Analog Flows

Analog Flows: Listening to an other Era, Working with Magnetic Tape

A workshop / laboratory directed by:

Rinus Van Alebeek (NL)

(analog audio devices and microphones)

INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES AND MOTIVATIONS

Dear future workshop participant,

In this introduction I would like to tell you what and who to expect when we meet for some days nin the near future. The workshop hours will be pretty much filled with working on the recordings made by you. I will not introduce you to the different types of recording gear used by colleagues in the field, nor will I fill your hours and ears with theories on soundscapism or other subjects. Best is you arrive at the workshop with ten minutes of recordings made by you. They have to be analogue. The participants and I will listen to the recordings. I will comment these recordings and offer critics, comments, nonsensical remarks, allusions, accusations, proposals, predictions, alternatives, help and honour. With up to 16 hours at hand I will have time to accompany every one to recording sites, listen to your proposal and discuss with you on the spot how and in which way the recordings could be done.

The aim of the workshop is divided between the unpredictable, because I don’t know how you and the place we are will affect and inspire us all, and by the predictable, because through the workshop we will work on ways to help you finish a composition. This approach guarantees us surprises and concentration on the work in progress itself. The process will consist of a lot of recording, listening and discussing. Then at one point we will have to select the pieces and put them together in a composition. I will help you to do this.

Now you might think, who am I to pretend I can do this? Well I was a writer in the nineties in the Netherlands. Composition, structure, tempo and sense of time and timing are elements that compositions and literature have in common. I work actively with my recordings since the beginning of this century. My background as a writer has influenced my sound works, in a way that they can be heard (and are recognized by some) as another way of writing. That is why this workshop will be on narrative composing, telling a story by (analog) sound.

Looking forward to work with you,

Rinus van Alebeek

TARGET GROUP

Any person interested in experimenting with sound, with our without any artistic background.

DURATION AND LOCATIONS

Depending on the hosting venue’s preference, the workshop can last from 2 days (5 hours per day) to 4 days (4 hours per day), in dates and places to be announced.

REQUIREMENTS

It is recommended that participants can bring to the first session at least 10 minutes of tape recordings made by them. Also, participants can bring any type of tape recording devices (walkman, double deck cassette recorder, dictaphone, toy tape recorder, etc.) or microphones.

APPLICATIONS

Please send an e-mail message to info[at]binauralmedia.org, referring your name, address, age, e-mail address, URL, short biography and the reason for applying to this workshop.

The laboratories will be organized as a function of the number of applications received from the same geographical region.