Sound on Sound Podcast with Robert Henke

Introduction

• Host: Cari
• Guest: Robert Henke, Berlin-based electronic music producer, visual artist, software engineer, co-founder of Ableton.
• Topic: Henke's work, projects, and insights into electronic music production and software development.

Current Projects

• Recent Work: Visual score for someone else's music, new experience without managing overall timing.
• Lasers: Working on a large project using lasers, creating tightly synchronized audiovisual events using custom software.

Lumere Show

• Tools: Utilized Ableton, Max for Live.
• Concept: Began with asynchronous audio-visual events, found tightly synchronized events more effective.
• Technical Setup: Meta note events that control both sound and visuals, created custom software to meet specific artistic needs.

Ableton: Background and Development

• Formation: Henke and friend developed software to aid their music production, founded Ableton to create performance-focused sequencing software.
• Contributions: Henke responsible for early effects, proud of the Operator synthesizer.
• Philosophy: Blurring lines between engineering and art; using technology to facilitate creativity and expression.

Engineering and Art

• Society and Education: Critique of separating engineering from art; both require intuition, aesthetic judgment, and creativity.
• Software Development: Importance of understanding user needs, simplifying complex systems for better usability.

Clip Arrangement in Ableton Live

• Necessity and Desire: Concept arose from the need for a more flexible and performance-oriented sequencing system with limited computing power.
• Workflow Optimization: Initial design allowed real-time jamming and recording, fostering creativity through an interactive process.

Inclusivity and Accessibility

• Criticism: Some argue Ableton's tools mainstream electronic music, potentially reducing stylistic diversity.
• Empowerment: Encouraging non-musicians to experiment, making music creation accessible and enjoyable.
• Tools and Flexibility: Max for Live enables users to create unique tools and extend possibilities.

Album Production

• Notable Project: Album "Silence" produced without compression to preserve dynamics and natural sound quality.
• Aesthetics: Personal preference for dynamic range and physical impact of non-compressed sounds.

Old Computer Project

• Setup: Performance with five 1980s Commodore CBM 8032 computers, each running custom assembly code for sound and visuals.
• Challenges: Developed unique network protocol, learned new skills in electronics and programming.
• Learning Experience: Embraced limitations, finding creativity within constraints.

Conclusion

• Balancing Art and Technology: Emphasized continuous learning and exploring new skills; merging technical and artistic pursuits.

Closing

• Acknowledgment: Thanks to Henke for sharing insights.
• Further Information: Check show notes and soundonsound.com SLP podcast for more episodes.