An interview with Straytone for 2527, by Zhu Wenbo and Zhu Songjie
Q: What kind of sound do you like? Can you describe it in detail? Would you use a modular synthesizer to simulate the sound you imagined?
I like timbre made with very high frequency (more than 10k Hz) sine wave or/and very low frequency (less than 100Hz) sine wave. In particular modulated, feedbacked sound using them. I found this kind of sound while tinkering modular synthesizers. Recently, it’s very often finding favorite sound from my modular synthesizers. Their unpredictable nature always amaze me.
Q: When did you start playing modular synthesizers? What are your favorite modules so far? I got my first modular system around 6 years ago. It’s Make Noise’s Shared System. In the system there is a module called Math, which is my favorite. It’s very versatile module and you can experiment various idea on it. Over 6 years, I learned a lot of patching technic from it.
Q: Do you have any specific interests and habits when you play? Or any personal way of connecting circuits(patching)? My main interest is using aspects characteristic of synthesizers, not as substitute for acoustic instruments. It’s interesting that modular synthesizers can produce sound without realtime human control. Currently I focus this aspect. I always set up a system which automatically generate changing sound without human control. And also set up several feedback loops between its sub-systems to create unpredictable behavior. While playing, I manipulate (or disrupt) already set up generative sound system and reconfigure it to another generative system.
Q: When working with others, will you use more or less sound comparing to your solo? Will the performance become more instinctive, or requires more consideration? It depends on collaborator’s instrument and playing style. When playing with Takashi, I tend to go less sound to emphasize decay of his acoustic guitar sound. But when I played with Yuma Takeshita, I went high density electronic noise to fill up space with Yuma’s bass.
Q: You have worked with Takashi a lot over the years. How do you think your interest in sound has changed in these years?
My interest is changed to use more primitive sound with few oscillators and their modulation and feedback. I’m still using effects like delay or reverb but their importance is getting lower.
Q: Besides your collaboration with Takashi, I see that you have some other groups with synthesizer musicians, such as A.N.T. and SNH. Do you feel that when you ensemble with other synthesizers, it feels different from when you collaborate with people who use acoustic instruments? Maybe this will be reflected in the sense of hearing, reaction, or mentality?
Biggest difference is by watching movement of acoustic instrument player, you can know the timing of sound before it happens. It makes easy to create timing based sound relation with other players. But with synthesizer player, it’s very difficult to know the timing of sound happens. So I focus on making sound relation with other players with layers of sound .
Q: In China, it seems that people who play modular synthesizers (and want to play modular synthesizers but never make up their minds) have their own circle, and everyone knows each other, although the music they make seems to be different. Most of these people might just play at home, who are geeks or otakus, making soundtracks more than live performances. Is there such a circle in Japan or Tokyo? What is the modular synthesizer scene there? I don’t know much about modular synthesizer circles in Tokyo or Japan. As far as I know, they are very live oriented. But this point of view is very biased. Since I meet modular synthesizer players through live events…
Q: I feel that modular synthesizer is a dangerous and uncontrolled instrument! It will involuntarily make you want to buy more, use more, and connect more cables … and it must be an old vintage item, a classic (or become a classic in the future), and it must be expensive! Do you have any thoughts on avoiding getting caught in this vortex of consumerism? Or do you think this is not a matter at all?
