Kaossilator: "Dark Taxi" (kaossilator video #5)

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO at:
http://downstat.homestead.com/files/Dark_Taxi.mp3
The Kaossilator 2, the upgrade of the handheld Kaossilator, is coming soon in 2012!

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NEW IMPROVED PLAYING! My fifth improvised jam illustrates erase-recording: the rhythm has an unfixed component which I change, while the fixed rhythm is non-stop and sustains the tune. This is more fun than just adding layer after layer on the loop.
Erase-recording technique was covered by username "Kaossilation":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g_V1vhm-sw

Tim Rideout did much more dynamic erase-recording. With careful timing, he erase-recorded only one part of the loop at a time, as illustrated in the Hall of Fame link, below.

I am also getting more practiced and starting to hit the right notes on the blank pad like a violinist. But on a pad this small I can't keep out random notes; I got lucky; you just have to...embrace the Kaoss!

DETAILS: 108 bpm, Mixolydian Scale (MXL). Scale was changed to Off for the horn sound from a passing car.
Gate Arpeggiator G.34 on and off throughout (Gate Arp is the light on bottom left.)
This was all based on a Loop with P.91 (Bass & Drum) which I played on C and B-flat (A#), then Fixed as the constant non-stop basic rhythm.
It's always hard to fill the time in a Fix, so I went to a.28 (Harmonica) and did a double tap for a car horn, with Scale on then turned Off for a "passing car". Car horns are higher then lower in pitch when they pass you because of the well-known Doppler Effect. It is better to rotate your finger than to slide it or your finger might skip back and ruin the Doppler sound.
Restarted Loop, improvised with swiping motions with L.08 (XMod Lead), but the real secret to this tune is that if you go to the very bottom of the pad, the distortions disappear and L.08 sounds almost (but not quite) like notes in-tune, for a dark, echoey, neurotic sound.
I didn't go into a continuous L.08 right away, but started with taps and short segments in time with the music before recording a Loop.
Turned Gate Arp back on.
RECORDED L.08 (XMod Lead), which I flubbed but re-did with Erase.
Improvised with G.34 On, played L.06 (Square Bell).
2:06 Here's a subtle effect: if you don't go to the top of the pad but only occasionally stab the top edge, you get highlighted notes. Do not "stab" too hard because the angled edge will lift your finger off and you'll be off-rhythm.
Then changed Key to high C, turned Gate Arp Off and played L.03 (Tell Min) which is a theremin-like sound, turned Gate Arp back On again.
ERASE-RECORDED new rhythm with L.08 (XMod Lead), by holding Loop button and also Scale to erase the old unfixed rhythm, wiggling my finger for an arpeggiated rhythm.
However, I forgot to bring down the Key again; brought it down to middle C and Erase-Recorded again. I also started in mid-beats (beat 5 and not beat 1) but that doesn't hurt unless you want to do Loop Length changes.
Gate Arp On, played L.09 (Square Lead).
ERASE-RECORDED new rhythm with arpeggiated a.28 (Harmonica), turned off Gate Arp to throw in the car horn sounds again.
Gate Arp Off, went to L.15 (LFO Lead). Forgot to bring Scale back on again; the note almost sounded like G but it was an unfixed pitch! Turned Scale back on to Mixolydian. On L.15, the higher you go, the more vibrato you get, so I was mindful of both the left-right note scale and the up-down position of my finger.
Played a.20 (Trumpet). Remember those fine old days of Disco music where they only had horns and strings, no synths? Gawd, those old days sucked!
Gate Arp On, played a.29 (Flute).
Went to a.28 (Harmonica) with Gate Arp still on, STOPPED the Loop but continued an arpeggiated finger motion, slowly dropping my finger so that the duet sound reduced to a single sound. Gate Arp off for a slow note finish.
Finished with a.28 horns again.

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For more information on the Kaossilator, go to:

http://www.korg.com/kaossilator

Click on the parts or buttons to get pop-up details.

But the Kaossilator Pro (3 lbs and about double the price) is REALLY something! The Kaossilator 2, the upgrade of the handheld Kaossilator, is coming soon in 2012!



HALL OF FAME:

Some REAL pros:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eegJBpqU0E (modified Kaossilator so he can hit the right notes, in the Loop Length 16 mode)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IscBTcjE5K0 (Adrian Bridger)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkABZ2_uDrs (professional soundtrack musician Tim Rideout)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3_yXmIfmYg (Gary Kibler: a tune from The Yellow Album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZYe5gHLn2Q (Holy cow! An Arabic or Oriental jam with the Kaossilator)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Kaossilator
• Korg
• electronic
• techno
• カオシレーター

[Dracopol]

Know who might be a terrific Kaossilator player? Michael J. Fox! With the Kaossilator, being palsied or spastic is actually a PLUS. :-)

[MoverasTus]

woa sounds great, i haveone for a year now but haven`t gone that far yet! im very distracted with guitar and synth, but it's waiting for me in my closet, I hope i can have fun as you do!

[Dracopol]

@MoverasTus Do what you can! When I vowed to lay off the computer-games, tons of time developed to draw or make music. When I fall off the wagon and return to gaming, nothing happens. The original Kaossilator is limited, make no mistake, but if you practice at changing up things fast, that is the most important thing. Korg has programmed radical synth sounds which are variable with the XY-touchpad.

[XzevastianX]

wow, this is actualy very cool, most kaossilator videos are boring, and the guys normally don't know much about it. But you definetely know how to use it, pretty cool!!

I own one but I had to put a grid on it, it's really hard to play it on the blank, but I see you don't have a grid, you must have practiced a lot... sound very good!!

[Dracopol]

@XzevastianX No, not too much. With some good luck the random notes made a tune! A violinist needs no grid so it's POSSIBLE to position yourself with the notes. A clear pad might actually help to see the little rows of circular sensors inside and position yourself that way. I had a web-page about the Kaossilator but it's down. Basically adding layer after layer is boring. FIX the basic beat, add then take away, add different stuff next time, that sounds more interesting.

[gotoandstop]

Is there a way or logic to know where are the chords on the kaossilator?

[Dracopol]

@gotoandstop Well, there can't really be chords on the kaossilator because it's monophonic, it only produces ONE note on the scale at a time. Even if you put SEVERAL fingers on the kaossilator, it just plays ONE sound based on the average of the finger-positions.

[memoweb01]

Very interesting instrument.

[molowytch]

CooooooL

[imhallowarren]

Wish it didn't stop when you fixed. The possibilities for songs would be so much stronger