Hal McGee Early 2007

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Hal McGee's Theremin Orchestra

(9:00)

Invented in 1919 by Russian scientist Leon Theremin, the theremin was one of the earliest electronic music instruments, and the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. The theremin is the only instrument that is literally "played in space".

From Wikipedia:
The musician stands in front of the instrument and moves his or her hands in the proximity of two metal antennae. The distance from one antenna determines frequency (pitch), and the distance from the other controls amplitude (volume). The theremin uses the heterodyne principle to generate an audio signal. The instrument's circuitry includes two radio frequency oscillators. One oscillator operates at a fixed frequency. The other is a variable frequency oscillator, the frequency of which is controlled by the performer's distance from the frequency control antenna. The performer's hand acts as the grounded plate (the performer's body being the connection to ground) of a variable capacitor in an L-C (inductance-capacitance) circuit. The difference between the frequencies of the two oscillators at each moment generates a beat frequency in the audio frequency range, resulting in audio signals.

Inspired by John Cage, Robin O'Brien, Gerard Greenway, and Leon Theremin.

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Momentum Of A New Self-Image

Hal McGee (with Ed Drury)

(9:55)

I constructed the text of the spoken word audio recording which forms the basis of this piece out of word fragments from horoscopes and spam emails. At once abstract and at the same time highly personal, "Momentum Of A New Self-Image" addresses existential issues of self-awareness, doubt, overcoming living death, and many other things. Into this word tapestry I wove acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, flute, bassoon, bullroarer, and tambourine loops by Ed Drury. Hal McGee, voice, words

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Live Jam excerpt 01-06-07

Ironing, Microwave Windows, Paramutual Operator, and Hal McGee

(6:12)

Live studio recording from Saturday, January 6, 2007 at Hal McGee's apartment in Gainesville, Florida. Avant garde free form improvisation with sounds by Jenifer Abell (Paramutual Operator), Andrew Chadwick (Ironing), Brandon Abell (Microwave Windows), and Hal McGee. Keyboards, guitar synthesizer, tape manipulations, field recordings, piano, and sundry electronics.

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Personality Assessment Test

Hal McGee (with Jen Abell)

(8:30)

Live recording from Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at Lenny Pearlman's Light And Progress Studio, 2604 NE 19th Drive, Gainesville, Florida. Hal McGee recites a text culled from e-mails he sent plus spam e-mails he received -- along with pre-recorded voice and keyboard samples by Jenifer Abell (Paramutual Operator). Also, pre-recorded incidental tapes by Andrew Chadwick (Ironing). Abstract and highly personal at the same time. Ironing, Aaron Zarzutski and Jijimuge also played that night. My thanks to Andrew Chadwick, Chris Miller, and Lenny Pearlman.

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Black Mood

Hal McGee and Chris Phinney

(9:03)

Someone recently tried to tell me that white is the new black. I don't believe it for a second, especially when I'm in a black mood. A crunchy industrial electronic abstract sound sculpture. Listen to it loud. Mental Anguish (Chris Phinney) - synthesizer loops; Hal McGee - Moog Voyager synthesizer, Moog MF-104 Analog Delay

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Kitchen Sink Sinfonietta

Hal McGee

(11:17)

A free form collage consisting of: didgeridoo, voice and guitar loops by Ed Drury; organ loops by Hebephrenic (Scott Carr); sound files by Hungarian audio artist Cjjbrozt; my defective PC sound card; several various collaboration fragments by hometaper extraordinaire Zan Hoffman; a track called "xxxxx" by The Joke Project (long-time Japanese hometaper Seiei Jack Nakahara); a 1986 telephone conversation with the voices of Debbie Jaffe, Charlie Goff and Hal McGee; theremin and Casio VA-10 keyboard, as played by Jen Abell; miscellaneous and incidental snippets and fragments from videotapes of my October and November 2006 live performances, including audience sounds, and the voices and sounds of Charles Smith, Andrew Chadwick (ironing), Brandon Abell (Microwave Windows), Jen Abell (Paramutual Operator), Blast, Gina Vivinetto, Christopher Miller, Tom Miller, poet Ron Palachik, and many others; art by my six-year-old nephew Daniel Carruthers; Hal McGee - mix, electronics, concept.

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Factor IXX

Hal McGee

Hal McGee:

Moog Voyager Analog Synthesizer, Moog MF-104 Analog Delay, Moog MF-102 Ring Modulator

(9:14)

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