082 - Microtonal Guitar Method (Tolgahan Çoğulu)
Now and Xen
We have regular guest Tolgahan Çoğulu back to discuss upcoming projects such as collaboration with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (including their secret new microtonal guitar, sheet music transcription), classical/flamenco guitar ideas, the new fretlet guitar design, microtonal bends on electric guitar, and the Anatonlian rock scale. King Gizzard uses four scales, one of them being F sharp Husayni. The prize for the upcoming 9th International Microtonal Guitar Competition is… an adjustable microtonal guitar! Be sure to check out the Microtonal Guitar Method book, the competition, and...
info_outline
081 - Dave Fiuczynski
Now and Xen
Check out our episode with iconoclastic guitar legend Dave Fiuczynski. He wields a double neck fretless guitar, and plays a bunch of cool microtonal riffage for us! We talked about two tracks from “Flam! Bam! Pan-Asian Microjam!” and two from “Mikrojazz.” In “Flam,” there are a variety of compositional methods used, and the vocabulary is almost entirely derived from motivic bird calls. The uirapuru call in particular has an extremely distinctive contour. Many of these works express a desire for exploring continuums and representing sophisticated Eastern articulations. We also...
info_outline
080 - Music Discord May
Now and Xen
This huge episode features three vastly different conversations, each with prominent members of a respective microtonal music discord. (1) Xenharmonic Alliance (ground, anomaly, xenoindex, Frédéric Gagné, HEHEHE I AM A SUPAHSTAR SAGA) Hyperspace Odyssey [21edo] - from Adxenture EP Serendipitous Arrival [26edo] - from Adxenture EP Liminal City Escalators [17edo and/or 18edo] - from Gone Too Deep EP Six Macrotonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media (8 NOTES) Outro/Transition: Into the Spoogalaxy [15edo, 17-tone tempered 2.3.7.29 ternary scale] (2) Xendergarten (ground, Userminusone, tristan...
info_outline
079 - Melopœia
Now and Xen
Xenharmonic black metal project Melopœia consists of Brian Leong, Jon Lervold, and Dave Tremblay. Their albums are inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein, and features his direct text both sung, and by mapping the letters of the text to different notes of 26-tone equal temperament. Their latest album utilizing this is “Valaquenta,” be sure to catch the latest track “Varda” which we discuss and play in the episode! Their earlier album, “Ainulindalë,” used the same method of starting the album and then uploading tracks one at a time as completed. Intro: Melopœia - Varda...
info_outline
078 - Christopher Otto (JACK quartet)
Now and Xen
Chat about contemporary music, composition, and just intonation with us in this theoretically adventurous and wide ranging episode. Christopher Otto, composer and violinist, works with the JACK quartet, a group that has played the music of such individuals as John Zorn, Tristan Perich, Cenk Ergün, Tyshawn Sorey, Catherine Lamb, Georg Frederich Haas, Dan Trueman, and many, many, more. Intro: Christopher Otto (jack quartet) rag’sma Catherine Lamb - divisio spiralis (mvt. II) Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (storm section low notes) Vicente Atria - Seasons Will Pass You By Christopher Otto...
info_outline
077 - Noah Jordan
Now and Xen
Take a magical tour with us through some of Noah Dean Jordan’s microtonal instruments (including the requinto), including improvised performances! Be sure to check out the “Noah Dean Jordan” account on Bandcamp as well as the “Nueva Armonica” account! Intro: I Was Once a River (Rock Creek II) Outro: I Was Once a River (Te Quiero Verde) Check out Noah’s work on the requinto: Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically) Follow Subscribe RSS: iTunes: … Spotify: … Stitcher: Twitter: ...
info_outline
076 - Matthew Sheeran
Now and Xen
Today’s episode celebrates the culmination of a years-long project with Matthew Sheeran, widely celebrated composer, orchestrator, and arranger. The album we’ve been working on is called “Acoustic Microtonal,” and it is a recording of Easley Blackwood’s Twelve Microtonal Etudes using acoustic instruments, playing monophonic lines in isolation and then being re-tuned using Melodyne. Matthew commissioned the Budapest Scoring Orchestra to achieve this huge compositional feat. Check out our episode here for the largest dive into the notes and chords behind the music, and be sure to check...
