Back from New York

[Garritan]

I've been in New York City for most of the past week. I was hoping to be in touch, but the hotel I was staying at had wi-fi rather than ethernet so I was incommunicado for the trip.

The best part of the trip was meeting with some forum members - especially bmonroney, Andy Brick and FrankS. The main purpose of the trip was mostly important business meetings and negotiations. Aside from business, there was time to do other enjoyable things.

A highlight of the trip was hearing Brian (bmonroney) and his band play at Irving Plaza (and having some wonderful pizza and zeppolis). Also a visit with Wendy Carlos who showed me her studio and played a number of songs on her specially-built keyboard rig. We later attended an AES talk at the New School about using optical scanning technology to preserve and restore old recordings (like 78 records and wax cylinders). In addition I met with a few schools and universities in New York that use GPO. And also had time for a concert at Carnegie Hall. It was a wonderful and very worthwhile trip.

Missed being among my friends on the forum. Did I miss much on the forum or chat while I was away?

Glad to be back,

Gary Garritan

[LFO]

Sounds like a great trip, Gary!

Now, this is a forum, so you can't tell that I am hyperventilating right now....

You got to visit with Wendy Carlos?!? She showed you her studio and played some songs for you?!? Holy freakin' smokes! That is *incredible*!!!!!! There are two keyboardists in this world I hold higher than any others. They are Wendy Carlos and Rick Wakeman. I go to New York every other month and I have many times thought about trying to track down where she lives just to walk by. However, that is too much like stalking, so I've never done it. :o

You have *got* to share more details on your visit with her. You say you `visited' her, does that mean you previously knew her, or was this your first meeting with her? Did you get to meet her siamese cats? What 5 manual keyboard?! (How could I have missed that?!) How is the Moog? Did you discuss surround sound at all?

Ok, I'm getting obnoxious here. :o Anything you could share would be outstanding. It must truly be an awesome experience talking with her. To me, she is the greatest influence on electronic music there will ever be. Her music is astonishing. Everything from technique to timbre to tuning is used to create the ultimate electronic music experience. She is without a doubt a genius and a person of the highest caliber. Meeting with her must have truly been an experience of a life time.

-Kevin

[Styxx]

Seven hours from Beeffalo and he couldn't even send a messanger.:D
Sounds like the 'ol Gary mightster had a great time! Happy to hear. Nothing too exciting has happened on the forum just same ol same ol!
Nice to see your back....now turn around so everyone can see you! :D

[snorlax]

I've been in New York City for most of the past week. Also a visit with Wendy Carlos who showed me her studio and played a number of songs on her specially-built five manual keyboard. We later attended an AES talk at the New School about using optical scanning technology to preserve and restore old recordings (like 78 records and wax cylinders).
Gary Garritan
Gary, et al...

Great trip...brings back a memory...I'm old enough to have met Wendy when she was still Walter. I worked for Walter Sear in NYC in the late 60s, play testing and maintaining the tubas he was importing at the time and pulling patch cords in his then leading-edge electronic music studio. He knew I loved electronics and had a ham radio license, so I was taught the rudiments of the studio as far as he trusted me. Part of my pay was also an old BC-348 receiver I had been coveting out of his storage closet.

I was studying tuba and euphonium with Walter Sear, and he let me work off my lessons in the studio and in the tuba warehouse. The Sear Sound Studio at that time was in the Great Northern Hotel, occupying space formerly used by Fine Recording, IIRC. At that time the terms "patch cord" and "loop" were to be taken literally.

Both W. Carlos and Bob Moog were frequent visitors to the studio, and I would change patch cords as they tested different things and chatted with Walter Sear. Little did I know at that time...

I also remember the debut of "The Copper-Plated Integrated Circuit," one of the first electronic music albums--the "launch event" was held in a ballroom at the Great Northern.

Ironically, Walter Sear's emphasis now is "retro"--he's big into tube gear in his studio these days!!

