'create a sound that has never been heard before...'

'create a sound that has never been heard before' from taalnaan on Vimeo.

This track was created using a number of nifty 'found objects', and some original instruments made by David Pye in the Nova Studio. These sounds include:

• The 'MegaFlex' (an old airconditioning duct housing);
• The 'Bowed Beastie' (some mounted fence wires played with a bass bow);
• The 'Whirlie' (an old favourite - made with old washing machine hose);
• and last, but not least, the didgeribone - a PVC pipe digeridoo which 'slides' its pitch like a trombone.

These sounds are all processed in Ableton, with a few extra samples from an Amon Tobin Maschine Kit thrown in for good measure.

This track was produced as an entry in the SoundCloud VFS 'make a sound that's never been heard before' Sound Design Competition.

Sound Design for Into the Shimmer Heat

Musical Sound Design for Contemporary Opera from taalnaan on Vimeo.

I recently created the Sound Design for the Contemporary Opera Into the Shimmer Heat. For more info on the Opera itself, please check out my previous post 'Taal Naan goes to the Opera'.

For all live sound/sample triggering work, I like using Ableton Live for its flexibility and musicality. For the Opera I created a soundscape in surround that followed the narrative of the Opera, that I could trigger live from the orchestra pit as part of my cues as a musician in the band. The main problem that needed solving was using Ableton for multi-channel surround audio, which it isn't designed natively to do.

For all you Ableton folks out there who are interested, I'm going to post a tutorial video very soon on some of the workarounds I created to solve this problem, using a little bit of Max for Live and some custom send automation. For now, there's a little bit of a highlights clip above.

Taal Naan Goes to the Opera

Steve and I were recently involved in the Contemporary Opera Into the Shimmer Heat, with music by David Pye and Lee Buddle and a libretto by Phil Thompson. It also featured, amongst a whole bevy of delicious artistes, the beautiful Divas (and keen Taal Naan fans) Sara Macliver and Fiona Campbell. You can see and read more about the full production at shimmerheat.com.au, otherwise check out the pics from the rehearsal and production process below.

bEat Salad is coming...

screenshot: www.beatsalad.com.au

My new kids' computer game/app is starting to take its first shape, basically as a pitch for some big-wig digital producers at the X-Media Lab being held in Perth next week. Head to the brand-spanking new website at www.beatsalad.com.au to get a bit of a taste.

The game is not built yet, we are basically trying to raise money to do that right now. My

production partners are Nick Lowe of letsmakegames.org (he's our game and web developer) and Simon Boxer, who's doing all the concept art and graphic design (www.simonboxer.com). Nick and Simon along with their team at gutsup have done a fab job of knocking together the splash site which basically contains the concept so far, some new concept art, and a little bit of 'gamification'.

We're currently looking for investors/interested stakeholders - if you think that's you then look me up... we're also looking for a children's television producer, I aim to pitch stage 2 (the beatsalad kid's TV show) to ABC before the end of the year... see more at www.beatsalad.com.au

New Music: 'Run Tings' and 'Connected' feat. Rythm Infinit

Finished these tracks about a month ago for the Hilltop Hoods Initiative. Hopefully we'll eventually turn them into something bigger, like a real EP! Meng did all the lyrics/vocals, I did all the music/production.

'Run Tings' is a kind of samba-hiphop freakout....

'Run Tings' Feat. Rythm Infinit by Josh Hogan [rustyjoe]

'Connected' also features Prita Grealy on vocals. More standard chilled hiphop fare....

'Connected' Feat. Rythm Infinit by Josh Hogan [rustyjoe]

New Kids' Hiphop track for 'Crunch n Sip' campaign

Meng Jones (a.k.a. Rythm Infinit) and myself recently (re-)wrote the new jingle for Healthway's 'Crunch n Sip' campaign. Meng did the lyrics and vocals, I did all the music/production. We decided to go with something with lots of fruit and vegetables in it. Check it out below:

Crunch N Sip - Feat. Meng Jones by Josh Hogan [rustyjoe]

'Urban Taal' debuts at the Ellington, Kulcha

Steve and I have been working with guitarists Alex Borthwick and Glenn Rogers (Urban Gypsies) on a project that fuses all of our influences (Jazz, Indian, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Flamenco, Funk to name a few) into one tasty, well seasoned package. Glenn has been handy enough to edit some video together from a set we played at Kulcha.

First up are some highlights from the John Coltrane tune 'Equinox'

Equinox from glenn rogers on Vimeo.

Next is a Konnakol freakout between Glenn, Steve and myself on Glenn's tune 'Jog'. Glenn goes nutso about 2:30 in!:

konokol from glenn rogers on Vimeo.

Last is a bit of a 'highlights' edit, with excerpts from Glenn's tune 'Gizmo', an as yet un-named tune by Alex which features Steve on Didge, a cover of Michael Jackson's 'Rock with You', and my tune 'Bhaji Smugglers' at the end:

Urban Taal from glenn rogers on Vimeo.

AusCo Broadband Arts EOI Support Material Post

Beat Salad Smoothie Game Mockup, Jan 2012. Click on the 'HD' link to watch hi-res on vimeo. The password is supplied with the URL links document.

Flickr pool of images associated with Beat Salad Development so far. Click on the title link for the slideshow to see hi-res images on Flickr. It includes images from our new upcoming website to be launched in March 2012. You can currently see our old website at www.beatsalad.com.au.