“In C” is a piece of music by Terry Riley. It comprises 53 phrases of unequal lengths that are played in order but each is played as many times as individual musicians choose to. With some suggested limits. It is quite complicated to explain but this page does so rather well. The suggested length is up to an hour and a half but the version below is about 18 and a half minutes.

Using an Akai Force (which is cheating ever so slightly in terms of the band name), with each of the 53 phrases as clips across 13 tracks with additional bass and drums resulted in the following. They were recorded in one take into the arranger in the Force. I didn’t use the suggested 8th note (high C) throughout as a timing device. No need. The bass sort of replicates it much more slowly (most of the time).

The video is made up of 79 time lapse photos of sunrise over Lake Titicaca (from the Peru side). It is about a three and a bit times of actual time, lapsed.

The file above is just exported direct from the Force whilst there is also a slightly remixed/mastered version.

The raw midi data for the 53 phrases can be downloaded below. It is set up as 53 separate midi tracks. It should import into most software in a useable format (assuming you have enough tracks). For instance in the Force it appears as 53 tracks horizontally that you can then move to a single track as clips (and then replicate as many times as you like). The tracks are looped but there is a need to check and tweak these based on the Score (which is on the page linked in the intro above). On the Force it is better to use Keygroup sounds rather than Synths (as you can only have 8 synths and they hog memory). The Force is particularly nice for this project as you can record a performance live into the arranger. Although make sure the Arranger has a length long enough and isn’t set to a short loop (two slightly painful lessons learnt).

Two alternative versions from other people. A proper live performance of the “Mali” version.

And a modular synthesiser.

Or best of all, the man himself.

This is the first public release from no mains power. It could probably be slightly more Halloween themed but the timing was a deadline more than a concept. And weirdly, it was finished before the deadline. Most tracks are recorded pretty much live with minimal post editing (with the probable exception of the last one which was all about post editing). Clicking on the track names should allow you to download them if you wish. Or you can download the whole lot as a Zip file (all in mp3 format in case you want to add to say User Files in Spotify). And art work was asking Dall-E 2 for a “Robot playing a synthesiser in front of a haunted house, photorealistic”.

Track 1 – Strange new

This was broadly inspired by the new Star Trek series Strange New Worlds. Mainly because of the use of a theremin type sound as the lead

Track 2 – Almost Jason/Thom

This has a very familiar almost perfectly creepy chord progression (or is “get free”). G, B, C, Cm, repeat. Created in one take using a Midicake Arp. Which is an absolutely brilliant piece of kit and well worth checking out.

Track 3 – Continental Evil

The name almost certainly doesn’t come from the fact that the lead sound comes from a Behringer JT-4000. Which is very, very cheap and quite interesting. Recorded directly into a Critter and Guitar 5 moons (which is another lovely piece of gear) with overdubs. The background drone noise comes from the rather excellent Pocket Drone (it appears that there are, as of writing, only 2 left) from the amazing Simon the Magpie.

Track 4 – Halloween candy

This track is (eventually after about 35 seconds or so) trying for a jazz/ambient piano vibe. Recorded using an MPC Live 2 as the sound source via Midi generated by a Torso Electronics T1. Which is another amazing piece of kit that this track barely scratches the surface of.

Track 5 – A sincere question of the first homewoke

The title will not be explained but it is the main reason the track is a little too long and takes up more time than it really should. Created with a Polyend Play recorded live in one take (forgetting to use the Perform mode much) into the 5 moons.

Track 6 – Synthetic flesh

Short, a bit poppy and again featuring the T1. And it finishes a bit abruptly unlike the previous track.

Track 7 – The one opulent prudent zoo

A combination of the Torso T1 and a Teenage Engineering Op-Z (hence the name). Which is a truly pocketable potential live rig. Although you might need cargo pants. And an ever so slight shame that the Op-Z (with an internal battery) won’t quite power the T1 over USB.

Track 8 – Just like Robert

The oldest track in this collection. Was created as a “what can be done in an hour?” challenge. The answer being borrowed MIDI bass and drums from a rather obvious source, slowed to half speed and 4 takes of Korg Nu-Text recorded into Logic over the top and then edited back.