Eigenharp Pico - Live smooth jazz sax improvisation

[discfunk]

This made me happy..thanks!



[Augustoarg97]

4:15, don't fucking bother me! I'm playing the Eigenharp.

[amyjer]

@gbevin - great video! I tried loading up Silverwood in Reaktor but I cannot get a sound - the midi indicator is moving which tells me it is getting a MIDI signal but I can't hear anything. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[GratefulLed92]

People on that airplane didn't think you were activating a bomb?

[edudzzaj]

Wanted one of these awesome little things for ages. Also I notice a clear advantage when traveling by plane, as they don't get as good a chance to smash it as if it was a guitar or similar.

[BoxCubeSquare]

Do you get stopped at security for that thing?

[gbevin]

@BoxCubeSquare nope, no problems at all

[metemi]

Can it do vibrato at all? Or slides, subtle dynamics, aside from volume? Then I would be interested in getting one. Otherwise I don't really see that it sounds remarkably different from a keyboard synth. I realize that it has other features that people might like though. Nice tune by the way.

[gbevin]

@metemi of course, each key moves independently and allows you to tie three parameters to each axis of the key (up-down, left-right, in-out), it's up to you how to tie that up to performance parameters

[metemi]

@gbevin Ok, thanks. That's good to know.

[nutelina]

@gbevin Thanks, what did you tie it to? I'd suggest to have a listen to the sax patches for reaktor from Harm Visser They sound really really good.

[gbevin]

@nutelina I suppose that you refer to the strum question you had before by 'what did you tie it to'? If that's the case, I tied the palm muted up and down strums to two dedicated percussion keys where the velocity is used for the speed of the strum, I use the upper 6 percussion keys for the individual strings

[nutelina]

@gbevin Sorry no I meant the the sax patch! But interesting anwser nonetheless!

[gbevin]

@nutelina I'll check those sax patches out, thanks!

[karli34]

At 04:15 your eyes follow the coffee service passing by - you missed it :)

[Bookster343]

I love how you're just jammin' on an airplane, completely unbeknownst to the other passengers. Despite your choice of location, that sounded great! Good work!

[claudiodxe]

nice video... it looks very bizarre the plane take hahaha

[Liquidspaceman]

I wanted to add that the video compression (fps) adds to the feel of the music. I want to get a pico. You helped sell this for me.

[Liquidspaceman]

Very nice!!! I found your improv very soothing! Maybe you can come to the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. I would love that!

[mkcaraker]

Love the song and your performance. I Just got a pico. Where did you get the bass and sax sound from. mkcaraker

[gbevin]

@mkcaraker the sax is the Silverwood v2 ensemble for Reaktor with a tube-warming AU on it, the bass is from Trilian

[WARDISWARD]

damn you're really into it :)

It brought a smile on my face to see you bopping your head to the music , its great

ANd yeah ..silverwood is anunbelievable reaktor ensemble ( by chat singer )

peace

[BModo]

Muito bom! Very nice, indeed! It's a pleasure to hear your jam sessions! Thank's.

[perothing]

Lovely video and music. Does the keyboard make any noise while pushing the nobs?

[gbevin]

@perothing thanks! No, the Eigenharp doesn't make any sound without being connected to a computer. The computer runs an application called EigenD which makes all the sound. However, the connection between that application and the Eigenharp is a custom high-resolution protocol that's more than 100x more precise than MIDI. This allows you to create very expressive sounds. EigenD running on the computer gives you access to limitless sound possibilities.

[perothing]

@gbevin Thanks for your reply but i actually meant the tapping sounds on the knobs itself without being connected. Yust like you are sitting there in the train. Can people hear you tappin there while you are improvising while you are looking at the moving landscapes. haha.? I don't know are to ask in proper englisch since i'm dutch. Interresting info on the new protocol though!

[gbevin]

@perothing the tapping noises are quite minimal, the keys require very little pressure. It's less than a computer keyboard.

[xTheBright]

haha you're on a plain!

[gbevin]

@xTheBright It's actually a train in this video ... but I did play on planes ;-)

[bzeljn]

I noticed a slight mistake in the bass. Fucking great though, so chilled.

[gathyman]

@bzeljn hahaha you bastard

[MrAtlantajazz]

Love your mellow sound. All on the same page musically. Love it when it all comes together like this.

[gbevin]

The Sax sound comes from Reaktor with a free Silverwood v2, the piano is shipped with the Eigenharp as are the drum loops. The bass was Spectrasonics Trillian I think. You can basically use any virtual instrument that runs on PC or Mac with the Eigenharp. Its possibilities are limitless!