Using fixed small set of modules and trying to understand their every function and behavior is good way to avoid endless consuming. It’s very difficult to accomplish it (I still don’t fully understand my main modules). In its process, you may be able to do a lot of things with small set of modules. And also, you may know what modules you really need and what modules you don’t need. These things will prevent random buying.
Q: Can you tell us some musicians you like? Toshi Ichiyanagi I like his live electronic music which has intense noise and silence. He has very good instinct to interesting sound and it means he can create amazing piece with computer sound even in 70s. Recommend: Appearance, Computer Space
Iannis Xenakis Computer is also used as substitute for real instruments or equipment. But he had been exploring music which is unique to computer. His 90s computer music still feels fresh. Recommend: Gendy3, S.709
Eliane Radigue Her synthesizer drone pieces are simple at a glance but have interesting timbre within it. She has solid vision and can accomplish it regardless of instruments. So her orchestra piece sound like her synthesizer drone piece and her synthesizer drone piece is sound like her tape feedback piece. Recommend: Occam Océan 2, Adnos, Vice Versa
Kevin Drumm Recently, He is releasing a lot of digital-only albums using his table top guitar, modular synthesizers and laptop. His brittle noise sound is great. And I like his long tracks which he digs one idea very deep. Recommend: All of his bandcamp releases
Asmus Tietchens He makes eerie sound reminiscent of early electronic music. And he puts it like an object. It’s like looking alien architectures from distance. Recommend: His albums from Line Label
访谈由朱松杰和朱文博共同完成，翻译：朱松杰
提问：你喜欢怎样的声音？不妨来仔细描述一下。你会用模块合成器来模拟你脑子里想象的声音吗？
我喜欢那些非常高频（超过10K赫兹）或超级低频（低于100赫兹）的正弦波音色。我会用调制、反馈的方式使用它们制造声音。
我是在修理模块合成器的时候发现这种声音的。最近我经常在模块合成器里发现自己喜欢的声音。它们不可预知的特质总是让我惊异。
提问：你是从什么时候开始玩模块合成器的？迄今为止你最喜欢用的几个模块都是什么？
大概在6年前，我第一次拥有了自己的一套模块合成器系统。那是 Make Noise 的 Shared System，里面的 Math 模块是我的最爱。这是块非常全面的模块，你可以用它实验各种各样的想法。6年来，我从其中学会了许多跳线的技巧。
提问：你在演奏的时候，是否有什么特殊的兴趣与爱好？或者是什么很个人化的连线方式？
我的兴趣主要集中在运用合成器自身的音色特质，而不是把它当作一种替代原声乐器的方式。模块合成器很有意思的一点在于它可以脱离人的实时控制发出声音。现在我正专注于这一方面。
我总是会把系统设置为脱离人为控制也可以自行发出声音的状态。同时也会在它的子系统里建立几组反馈回路来创造不可预知的行为。在演奏的时候，我会操作（或者说中断）已经建立好的发声系统，将它重塑。
提问：你觉得与独奏相比，当和与别人合作时，你所使用的声音是更多了还是更少了？ 演奏会变得更加本能，还是会需要更多思考？
这取决于合作者的乐器和表演风格。当我和增渊显史合作时，我倾向于简化声音来突出原生吉他音量衰减时的声音。但当我在和竹下勇马合作时，我就会使用高密度的电声噪音来填充他贝斯的空间。
提问：这些年来你和增渊显史一起合作了很多。你觉得你的兴趣点有了怎样的变化？
我过去喜欢使用几颗振荡器，并对其进行调变和反馈处理来制造更加原始的声音。我现在还很喜欢使用延时和混响效果，但对我而言它们没那么重要了。
提问：除了和增渊显史合作之外，我看到你还有很多和其他合成器乐手合作的组合，比如A.N.T. 还有 SNH，你觉得和其他合成器乐手一起合奏时候的感觉会和使用原声乐器的人合作时有所不同吗？无论是听感，反馈，还是心态上的？
最大的区别在于你可以通过观察原声乐器演奏者的动作，在出声之前就把握发声的时机。这会让实时的声音互动变得更加简单。但当你在和合成器乐手合作时，你很难知道声音将在何时发出。所以我会更专注于通过堆叠声层的方式和他们进行声音上的交流。
提问：在中国，似乎玩模块合成器（以及想要玩模块合成器但始终没有下决心）的人有自己的一个圈子，大家彼此都认识，尽管大家所做的音乐好像也并不一样。这些人里可能有很多人只是自己在家里玩，geek 或宅男，做电影配乐多过现场演出。在日本或是在东京有这样的圈子吗？那边的模块合成器场景是怎样的？
我不太了解东京或是日本的模块合成器圈子。就我所知，他们的主要侧重还是演出。但这种视角是带有极大偏差的，因为我都是通过演出结识模块合成器乐手的。
提问：总感觉模块合成器是一种很危险又很不节制的乐器呢！它不由自主的就会让你想要买更多，使用更多，连更多的线…… 而且一定要是vintage的老东西，一定要经典（或是成为未来的经典），一定要贵！关于避免让自己陷入到这种消费主义的漩涡中这件事，你是否有什么心得？还是你觉得这根本不算是个什么事？
想要避免无止境的消费的话，使用特定的小规模模块组并努力理解其中的每个功能和操作方法是一个非常好的方式。要做到这一点是很难的（我仍然无法完全理解自己的主力模块）。在这个过程里，你可以用它们做很多事。同时，你也可能发现你到底需要或不需要哪些模块。这都能帮你避免漫无目的的购买。
提问：可以告诉我们一些你喜欢的音乐人吗？
一柳慧
我非常喜欢他的现场电声音乐，其中带有高强度的噪音和空白。他有非常好的直觉去创造有趣的声音，这让他可以在70年代就创造出惊人的电脑音乐作品。
推荐作品：《Appearance》《Computer Space》
Iannis Xenakis
电脑同样也可以作为一种对真实乐器或设备的替代。但是他所探索的音乐是电脑独有的。他在90年代所作的电脑音乐现在听来依然新鲜。
推荐作品：《Gendy3》《S.709》
Eliane Radigue
她所做的合成器长音作品初听时感觉很简单，但其中却有十分有趣的音色。她的音乐视野非常坚实，并且无论使用什么乐器都能将它实现。因此，她的管弦乐作品也像她的合成器长音作品一样，而后者听起来也很像她的磁带反馈作品。
推荐作品：《Occam Océan 2》《Adnos》《Vice Versa》
Kevin Drumm
他最近发行了很多数字专辑，使用的设备包括桌面吉他、模块合成器和笔记本电脑。他细碎的噪音之声非常棒。我也喜欢他那些将一个想法挖掘到底的长篇作品。推荐作品：所有他在bandcamp上的发行
Asmus Tietchens
他创作了许多早期电子音乐中的怪异之声。他将它视作一个客体。就像是从远处观察外星球建筑群。
推荐作品：他在12k厂牌下发行的专辑。