Comments on: Wish I Had a River I Could Skate Away On

By: Steve Layton

Steve Layton — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:36:12 +0000

Where I did my undergrad study (The Evergreen State College), we had a big modular Buchla, which you can actually see here (though without the jillion patch cords hanging down). I still have recordings of pieces I did on it. It's still there as far as I know. It had its own dedicated studio, with full quadraphonic sound and two 1/2" tape decks. In another studio we also had a Buchla Music Easel (just recently stolen from the college, you can read about it here), two ARP 2600s, and a Synthi AKS.

By: Anthony Cornicello

Anthony Cornicello — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:42:04 +0000

Steve:
I’ve got to hand it to Subotnick – have you ever taken a good look at the Buchla? It looks a little more confusing than the Modular Moog, which I’ve worked on; Subotnick’s 1960s stuff with the Buchla is a testament to his own musical abilities! I agree, though, those classic instruments aren’t ‘just synths’ – especially since they didn’t come with presets (or manuals, from what I’ve heard!). If you wanted to hear any sound, you had to truly work for it.

Great, now I sound old. And crotchety.

-AC

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:57:52 +0000

I had the pleasure of playing with Mort on this concert. It’s a beautiful, elegant piece and nice to see it getting so much play.

By: Steve Layton

Steve Layton — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:54:08 +0000

I worked with Subotnick right after Until Spring came out. Of the early Buchla pieces, it and Touch are still my favorites. For very different reasons: Until Spring is all lean etched muscles and tendons; Touch is spacious, dense and lush. One thing that would be very different in this surround-sound version of Until Spring would be, well, the surround sound. One of Until Spring's most notable qualties was its flat stereo field; it was conceived and executed almost as a crisp, close, elastic bas relief. Touch, on the other hand, was originaly created for quadraphonic LP, so not much leap to go to Dolby Surround. Both of those works have some absolutely beautiful Buchla-specific sounds and textures (much like traditional instruments, to synth-guys each instrument has very distinctive qualities. A Moog and a Buchla and an ARP are not all "just synths"; they had very specific sound-qualities, and rabid partisans for each).

By: Joseph Benzola

Joseph Benzola — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:39:22 +0000

Jeff Harrington: The Idiotic Homosexual. I knew I liked you for a reason

By: Mary Jane Leach

Mary Jane Leach — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:47:44 +0000

A few years ago I heard one of Mort’s concerts announced by one of the local announcers as a concert by Morton Subtonic – I’m still giggling.

By: Jeff Harrington

Jeff Harrington — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:05:59 +0000

Oh duh zeno, yeah I’m being an idiot. Ouch…

I always think of him and all these Mac’s and synths stacked up off stage. And an unfindable line hum.

By: zeno

zeno — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:56:29 +0000

“… cool to see him [Subotnick] getting into the laptop scene.” (jh)

He was actually one of the first, Jeff!

By: Anthony Cornicello

Anthony Cornicello — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:54:14 +0000

Ah, the other Morton…
I only wish these reviews would have a little more depth. Are there any on-line clips (audio or visual)?

By: Jeff Harrington

Jeff Harrington — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:35:37 +0000

Also as far as being a child prodigy goes. When I finally asked to take piano lessons after trying to teach myself for 2 years – I was 16 – my dad asked me, seriously, ‘You’re not turning into a homosexual now are you…?’

He wasn’t joking.