never Knows Better at the Ars Electronica Festival Garden.

This performance utilizes a fully DIY modular audiovisual synthesizer, a collection of custom controllable systems built in Touchdesigner, and a CRT TV which has been modified into an pseudo-oscilloscope receiving dedicated audio & video feeds to generate colored waveforms.

Three 60Hz tones are generated by the AV modular representing the three RGB color channels, panned left, center, and right respectively. These three underlying tones, which the piece is fully built around, have harmonics which shift depending on the shape of the individual color channels in the image, with peaks of amplitude being built for each color's pixels as the image is scanned through on each refresh of the video signal. Additional waveform generators and simple oscillators are injected into the color channels and 'played' in tune with the underlying tones by dialing in exact frequencies, which at multiples of 60Hz, will also form stable scanlines in the receiving color channel.

Touchdesigner serves as a complex collection of controllable systems for handling & manipulating audio, video input, as a standalone visual system, to introduce generative elements and contained-randomness when triggering external audio elements and visual subsystems, and for general data & MIDI processing. Percussive elements, rhodes, and additional audio processing in FL Studio.

https://www.gleix.net

https://www.instagram.com/gleix

DIY Modular: https://www.gleix.net/modular

CRT Scope: https://www.gleix.net/crtscope

----

Check out other performances from the showcase: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCILH...

Event page: https://www.xrensemble.com/ars-electr...

Thank you NKB & Ars Electronica for the opportunity.

https://www.instagram.com/neverknowsb...

https://www.instagram.com/arselectron...

Thank you Ulisespal for providing additional footage

http://www.ulisespal.com/

A fully revised video synth is here! Model no. GVS010 - 'Vimana' (videos, photos, info)

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GVS010 (link)

‘Vimana’

It’s been a bit of a journey getting here - but for the time being I’m finished with revisions.

This device is model no. GVS010 and is the first in the series to feature a fully revised internal design & silkscreen printed front panels. All additional circuits have been consolidated into a single PCB (excluding the additional patch-panel PCB up top), and all controls are now PCB mounted as well. This is, moving forward, the standard build style that the GVS series will take as far as the feature selection on the front panel goes.

Check out the page linked above for more information, a full demo video, an additional demo utilizing GVS010 as a loopback with a video mixer, and more photos than were really necessary :P

If you’re on the waiting list I’ll be reaching out soon - thank you for patience. Things may be a bit slower moving forward as my pre-pandemic work location has reopened, but I still plan to work through commissions for those who have made requests.

Development update on the Sync Eater

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Just a little progress update on where things are at with the Sync Eater -

These are some photos of my personal pre-production builds using what I believe will be the final panels & PCBs. I made one in black, one in white, and experimented a little bit with some blue on black. Going by public opinion I’ll most likely offer this device in all black but may do a limited run in all white and some other colors and panel styles. Nothing for sure yet, though. If you’d like to weigh in I’ve put a poll at the bottom of this post (link to the poll) - My Instagram poll came back with 35% for white, 65% for black.

So here’s the roadmap (with most completed tasks excluded):

Complete

  • Finalize PCBs & panel design

  • Make 2x personal builds with final PCBs & panels, tested working properly

Next steps

  • Waiting on a quote for custom enclosures (Personal models were painted, but I’m looking to have these enclosures in black and/or white from the manufacturer for a myriad of reasons.)

  • Create a demo video with personal pre-production models to show off capabilities & different capture methods

  • Open up pre-orders for a couple weeks

  • Close pre-orders and do first production run

  • Open store for regular purchases after first production run

The timeline for all of this is pretty loose and depends on when/what I hear back from the enclosure manufacturer, which will hopefully be soon. Also depends on when I’m able to get a video demo together. Pricing is still undetermined until cost of enclosures can be nailed down. Things are beginning to open back up here in Brooklyn so I’ll also be getting back to work at Avant Gardner, so my schedule may start filling up but I’ll be pushing to start proper production ASAP!

Hope you’re all doing well out there!

If the poll below doesn’t show up for you click > this link <

My DIY Modular Video Synthesizer // Overview video, demo

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Finally - after stopping work on this thing last December I’ve finally got a video about it to share.

Via the youtube description:

“Been a long time coming! Happy to finally get a basic demo together for this build I made over the course of a few months last year. Hope you enjoy! Might make more videos or stream about this thing in the future to explore some of the things I glossed over and show some other things it can do.”

