There haven’t been any Buddha Machine Variations in a few days, but there’s been a lot of activity, some of it futile (thus far), but progress is being made. This is a cable intended to connect the ER-301 module to a 16n faderbank via i2c, a nearly 40-year-old data transfer system (see [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%C2%B2C)). I use the word “intended” because so far the connection is befuddling me.
Customary rear view of printed circuit board before the device returns to the generous pool of second-hand synthesizer modules. This is the Monome Walk (Monome being the manufacturer, Walk the module), so named because it lets you attach two foot pedals to send triggers and the like. It’s a great module, but I got two smaller modules that accomplish much of what it is useful for, and it’s time for a change.
Over 165 people have expressed interest by signing up via the Google Form posted a couple days ago. For reference, there are currently 1,573 subscribers to the Disquiet Junto email list, and likely there is substantial overlap between the two lists. I may create a standalone list for the Silent Film project, but for now the Disquiet Junto email list will do double duty. In the next week or so, the first film and the participants for that scoring project will be announced, as will plans for subsequent films as well, at least one of which will follow shortly thereafter.
Initially the plan was maybe 20 people or so would sign up, and we’d do a single film. When that number quickly became 40, and then 60, perhaps we’d do three films at once. As the number topped 100, even allowing that many people may not end up having the time or interest when the dust settles, a more deliberate approach came into focus. There are many ways to tackle the collaborative scoring of a public domain film, and so we’ll do multiple projects over a period of time exploring those different strategies. We’ll do one in which very little information is shared. We may do one exquisite-corpse style, where each participant builds on what came before. We may do one where a shared set of sonic resources are made available. And so forth. One thing all these projects will have in common is that the participants will have substantial time to complete their work, in purposeful contrast with the standard four-day turnaround of the weekly Junto projects.
And that covers it. It’s very exciting to have the Silent Film series to cogitate on and act on during this continued state of mutual self-isolation. It is, indeed, a cliche at this stage to belabor the benefits of long-distance connection, but it is not to simply note them, especially because they have been core to the concept of the Disquiet Junto ever since it was founded back in January 2012.
Each Thursday in the Disquiet Junto group, a new compositional challenge is set before the group’s members, who then have just over four days to upload a track in response to the assignment. Membership in the Junto is open: just join and participate. (A SoundCloud account is helpful but not required.) There’s no pressure to do every project. It’s weekly so that you know it’s there, every Thursday through Monday, when you have the time.
Deadline: This project’s deadline is Monday, June 1, 2020, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
Tracks will be added to [the playlist](https://soundcloud.com/disquiet/sets/disquiet-junto-project-0439) for the duration of the project.
These are the instructions that went out to the group’s email list (at [tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto](https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto)):
**Disquiet Junto Project 0439: Self Less**
The Assignment: Compose music combining the styles of two musicians you admire.
Step 1: Think of two musicians, preferably ones with different styles, whose music you admire.
Step 2: Consider ways elements from both musicians might be combined. Elements doesn’t mean copyrighted material. It is intended to mean stylistic. (Yes, recent legal decisions have, shall we say, blurred these lines. Try to put that thought aside.)
Step 3: Compose a piece of music exploring the combination (the grafting, the hybridization) of styles you considered in Step 2.
Step 4: You may when posting your track elect to identify the musicians that served as inspiration, or you may choose to keep it to yourself.
**Seven More Important Steps When Your Track Is Done:**
Step 1: Include “disquiet0439” (no spaces or quotation marks) in the name of your tracks.
Step 2: If your audio-hosting platform allows for tags, be sure to also include the project tag “disquiet0439” (no spaces or quotation marks). If you’re posting on SoundCloud in particular, this is essential to subsequent location of tracks for the creation of a project playlist.
Step 3: Upload your tracks. It is helpful but not essential that you use SoundCloud to host your tracks.
Step 4: Post your tracks in the following discussion thread at llllllll.co:
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0439-hybrid-self/
Step 5: Annotate your tracks with a brief explanation of your approach and process.
Step 6: If posting on social media, please consider using the hashtag #disquietjunto so fellow participants are more likely to locate your communication.
Step 7: Then listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.
**Additional Details:**
Deadline: This project’s deadline is Monday, June 1, 2020, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted on Thursday, May 28, 2020.
Length: The length is up to you. This may be the rare circumstance when longer is better.
Title/Tag: When posting your tracks, please include “disquiet0439” in the title of the tracks, and where applicable (on SoundCloud, for example) as a tag.
Upload: When participating in this project, be sure to include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto. Photos, video, and lists of equipment are always appreciated.
Download: Given the nature of this particular project sequence, it is best to set your track as downloadable and allowing for attributed remixing (i.e., a Creative Commons license permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution, allowing for derivatives).
**For context, when posting the track online, please be sure to include this following information:**
More on this 439th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Disquiet Junto Project 0439: Hybrid Self — The Assignment: Compose music combining the styles of two musicians you admire — at:
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
Subscribe to project announcements here:
http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/
Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0439-hybrid-self/
There’s also a Disquiet Junto Slack. Send your email address to [twitter.com/disquiet](https://twitter.com/disquiet) for Slack inclusion.
Image associated with this track is from Vega A, used thanks to a Creative Commons license and Flickr. The image has been cropped, colors shifted, and text added.
[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)
This isn’t an ornamental choice. The black face plate will allow me to put the silver-faced module horizontal (rather than vertical) into a new, small modular synthesizer case (the one seen in [the video](https://disquiet.com/2020/05/25/buddha-machine-variations-no-36-glass-tiles/) I posted two days ago).