Random Snorlaxian Ramblings...
Jim

[falcon1]

Did I miss much on the forum or chat while I was away?


Yes, of course Gary! :D You missed a very intellilectual talk about the "church" modes and their use in classical music and in jazz. Other than that it was Chatner as usual. :D
Will there be another one today? ;)

Great to have you back!

[Shazbot]

Seven hours from Beeffalo and he couldn't even send a messanger. :D
Didn't you see him waving to you when the plane flew over?? :p

Welcome home, Gary!

[FredProgGH]

Sounds like a great trip, Gary!

Now, this is a forum, so you can't tell that I am hyperventilating right now....

You got to visit with Wendy Carlos?!? She showed you her studio and played some songs for you?!? Holy freakin' smokes! That is *incredible*!!!!!! There are two keyboardists in this world I hold higher than any others. They are Wendy Carlos and Rick Wakeman. I go to New York every other month and I have many times thought about trying to track down where she lives just to walk by. However, that is too much like stalking, so I've never done it. :o

You have *got* to share more details on your visit with her. You say you `visited' her, does that mean you previously knew her, or was this your first meeting with her? Did you get to meet her siamese cats? What 5 manual keyboard?! (How could I have missed that?!) How is the Moog? Did you discuss surround sound at all?

Ok, I'm getting obnoxious here. :o Anything you could share would be outstanding. It must truly be an awesome experience talking with her. To me, she is the greatest influence on electronic music there will ever be. Her music is astonishing. Everything from technique to timbre to tuning is used to create the ultimate electronic music experience. She is without a doubt a genius and a person of the highest caliber. Meeting with her must have truly been an experience of a life time.

-Kevin

That's pretty much my reaction too :D
Jim, that's very cool that you got to chill with Wally and Bob back when!!

[Houston Haynes]

Gary, it's great to hear you had a successful and enjoyable trip to New York. It must be great to connect with one of the legendary musicians of our time. When I worked for Bob Moog at Big Briar (now Moog Music, again) I had the opportunity to chat with Wendy on the phone a couple of times. Two words that jump to mind are "elegant" and "brilliant" - things that come through her music and her demeanor. I'd like to hear (ok, read, but it's a figure of speach) more about your trip - how about some anecdotes?

[trentpmcd]

It’s obvious I’m not the only one who was greatly influenced by the music of Wendy Carlos. I was 5 or 6 when I first heard “Switched on Bach” and I’ve never been the same since. I spent most of the 90s using exclusively an additive synth (Kawai K-5 at first, later a Kawai K-5000) after reading an interview with Ms. Carlos in Keyboard magazine (the article was in the mid 80s but I couldn’t afford a cheap used instrument until the 90s).

OK, back on topic. I’m glad you had a good and productive trip, Gary. Welcome back.

[SeanHannifin]

Wow, I wish I could travel and have time to drop in on famous people (or semi-famous people)! And then time for Carnegie Hall!?! Seems like it was a wonderful trip . . . I really envy it!

That restoration of older recordings AES talk also seems interesting . . .

[KevinKauai]

Gary --

Tech tip: they make a $40 PCMCIA plug-in card that will do WiFi -- it's the coming rage, you might as well get one. (Then you could go wireless at home as well with addition of a broadcaster-router and enjoy your laptop[s] anywhere around the manse.)

I saw Wendy in a wonderful documentary about the life of Stanley Kubrick (on HBO). Having never seen "The Shining" I wasn't aware that she also did much of the music for that. (It's now on my "to see" DVD list.)

We missed ya mightily! Hope to see you in Chat soon!

Welcome home! KevinKauai :)

[nexus]

I 'discovered' W. Carlos waaaaayyyy back with the album "Clockwork Orange" and my life was never the same.......!!!!!! :D

[LFO]

Hey Gary, you can't tease us with a tag line that you met with Wendy and then not give us any of the details.

You have to share! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaassssseeee?! :D

-Kevin

[Garritan]

Hey Gary, you can't tease us with a tag line that you met with Wendy and then not give us any of the details.

