Beside BLIND I began sound design for local artist, dancers and movie makers, slowly I got a massive sound archive that I didn’t use for the projects. Creating tracks using that archive became SONICrider.
As SONICrider I use modular and DIY gear as main instruments creating from ambient till experimental techno: when I play live I use visuals like we did with BLIND. I constructed my modular gear like members of a band: drums, bass/guitar, synth, percussion, sounds, each case can be used stand alone when I do collaborations:
– LSDice: experimental acid/dance (David plays 2 MC 505’s)
– The Phonons: ambient jazz (Siem plays a bass guitar)
– Gijs van Bon (a light artist): I create live sound touring with his installation where a 2 weeks visit on Taiwan playing at a light festival was a fine high light.
– Several one time collabs.
Since the C-virus ruled the world I zoomed in on (which I did occasionally) creating visuals, telling stories. Some of those visuals are presented at festivals around the world where I as musician probably never would have attended in person.
Modular music is very suitable making (ambient) drones that exceeds regular playtime: it was hard to find a label releasing this tracks. So I started EAR (Emotional Analog Resonance) and at the moment there are 33 monthly releases done.
Living from the music I create is sometimes hard so projects like mixing (sometimes live), mastering, lessons in synthesis and organizing modular events are a welcome add.
What tools do you use?
It all started with 2 cassette recorder and tools to manipulate the speed. The machinery I used in BLIND was a Roland 909, 2 AKAI samplers (one with keyboard and midi), Roland drum pad and a Roland Juno 60.
Hardware stayed the main source creating most of my music where working in the box mostly is mastering tracks. In the box arrangements as “commissioned art” are a second path using Ableton manipulating recorded pieces from my hardware or field recordings.