Digital Audio Production and Performance Workshop
Presenter: Tom Cosm (New Zealand)
The appreciation of art and how it works on the brain is one of the most fascinating human traits and still has a lot to be explored. With the advance of sound synthesis and design technology, we are not only able to start learning about why certain sounds and waveforms have such a dramatic effect on our brain, but recreate them in the studio to induce intense emotions and instinctual feelings, some of which we still re-discovering after they were lost when cultural evolution took over the way be run our lives.
Workshop 1: An Introduction to Audio Production
A workshop for people with an interest in creating electronic music, or for those who want to start producing music but never knew how. Topics covered include the basic physics and mathematics of audio waveforms ;the effect these waveforms have on the brain and why we have grown to appreciate them; basic elements of sound synthesis and design; basic elements of sampling and laying down beats; a basic run-down of using a linear based sequencer (Ableton live), and how it is used to construct a tune.
Workshop 2: Advanced Workshop: From studio to live show
A specialty workshop aimed towards producers/djs who are interested in moving out of the studio and into the world of live, or wish to find out easy ways to turn their existing live set more live. Topics include the benefits of actually playing a real live; manipulating your music real time; how to covert your existing tunes into a "live ready" set; a real time example of how easy it can actually be using Tom's personally developed techniques and software tools (which will be provided for free to anyone), and neat things you can do live with your music once you begin, so you can start to become more confident in experimenting with your new live set.
Post Workshop:
A pack of the (free) sounds and software used in the workshop will be made available to anyone who attended the workshop through Tom's website after the festival. Participants can visit Tom's website where they can interact with others and to ask further questions after the festival.
Biography: Tom Cosm
Hi there, my name is Tom Cosm and I am a live solo electronic act from Christchurch, New Zealand who plays a unique blend of electro, minimal, prog and breaks. I am one of these new 2.0 artists who don't bother with the old way of doing things through the commercial music sales industry (which I believe can heavily distort the true appreciation of creativity), instead I give what I do (high quality music, live set files, tutorials etc) away free of charge to anyone at anytime on my interactive website [ www.cosm.co.nz ], while relying on the "word of mouth" method as my main form of promotion, spreading my music and image organically. It's been working perfectly so far, and I invite you to become part of the fun as well. Cheers!"
The Effects of Music on Form and Civilisations
Presenter: Portia Mereki
The Aum is referenced as the first sound from which all life and form has been born. From Aum through the myriad of tones and melodies, the symphony of life eternally ebbs and flows. Music has served specific purposes in various cultures and continues to nurture new impulses within the progression and current evolution of humanity's journey. Certain music in this Age is consistent with heart opening which will assist to bring about unity and peace. Many like minded people are gathering together in ever increasing numbers to celebrate life, peace and respect for Earth and all life at events like Rainbow Serpent Festival.
Biography: Portia Mereki
MA Health Science, Healing Minister, Accred. Soc. of Natural Therapists and Researchers (SNTR) Inc., Heart Flow Associate, Order of the Violet Flame leader. Portia has worked as a transpersonal therapist, counsellor, spiritual educator and a has been student of Theosophy for twenty years. Her present work includes teaching and conducting meditations with young people at outdoor techno/trance lifestyle gatherings.
Website http://users.netconnect.com.au/~hearthvn/
Zen, Myth, and Earth Spirit
This workshop draws together threads of Eastern mysticism (Zen), indigenous wisdom (shamanic medicine), and those elements of the western tradition that can be interpreted to support the most fundamentally important task facing us today: the need to enter into a conversation with nature. Since the settlement of the first major cities in Mesopotamia around 5,000 years ago, civilization has moved further and further away from being able to read the signals and language of the earth. The history of mythology, especially the perennial philosophies found in oral traditions, shows that this level of communication – between humanity and the earth, its plants and other animals - is not only possible but vital in the context of healthy ecological relations. It is belief that almost all people have the capacity to enter into states whereby this conversation can take place, and the goal of this presentation is to guide those interested to develop the confidence to journey within and listen to nature with their hearts and minds.
Biography: Geoff Berry.
Geoff is currently Chairperson of the Melbourne Zen Group holds, a BA Honours (thesis 'Cosmology and Consciousness'), MA 1st class (thesis 'Contemporary Mythopoetics'), Deakin University; and a PhD candidate (thesis 'The Mythic Symbol of Light'), Monash University.
He has experienced a wide variety of ecospiritual journeying and healing techniques including vision quest, shamanic trance (with drumming and medicine), medicine wheel ceremonies, Indian pranic (breathing) and hatha yoga (asanas) practices, and crazy-arsed fast disco-thrash-art-industrial-punk music (fronting a band playing such madness for 6 years). Geoff is a member of Amnesty International, ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation), RRR, PBS, and some other academic institutions too geeky to mention.