More info about the build can be found here

New release: GULL x Gleix - Prepared Breaks (Music Video & Single)

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Bandcamp • Spotify • Youtube • Lagom Audio/Visual

GULL on Bandcamp

Via this article in Brooklyn Vegan:

“Gull is a masked one-man band that we once compared to Lightning Bolt and Battles, and Gleix is an electronic musician from Brooklyn who specializes in IDM, ambient, breakcore, and drill 'n' bass, and they've now collaborated on the new single "Prepared Breaks." As the title implies, it's a combination of prepared piano and breakcore, "though that's probably obvious and not the most.. creative title," Gleix says.

More background, via press release: "The project was spearheaded by fellow artist and collaborator Cy Fi, who shot initial footage and encouraged it to be built upon. From there, Gleix began manually cutting & warping the original footage to fit a consistent tempo. After building the audio and video in late 2017, it sat dormant for a few years. Once the idea of releasing it came back up, he was able to take some of the knowledge gained working in visuals, and add a system of real-time effects on top of it all."

Gleix also had this to say about the song, "I think it's easy to end up inadvertently working through issues while focusing on detailed or tedious tasks. You get into a sort of trance. In the more rhythmically complex pieces I've put together I might be listening to the same bar over and over for half an hour before moving on, trying to weigh what sounds best in the moment with what works best contextually. The process feels analogous to thinking about problems that exist in the present moment; thinking about what to do about them now, what decisions make the most sense given what's already happened, and how to make the transition into whatever comes next as smooth as possible. Slowly piecing together breaks is a very zen process and a sort of therapy for me I guess, despite how chaotic the end result can be."

If you're familiar with both prepared piano and breakbeats, you probably have an idea of what to expect, and this song delivers. It's equal parts gorgeous and dizzying. Check out the video below...”

Updates on the Sync Eater & revisions to the video synth are going out soon

Major progress in the past month! I’ll be sending out some progress updates on the Sync Eater & revisions to my video synth build in the next day or two. If you’d like to receive it drop your email on the Sync Eater or Video Synth request page.

These updates might be made public in the future, but for now they’ll just be going out to the mailing list & those who are already on the wait list.

If you catch this late but would still like to get the update passed along you can shoot me a message over on the about/contact page.

✌

Condensed cover of Theme from Ernest Borgnine by Squarepusher

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I put this on Instagram a few weeks ago and figured I’d put it up on youtube as well.

“A highly condensed/quick live cover of one of my favorite Squarepusher tracks, "Theme From Ernest Borgnine." That main melody still makes its way into my head every so often and the 303 line is nuts (I think I got it pretty close!)

Sub Phatty // SH-101 lead

x0xb0x // 303 line

Mother-32 // pseudo pads

Drum loops lifted from original”

Upgrades to GVS006, "The IFD" from last November

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Via gleix.net/ifd -

“The IFD came back to me for a few minor feature additions (kill switch for up/down/left/right CV inputs, composite video input & select switch) as well as a custom CNC’d front and rear i/o panel“

Sync Eater // An analog glitch effects processor

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Via gleix.net/synceater

The Sync Eater is an analog video effects processor with a focus on glitches and visual experimentation. This personal prototype, built into an abomination of an enclosure, was made using the first round of prototype boards. The finished version will feature PCB mounted controls, a standardized front panel, CV implementation, and maybe a few other features. Will be released sometime soon-ish.

More info on this devices page. More to come!

Music video released: "Dividing Space" by Murcof

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Very excited about the release of this project today, a music video produced for Murcof.

Visual system sequenced and composited from a collection of brief moments in the choreographic work Contre-Mondes by Guilherme Botelho's Alias dance company. The final video was processed using a custom built piece of analog visual effects gear, the Sync Eater. More info on that soon.

Big thank you to Murcof for involving me in this project.

Ambient music & visual performance, "Aurora (Migration)"

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Putting this online has been on my to-do list. Via the youtube description:

'“One of two pieces originally premiered at Lightbox in NYC as part of the Creative Code Art festival last November. "Aurora (Migration)" is an extra wide real-time render that was performed utilizing a controllable particle system with a collection of processing effects chains. It's also a variation on previous performances with a similar system.

The music in this piece is "Pretend You're Not," a track curated from a collection of live ambient rehearsal recordings made in the run up to a live performance at Avant Gardner in February, 2020.

Thank you to the space, organizers, and all involved in the Creative Code Festival:

Lightbox: https://lightbox.io/​

Creative Code Art: https://www.instagram.com/creativecod...​

New Media Art: https://www.instagram.com/new_media_art/​

Never Knows Better: https://www.instagram.com/neverknowsb...​

Ix Shells: https://www.instagram.com/ix.shells/​

Erin Wajufos: https://www.instagram.com/erin_wajufos/​

Extended Reality Ensemble: https://www.instagram.com/xrensemble/”

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

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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

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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!