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126 - Null Phi Infinity
Artist Interviews πΆ Studio Tours π
Hello music people π
Today in the spotlight, Null Phi Infinity
Currently in the United States, he expresses his creativity in multiple outlets and genres and shares his ways with us πΆ
Interview & Studio Tour
Who are you and what is your relationship with music?
I am Null Phi Infinity, a Baltimore based musician, artist, podcaster, and printmaker.
I first got started in music playing piano and guitar before discovering circuit-bending, sound art, synths, and experimental music. Also, I currently run The Rat's Nest Podcast which is dedicated to creating a patch with modular synths every episode.
Which piece of equipment in your studio is essential to your production process?
I would have to say the computer.
It's where everything is recorded and edited and where I create artwork for both the podcast and my music. Before I had modular I was using a lot of Pure Data, Max/MSP and AudioMulch to create my music.
What is the least expensive piece of gear that gave you the most results?
Definitely contact microphones as they are an unconventional way of recording sound. They give really interesting results and are very easy and cheap to DIY. You can even dip them in plasti-dip to make them waterproof and make DIY hydrophones!
Walk us through your process for creating and producing music.
Honestly I don't have one set way of creating music.
Sometimes I'm just patching to patch and I stumble across something I have to record. Other times, I will take random modular recordings, and/or field recordings and see how they blend with each other. Or, I have a recording I like and specifically patch something to accompany it. Or, I could be inspired by a field recording and I process it with the modular.
I think it's important to be open to trying different techniques and seeing what works.
What is a production technique that you always come back to?
I love a good tape loop, something I've used in my music and in live performances, they're also pretty cheap and a lot of fun to make yourself.
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How would you describe your style?
Dark, Glitchy, and Textural are a few words I would use to describe it. If I had to give a genre I suppose drone, ambient, or noise could describe it but I have also released beat-based albums so I'm a little all over the place.
What is a big challenge you have as an artist?
I definitely struggle with imposter syndrome and being confident enough to put myself out there on social media and promote myself.
Part of that is just hating having to advertise yourself and monetize something you love doing. Part of it is just not feeling like anyone cares what weird noises you're making with your nest of wires on the internet.
Has building a hardware setup changed your perspective on music or life in general?
I would certainly say it has changed my perspective on music, especially creating it and what possibilities modular opens up for you.
I would also say I love having a physical thing and manipulating it to create sound. While I love the computer as a tool, it sucks as a performance device unless you've got an interesting way to interface with it.
I'm not as certain that it changed my perspective on life in general but,
I do enjoy the Buddhist nature of creating a patch and it being this ephemeral thing that is destroyed when you unpatch the cables.
One tip on how to spark creativity?
Experiment, use something in a way you've never used it before or learn a new way to create that you've never tried before.
A book, movie, article, or album that has inspired you?
Books:
The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Dune by Frank Herbert
Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Movies:
Interstellar
Spirited Away
Albums:
The Moon is a Dead World by Gospel
Board Up the House by Genghis Tron
Simulacrum & Stimuli by Infinite Hex
every album by Rolo Tomassi
Anything else you'd like to say?
Listen to The Rat's Nest Podcast!
Where can people find more of your music and connect with you online?
Gear List
Knas Ekdahl - Moisturizer
Modded Nintendo Gameboy
Modded Korg Monotron Delay
Circuit-Bent Casio MT-140
Korg - Volca Modular | Volca FM 2 | SQ-1
Arturia - Keystep
Zoom - H4n Pro Recorder
2 Portable Cassette Players
Various Contact Microphones
Various Acoustic Instruments (Kalimba, Tongue Drum, Ocarina, Guitar)
Modules:
DIY Ornament and Crime
Make Noise - Morphagene | Maths | Mimeophon
Noise Engineering - Cursus Iteritas | Basimilus Iteritas Alter | Numeric Repetitor | Desmodus Versio
Erica Synths - Black Wavetable VCO | Pico VCO | DIY Multimode VCF | Pico DSP | DIY Swamp | Pico RND
Befaco - Even VCO | Chopping Kinky | Sampling Modulator | Rampage | Mutes | Out V3
AI Synthesis - Quad VCA/Mixer | Matrix Mixer | Stereo Matrix Mixer
Zlob Modular - Vnicursal VCA | SVF Filter | Diode Chaos | Entropy V2 | VC F3DB
Sonocurrent - Dual Triode DIstortion | Triple Crossfade Array
Schlappi Engineering - Angle Grinder
WMD Devices - Kraken
Qu-Bit - Data Bender
Doepfer - A-124 Wasp Filter
Pittsburgh Modular - Crush
After Later Audio - Monsoon | Ornament and Crime
Bastl ABC Mixer
In Case You Missed It
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Giannis @giannis.kampiotis
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