[jasoncarson97]

Hi, I've been doing some investigating on the Eigneharps lately - I'm very interested! I am a Yamaha WX5/VL70m player and I'm always looking to expand. This is easily the most promising controller I've ever seen!

Question: Are the sounds you are playing here stock on the software that comes with the Eigenharps? Can other software synths work with the EH's? I don't know much at all about software synths, but again, I'm very interested. Thanks for posting!

[mraheels]

you made it sound like the raag aymen .....after a very long time ive heard something ... that has soul in it.........

[mraheels]

......wow......... i can listen to you all day and night ............ Alpha is definitely and amazing instrument ... but the way you are playing this pico ... man ..... i have fallen in love once more ...... love you bro ...

[xXKrazyLepreconXx]

I'm sure the person next to you loved hearing the key clicking sounds and breathy blowing noises.

[TomiTapio]

Well done mate!

[theoriginalmcsquare]

The eigenharps are all more than worth the price. You can be your own one man band thousands of feet in the sky

[erichertsens]

bring your own personal orchestra ;-).

[LastOfTheWilds920]

This is great. Thanks.

[TheKaliot]

Ladymass



[Drathamusz]

Would you mind telling me how much experience you have playing the Pico? I've been following it for some time, and just find it absolutely amazing. The piece you performed here is just phenomenal. Keep up the great work!

[gbevin]

@Drathamusz I started playing the Pico in November 2009, this video was recorded about 4 months later.

[Korppi08]

Okay thanks for help, im wondering to buy Pico or that new Tau model. But got to admit i love this song.

[Korppi08]

Do you need mac every moment if you want to play this? Umm, can you just take pico and start to play without hooking it up to mac?

[gbevin]

@Korppi08 you need a computer indeed, Windows or Mac, a Mac mini is sufficient. There's no way to embed the amount of power that's needed to play virtual instruments at this kind of detail into the Pico ... nor into the Alpha for that matter. It would probably also cost so much that nobody would even consider buying it.

[Korppi08]

Is this played in one section? Not recorded like 2-3 layers?

[gbevin]

@Korppi08 It's played live, but on the Eigenharp you can record layers on the fly while playing. So, no I don't play the piano, the bass and the sax at the same time, I first play the piano, loop it, play the bass, loop it and then play the sax.

[10zimmer]

great piece! class, that you're recording a smooth jazz piece on an ICE

[Phaero]

Nice - pity the other passengers couldn't hear it :-)

[Synthacus]

I love the whole concept. It looks like the video is soooooo produced.

When do they start judging.

[gbevin]

@Synthacus What do you mean when you say 'soooooo produced'? This was just recorded on the train and most of it was total improvisation. They have started judging and will rule their verdict by the end of April.

[Synthacus]

@gbevin I meant the video looked so great with the natural lighting of the train passing light variations over your seat. You could have paid a video producer to get a much less impressive video feeling.

[gbevin]

@Synthacus Yeah, I was very surprised about that also! It's an interesting idea indeed, maybe we should adopt it for my band and record some videos like this. Thanks for you comments!

[gleannmhuire]

Hi Geert.. really like the stuff you are coming up with on the Pico. Are you finding the 'limitations' of the actual interface are having a positive effect on your compositions?

JR

[gbevin]

@gleannmhuire which limitations? The ones that the Pico's number of keys impose or the ones that the software impose? Anyway, I found both quite liberating. I've always functioned well by imposing boundaries and exploring freely within them artistically. Limitless possibilities only make you wander for a very long time before finding something ;-)

So yeah, I find the Pico very inspiring. Proof is I composed 6 songs on it in a matter of weeks :-)

[mwarts]

ery nice, just I what I wanted to hear :-) mine is ordered, I want to play the Sax and other Woods with it.

[gbevin]

@mwarts The breath pipe on the Eigenharp is so sensitive that it's a lot of fun to play wind instruments with it, all the tonguing and pressure changes are perfectly translated. You'll love it!

[Crag19]

Always nice music coming from you Thanks Can't wait till I get mine!

[gbevin]

Thanks! When are you getting yours?

[Crag19]

@gbevin I saving for it now most likely in a mouth or two :>.}

[gbevin]

@Crag19 Cool, looking forward to see some videos :-)

[Crag19]

@gbevin Better let me figure it out first then the video's

[redders6600]

Great video! Slightly surreal recording on a train..! But the changing light and refreshments carriage going past make it really cool to watch!

Good job :)

[gbevin]

Thanks! It's actually extremely nice to be able to play anywhere. I've done a lot of it in the airport and airplanes also :-)

[Ignitionator]

Great video!

[gbevin]

Thanks!