Commented on: Mushroom Jam

Dna Codex

Hi my name is Andrew and I would describe myself as an "experimental" musical explorer, I'm no expert on any instrument, and I (at present) mainly use stock standard equipment, not having developed as far as building or inventing/modifying instruments, although I am very keen to give that a go, maybe soon? (having read something about Circuit Bending) it seems so much fun after all.

I'm "experimental" mainly in the sense that I feel I make it up, as I go, I haven't much musical training or skill, but I am keen to experiment with the range of sounds that are abundantly available now, to the "bedroom" recorder. Many of my tracks are pretty stripped back, acoustic affairs, and I sometimes try for soft-synth and hardware synth sounds as well, but it's all a work in progress, I have limited time so I can't be absolutely a perfectionist about the music, I sometimes feel I am a complete beginner, and maybe it's that "beginner" mind that always draws me back to sound.

I started recording in the late 1980's, using a Tascam "Porta-One" unit, which I still have and it works brilliantly as well! Later in the 1990's I bought an Atari-ST computer, running a cracked (don't tell anyone) version of Cubase 1.01) and found it really fun, although the sound modules I was/still using are pretty basic, and quite noisy, but I still like the hardware sound, even better than some software! I also stated using a Tascam 4-track reel to reel deck, which is still going strong, but the computer has relegated this to being a rather large ornament sadly, I am still keen to keep using tape, it sounds organic to my ears, and if you are careful with your levels, you don't/can't notice any "noise floor"

I am a visual artist and am also presently a student, so when my heads not buried in a book, I try to keep my guitar going. I live in Melbourne, Australia, so a good out shout of "G'Day Mate" to you all!