exploiting the machines – a DIY primer for making electronic music
(reprinted from an article I wrote for sonic heart )
Making your own homemade electronic music can be a fulfilling creative outlet. It requires no formal musical training– just a willingness to experiment. Here’s a quick starter guide.
STEP ONE: Choose an instrument.
Buy/steal/obtain something that makes noise and runs on electricity. It can be anything: an electronic keyboard, an old handheld cassette recorder, a laptop, a kid’s toy like a Speak and Spell [1], an oscillator or Geiger counter[2], surgical instruments [3], whatever. It really doesn’t matter, as long as it generates some kind of noise.
Complicated machines like all-in-one studio keyboards and laptops often hide ease of use behind many features. First-time musicians should stick with something simple, like a basic drum machine.
Also, don’t fall for the hype of “classic gear�?. While it’s true that a vintage Roland TR-808 has historical significance [4] and is capable of some great sounds, your chosen machine has less to do with the final product than your creativity. Besides, if you go with a “classic�? machine you have work harder to make your final product sound less like something everyone’s already heard before. Buy a used Boss drum machine [5] and a distortion pedal instead, and save yourself a thousand dollars.
Also, steer clear of any all-in-one techno boxes [6]. These have flooded the market recently, and while they might seem cool at first with their sample libraries & shiny grafitti-inspired design, they tend to get really old fast and often give you less freedom to experiment.
Any kind of effects generator is usually pretty useful. You can find all kinds of neat guitar effects pedals at yard sales; grab one or two. They do a good job of muddying up your sound source so it isn’t obvious you are using, say, a Teddy Ruxpin doll [7].
STEP TWO: Trash the manual
If your chosen device is a “real�? instrument like a keyboard or a drum machine, hide the manual. Seriously, resist all temptation to read about how to “properly’ work your machine. Electronic music is about innovating within inherent technological limitations [8], not about doing things a proper, predictable or intended way [9]. Trust me, you’ll get something much more interesting if you just blindly experiment.
STEP THREE: Hook that shit up
Wire your devices together. You’ll find that you can never have enough ¼ inch audio cables [10], 1/8 audio cables [11], and some RCA cables[12]. Make sure you have plenty of adaptors so that you can connect these different types of cables to one another [13].
A power-strip is almost always necessary, as are the proper transformers for your devices. Don’t bother with batteries; they won’t last as long as you need them to.
You’ll also need a stereo receiver with some speakers. Most likely you have these already. Don’t worry if your speakers sound like crap [14].
Connecting your equipment depends on a how many devices you have. If you want to send more than one sound source to a speaker, you’ll need a mixer. Otherwise, chain together your devices, and run them into one of the inputs on your stereo receiver. Do not feed your audio into the one marked “phono,�? because this could damage your receiver. Make sure audio levels on devices are turned down before you start plugging things together.
STEP FOUR: Experiment
Once everything is set up, do some experimenting. Program in a few rhythms, play a few melodies, make some noise. Get high if it helps get the creative juices flowing. There’s no correct way to do it, just varying degrees of interesting. Good luck, and send me mp3s of your work.
[1] see Data Rape, by Experimental Audio Research
[2] see Radioactivity by Kraftwerk
[3] see A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure by Matmos
[4] the Roland TR-808 is arguably the most widely known and easily recognized drum machine of all time. Any hip-hop from the 80’s featuring a cowbell was likey made with an 808. Used by Afrika Bambaata, KLF, Aphex Twin, Public Enemy, Skinny Puppy, Plastikman, and hundreds of others.
[5] Boss is the budget product line of Roland, usually targeted towards guitarists. High quality, affordable cost.
[6] These include: Korg Electribes, Roland Groovebox series, etc. If it has all the indications that it’s being marketed to first-time bedroom musicians, it’s probably worth skipping.
[7] Teddy Ruxpin were those bear dolls where you shoved a cassette tape into their chests and their lips moved to the audio. Image a tricked out one running through distortion & delay.
[8] The history and development of the electronic music and hip-hop genres is about making a lot from a very little. You should know this already.
[9] see trance & most nightclub music.
[10] aka guitar cables. Shorter lengths are usually better. These are usually mono (single channel).
[11] these are the smaller cables used on headphones. They are usually stereo (two channel).
[12] RCA cables are the dual-tipped red & yellow cables you use to connect stereo components. You’ll probably need these just to run your audio through your receiver.
[13] Radio shack sells a variety of adaptors for all your needs
[14] see the DVD Studio One Story, which chronicles the rise of reggae soundclashes in Jamiaca. Many of the first reggae MCs (locally DJ’s) used only a portable, homemade speakerbox of considerably poor quality.
3 Comments
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Thanks for the site, I needed it, and possibly more info. I don’t know where to start or how much money I should spend to get some decent experimental shit. I am doing a senior project, and need to get started soon. I want to make a CD, so if you could email me back, that would be sweet. Thanks…
Paige
Glad to help. What equipment do you have or have access to? What is your original thought about setup?
If you want to do something “experimental”, you should have some sort of rough thesis or framework for experimenting. Remember, “experimental music” isn’t just euphemism for freaky weird music… At the heart of it, experimental musicians strive to do or try something new that no one has really considered.
As far as money goes: the latest and greatest thousand dollar synth isn’t going to make you sound original. An unconventional (even amateurish) approach to sound creation will. Punk rock DIY aesthetics get better results than proficiency when you’re doing experimental stuff.
thought this was a cool bit of info. keep it up. electronic music maker, ac.