Folktek

The "impossible box" - the masterwork by Arius Blaze, finally coming to completion. The countdown to universal implosion can now officially begin. Sound and more to come. see it at folktek.blogspot.com, see more at folktek.com

Worth to be visited – the folktek website and their blog.

That is what they say about themselves “Folktek is an artist collaborative formed by Arius Blaze and Ben Houston and coming to include the video and digital works of Drew Mcyntire (Big Pauper, Token Recluse Records). Folktek is folks, specifically artists working with a passion for sound as the basis for the work presented here.”

And that is what they say about the “impossible box”:
The folding box is oak with walnut splines – measuring about 4′ wide with each inner panel (lower and upper) at 2′ deep, essentially making a 4′ square if it were all laid out.

Each module panel is done with player piano music paper and labeled on my Corona typewriter. This took a helluva lot of planning. The modules are also all lined with brass and I created almost all of the switches, keys, lamps and buttons.

the modules;
The time scape section is the main brain for timing of all of the rest of the impossible box time-based modules. It’s a sampler with six clock outputs. Any of the clock outs can be sent to the clock multipliers.

There are two clock multipliers that output voltage to run any/all of the;
– 4 ADSR’s
– 4 relay based sequencers (used to alter the time scape sample, trigger drums or on/off switches)
– 2 CV based sequencers used to trigger;
= analog drums (clicky, poppy, bassy goodness)
– 3 CV based sequencers used to control;
= any of 6 oscillators (3 sine, 3 square)
= any of four ADSR’s
= any of three filters
= the timing of any of 3 digital delays
= or all of the above

– Two pitch shifters, each of which is drastically different, one of which becomes a sampler.
– A harmonizer
– three reverbs with multiple styles
– a four track looper
– phaser
– independant looper and analog delay
– digital drum with trigger outs and a piezo panel for finger drumming
– intelligent modulator that slices things up in brilliant ways
– 2 dumb modulators that slice things up in simple ways or send CV
– multiplier/audio vactrol control panel
– 4 ADSR’s (as mentioned) that send CV but also take direct audio
– Midi clock out (accepts pulse from time scape)
– 2 mixers (one 4 channel mono, one 8 channel stereo)

and the amplified acoustic panels;
– 2 thumb pianos,
– single string slide-based thing
– a blank panel to scratch at or set things that make sound on.
– and finally…a melodica (yes…that’s fuckin right)

Though audio patching can be done with 1/4″ jacks (which I prefer) there is also a main patch panel that has most ins and outs in one place for direct complex patching.
Any external audio can be sent into just about anything.”

[photo & text © folktek, with kind permission of folktek]

Website: folktek.com

Blog: folktek.blogspot.com