You have to share! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaassssseeee?! :D
Wendy and I have been friends for several years (before GPO and GOS) and we met through a mutual friend who lived on Orcas Island. Wendy has an engaging wit that is always burgeoning with wonderful ideas. Her studio is a wonder to behold - old vintage synths, moogs, keyboards and gear galore. Wendy was present during some of the GPO recordings in NYC and consulted with the new GPO updates (even did some GPO programming).

She played the "Arabian Dance" from the Nutcracker, some ragtime, latin tunes like "Temptation" and Jobim's "Meditation", and several organ standards for me on her rig. Her keyboard had a knee controller that allowed her to sustain notes on one keyboard while she switched to another. Totally cool.

Wendy got a kick out of seeing GPO with Finale working together and hearing an Unheard Beethoven on a laptop in a Union Square coffeeshop. Maybe the start of a new fad - coffeeshop orchestrations. http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Here is a picture of Wendy's Wurli rig:
http://www.wendycarlos.com/wurlynew/wafinal.JPG


Here she is playing her rig: http://www.wendycarlos.com/wurlynew/w+wurly2.jpg

http://www.wendycarlos.com/wurlynew/rhwing.JPG

Here is some more information about her new keyboard rig. http://www.wendycarlos.com/wurlynew/index.html#pedalboard

What a wonderful time in New York with Wendy.

Gary Garritan

[FredProgGH]

Man, that is amazing!!! That apartment would be like Disneyworld for keyboardists... and Wendy has always come across as a truly intelligent and apealing person.

[rwayland]

...

Also a visit with Wendy Carlos who showed me her studio and played a number of songs on her specially-built five manual keyboard. ...


Gary Garritan


That is the part of your trip I would have enjoyed most! Having lived on Staten Island, I am familiar enough with the rest of what NY has to offer, and Wendy Carlos is the one person I would be most anxious to meet! I still have the original Switched On Bach album, and have learned much from it and am enjoying it still.

Richard

[dewdman42]

Holy Crap! Wendy Carlos? Gary you lucky dude. What a wicked cool keyboard setup she has too...

[LFO]

Many thanks for the details, Gary! I have to admit she seems like one of the most down to earth, genuinely nice people in the business. I bet she is a truly great friend to have.

-Kevin

[imagegod]

Thanks for the update Mr. G...I honestly believe that there's true greatness to be had in the intersection of classical music and modern 'synthetic' sounds...an intersection Ms. Carlos has worked to excellent results.

It's truly heartening that you recognize and appreciate such work.

Thanks!

[DPDAN]

I see an owner's manual for Digital Performer, looks like Wendy knows her stuff :)

[trentpmcd]

Wendy was present during some of the GPO recordings in NYC and consulted with the new GPO updates (even did some GPO programming).

And here we were congratulating you and Tom and co. on such a great update and you never mentioned you had this “secret weapon” working with you. :D

All kidding aside, I think it’s impressive that you had the premier name in electronic music helping you with your product. Almost like a paint company having Leonardo or Michelangelo consulting on new colors.

[FredProgGH]

All kidding aside, I think it’s impressive that you had the premier name in electronic music helping you with your product. Almost like a paint company having Leonardo or Michelangelo consulting on new colors.

In most cases a stament like that would be the worst kind of hyperbole but in this case it's pretty accurate!

[rwayland]

In most cases a stament like that would be the worst kind of hyperbole but in this case it's pretty accurate!

So true!

I just noticed you are in Chattanooga. Never been there, but lived on Chattanooga Street in San Francisco for 10 years.

Richard

[FredProgGH]

So true!

I just noticed you are in Chattanooga. Never been there, but lived on Chattanooga Street in San Francisco for 10 years.

Richard

At least you probably didn't have to put up with Choo-choo jokes all the time...
Ioo bad I don't live on San Fransisco street. It would provide a nice symmentry. :D