ElementL ElectronX

My use of the term 'elemental' in the title has a double meaning.

On the one hand the term refers to the intention of the rhythmic structures which I'll play. These rhythms are analogues of a variety of energies/rhythms occurring in Nature. The Natural impulses I will be responding to for the performance in Bourges will be geomantically and meteorologically based. And note that my use of the term 'responding' is meant to imply that I am engaging in a dialogue with these energies.

On the other hand the use of elemental refers to my utilizing a combination of available technologies and verging-on-vintage digital hardware. The available technology in question refers to the trigger pads which were developed in the gaming world for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. Guitar Hero World Tour drum set.

The verging-on-vintage hardware is the Yamaha DTXpress which was first marketed in 1999. The unit combines 16-bit AWM2 (Advanced Wave Memory 2) sample based synthesis with the classic Yamaha patented Frequency Modulation Synthesis (or FM synthesis).

FM synthesis can create both harmonic/pitch specific and non-harmonic/percussive sounds. When synthesizing harmonic sounds, the modulating signal has a harmonic [integer based multiples] relationship to the carrier signal. When modulators apply non-harmonic frequencies [non-integer based multiples] to the carrier signal, both the atonal and tonal qualities of the created sounds combine in more complex waveforms that produce the unique sounding percussion tones that are commonly described as, 'fat', 'gritty' and 'thick and dark'.