artist: DALE GORFINKEL & ROBBIE AVENAIM
title: Sonic Systems Laboratory
label: Splitrec
country: Australia
format: CD
title: Sonic Systems Laboratory
label: Splitrec
country: Australia
format: CD
"Whatever preconceptions you may have about what a vibraphone should sound like, cast
them aside now... a beautifully crafted 32 minute improvisation."
(Brian Marley - The Wire)
"Radical approaches to the vibraphone - instead of the standard polite use of mallets, they
utilise the motorized drive shaft usually responsible for tone control as a way of agitating
objects placed between the bars of the instrument. In 2005, Robbie Avenaim and Dale
Gorfinkel parked their vibraphones to face each other, tuned one microtonally and the other
to equal temperament, and set out to discover the sonorities and textures that so-called
'speciality techniques' could unleash. Several live performances, including one for ABC-TV
in 2006, were the results." (Splitrec)
"The work begins with a varying texture made with electrically powered rotating disks rubbing
the ends of bars to produce the ultra-high sustained frequencies. Then follows a foray into
complex, mechanically produced polyrhythms. The vibraphone's tremolo motor is the driving
force, causing carefully positioned mallets to strike the bars, frame and metal resonators
under the keys. In addition, sticks driven by attached off-centre motors play the bars and even
strike small, loose microphones at times. Both players manipulate the devices and play
occasional mallet rhythms as well. In the third section, the music's frequency bands and
harmonic content are shifted upwards with vibrators playing high-speed rhythms on the bars.
Some motorized drumsticks are sparingly used as well. There are also instances where a hard
mallet is made to bounce on a bar being struck with a soft one to produce high harmonics.
Close miked soft mallets on the bass bars, including some customized oversize bars, produce
the shifting sub-tones and difference tones of the final section. The rotating disks from the first
part make a fleeting re-appearance at the very end. These methods of production are the
results of determined experimentation and research, followed by considered judgement and
application in order to make a musical work." (Ernie Althoff)
*Featured in the and/OAR additonal100 favorite releases list at Discogs.
them aside now... a beautifully crafted 32 minute improvisation."
(Brian Marley - The Wire)
"Radical approaches to the vibraphone - instead of the standard polite use of mallets, they
utilise the motorized drive shaft usually responsible for tone control as a way of agitating
objects placed between the bars of the instrument. In 2005, Robbie Avenaim and Dale
Gorfinkel parked their vibraphones to face each other, tuned one microtonally and the other
to equal temperament, and set out to discover the sonorities and textures that so-called
'speciality techniques' could unleash. Several live performances, including one for ABC-TV
in 2006, were the results." (Splitrec)
"The work begins with a varying texture made with electrically powered rotating disks rubbing
the ends of bars to produce the ultra-high sustained frequencies. Then follows a foray into
complex, mechanically produced polyrhythms. The vibraphone's tremolo motor is the driving
force, causing carefully positioned mallets to strike the bars, frame and metal resonators
under the keys. In addition, sticks driven by attached off-centre motors play the bars and even
strike small, loose microphones at times. Both players manipulate the devices and play
occasional mallet rhythms as well. In the third section, the music's frequency bands and
harmonic content are shifted upwards with vibrators playing high-speed rhythms on the bars.
Some motorized drumsticks are sparingly used as well. There are also instances where a hard
mallet is made to bounce on a bar being struck with a soft one to produce high harmonics.
Close miked soft mallets on the bass bars, including some customized oversize bars, produce
the shifting sub-tones and difference tones of the final section. The rotating disks from the first
part make a fleeting re-appearance at the very end. These methods of production are the
results of determined experimentation and research, followed by considered judgement and
application in order to make a musical work." (Ernie Althoff)
*Featured in the and/OAR additonal100 favorite releases list at Discogs.