releases July 1, 2024

HΩ 1
In my experience the best way to calm a colic child is to play the sounds they heard when submerged in the comfort of their mother's womb. I realized that there was something in this for me, too, once upon a time under water.
released May 1, 2023

HΩ 2
Fast forward some years... during the pandemic I made an instrument, a gambiarra, of mostly worthless, or looked-down-upon, redundant and repurposed gear, following the 'lógica orgânica da favela', necessary, to keep up with a 'cascata sônica', which thankfully provided me something to listen to in isolation. However, I still feel alone in the violent truth of our post-pandemic reality; so, I just keep making music! At least streamable music doesn't create much non-recyclable waste.
released May 1, 2023

HΩ 3
Once upon a time I had a cassette boombox that would automatically play tapes front, back, and across to a dual twin doing the same. I could play 2x120 minute Ministry of Sound shows or 10 back-to-back remixes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax. There is nothing more terrifying than silence, said John Cage or, I would add, the bourgeoisie horror of tasteful ambient music meant for the background.
released May 1, 2023

The last time playing the Step.4D²™ before packing it up for departure from Seattle to a destination unknown. This smaller second gambiarra was made of looping devices that generated completely random and colliding data. This included a machine based on the Triadex Muse that never repeated itself. All this would be broken up by single human generated notes from keyboards and pads.

HΩ 4
End result: no matter what you do with a machine it always sounds machine-like and predictable (to me at least). I expected more chaos but machines can't manage that. I try my best on this piece, and I think it works to some level that was worth publishing. Nonetheless, I was OK to say goodbye to Step.4D²™ for the time being. All gambiarra's after this rely completely on human generated data, and more true randomness, not machine generated and familiar sounding 'randomness'.
Hint: AI sucks and is doom to mankind.
released July 23, 2023

HΩ 5
Getting going with the Step.4D™ not to be reassembled until it's final permanent home at MOMA in 2121. These next few sessions are the last ones before it is packed up until then. Parts of it will be used for future machines but never this same original line up that started it all. As always live and improvised in a single take with no edits or post-production. See photos here: stcelfer.blogspot.com/p/stc-lives.html
released July 23, 2023

HΩ 6
Another step towards emphasizing the theremin in the Step.4D™ setup. (A lot of 'steps' in that.) You can see it here: stcelfer.blogspot.com/p/h.html
Step.4D is a paronomasia of 'Stepford' and an homage to the anti-establishment sentiment via satire of Ira Levin's book, using humor and lightheartedness to undercut the assumptions of society. I like the book but admire more a war with normal.
released July 27, 2023

HΩ 7
Here are the rules for the Alcatraz Music Time:
www.alcatrazhistory.com/regpage3.htm#:~:text=MUSIC%20RULES%3A%20Musical%20instruments%20may,whistling%20accompaniments%20will%20be%20tolerated.
46. MUSIC RULES: Musical instruments may be purchased if approved by the Associate Warden.
Guitars and other stringed instruments may be played in the cellhouse in a QUIET manner only between the hours of 5:30 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. No singing or whistling accompaniments will be tolerated. Any instrument which is played in an unauthorized place, manner, or time will be confiscated and the inmate placed on a disciplinary report.
Wind instruments, drums and pianos will be played in the band or Orchestra Rooms on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. At no time will you play any wind instrument in the cellhouse...
released July 27, 2023

HΩ 8
I was trying to capture some riffs I created with the theremin and guitar pedal set up of the original Step.4D in previous HΩ releases. I could never get past the immense variety I was getting with the CD Scratcher at 0-3 BPM. I just stay there for almost the entirety of an hour. I realized these CD digital noise scratches going back and forth between notes are bass parts of a rock band set up. Thus, I realized the ultimate importance of bass! It's the most important part!!
Yet, I still want to get that sexy guitary stuff I had earlier SO the project must go on - and on to #9!
released October 13, 2023

HΩ 9
I finally got the theremin going again. I have to say that trying to 'get something' falls short of 'something getting me' - by accident. However, it's enough to say goodbye to the Step.4D and the original set up.
What I was trying to capture was a trite sounding theremin, that is already limited in timbre and cheesy when MOOG tries to expand it, how it blooms when one channel is fed to a PLL and the other to a S/H analog effect. It's not just the sound of the effects but that I have to cross mono signals and everything goes left and right and in and out of phase creating space.
An interesting yet sad part of this recording is at the end when I am literally pulling plugs from the machine, and it keeps making music. I had to just cut the power as we were well over an hour together. Goodbye Step.4D™.
released October 13, 2023