info_outline
075 - Saad Haddad
Now and Xen
In this episode, we discuss composition and performance with composer Saad Haddad. One prominent topic - the challenges involved working with orchestras and large ensembles playing microtonal music, and logistics of the industry. We also discuss ideas of east vs. west, style infiltration, using minimal sets of pitches, and maqam. Music: Vortex Temporum - Gérard Grisey Vignettes - Saad Haddad Aysheen (demo) - Saad Haddad Outro: Aysheen (demo) - Saad Haddad Saad has his own podcast! (check it out): Other links: Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons,...
info_outline
074 - Sevish and benyamind (Big Sway)
Now and Xen
After this episode, be sure to check out the new Sevish album, “Big Sway!” Myself, Sevish, and benyamind have a classic microtonal chat about all things fun and intervallic, covering topics such as intuitive tunings, voice manipulation (vocoding, autotuning, etc.), perfectionism, going gridless, expectations, and communication and accessibility within the microtonal community. Several instruments get the spotlight, such as Sevish’s new microtonal keyboards, the Lumatone, melodica, and saxophone! We also stretch some tunings out for 22-edo Lambda, and frolic about in JI with harmonic...
info_outline
073 - Brock Benzel
Now and Xen
In this brief but informative chat with Brock Benzel, we explore uncharted territory, with a firm commitment to being true to the self, taking on challenges, putting the music first, and breaking rules just the right way. Enjoy the comfort of alien intervals that Brock brings using the Lumatone keyboard instrument (our big topic). Music [Intro] Paranola (31-TET) - performed by Brock Benzel Something found (31-TET) - facebook excerpt (Brock Benzel) stay hydrated (53-TET) - facebook excerpt (Brock Benzel) [Outro] happy pride from me n my pride keyboard to u (31-TET) - facebook excerpt...
info_outlineCheck out Danny Playamaqui’s electronic music, a hugely expansive discography using a staggering variety of techniques. Danny conducts by-ear-tuning editing, strategic de-tuning, varispeed tricks, and poly-systemic techniques in addition to starting out with xenharmonic tunings as templates. Luckily, 4 bars a day keeps the doctor away (or is it an apple? Perhaps a lemon, or some paprika). We take inspiration and feedback from what is around us, trying to counterbalance that with boredom, motives, gimmicks, and alter egos. Animals and food, the ultimate kid-friendly songwriting subjects, here ironically take a bitingly sans-vocal formation. Tunings may or may not include Wendy Carlos scales, meantone tunings, 9-TET, 11-TET, 16-TET, 17-TET, 22-TET, and/or 31-TET.
Music
[Intro] Ichi-go ichi-e [New album!] - Danny Playamaqui
Correcaminos [479^2] - Danny Playamaqui
We Can’t Be Blamed [Harmony Hacker] - Sevish (22-TET)
Lemongrass [VEG ༼༼༼༼ ◕◕◕ ༽༽༽༽] - Danny Playamaqui
Tigre [479^2] - Danny Playamaqui
Nuggets [479] - Danny Playamaqui
Truffles [479] - Danny Playamaqui
Una Tortuga de Patas Amarillas [479^2] - Danny Playamaqui
Bears [479^2] - Danny Playamaqui
Octopus XX [New album!] - Danny Playamaqui
Chocolate [479] - Danny Playamaqui
Silver Bells [cover, xenharmonic chocolate] - arr. Stephen Weigel (21-TET)
♥ ◕ ༽つ ♥ [VEG ༼༼༼༼ ◕◕◕ ༽༽༽༽] - Danny Playamaqui (31-TET?)
Bitter Melon [VEG ༼༼༼༼ ◕◕◕ ༽༽༽༽] - Danny Playamaqui
Turmeric [VA] - Danny Playamaqui
Little Fox [479] - Danny Playamaqui
[Outro] Lynx [New album!] - Danny Playamaqui
Danny’s music:
https://playamaqui.bandcamp.com/album/479-2
https://soundcloud.com/dannyplayamaqui
https://www.youtube.com/@playamaqui/featured
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
Follow
http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
https://twitter.com/now_xen
https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
Subscribe
RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH…
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA